TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Commentary on Joshua 16 verses 5–10
Here, 1. The border of the lot of Ephraim is set down, by which it was divided on the south from Benjamin and Dan, who lay between it and Judah, and on the north from Manasseh; for east and west it reached from Jordan to the great sea. The learned, who aim to be exact in drawing the line according to the directions here, find themselves very much at a loss, the description being short and intricate. The report of those who in these latter ages have travelled those countries will not serve to clear the difficulties, so vastly unlike is it now to what it was then; not only cities have been so destroyed as that no mark nor footstep of them remains, but brooks are dried up, rivers alter their courses, and even the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place, Job 14:18. Unless I could hope to solve the doubts that arise upon this draught of the border of Ephraim, it is to no purpose to mention them: no doubt it was then perfectly understood, so as that the first intention of recording it was effectually answered, which was to notify the ancient landmarks, which posterity must by no means remove. 2. Some separate cities are spoken of, that lay not within these borders, at least not if the line was drawn direct, but lay within the lot of Manasseh (Jos 16:9), which might better be read, and there were separate cities for the children of Ephraim among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, because it proved that Manasseh could spare them, and Ephraim had need of them, and it might be hoped that no inconvenience would arise from this mixture of these two tribes together, who were both the sons of Joseph, and should love as brethren. And by this it appears that though, when the tribes were numbered in the plains of Moab, Manasseh had got the start of Ephraim in number, for Manasseh was then 52,000, and Ephraim but 32,000 (Num 26:34, Num 26:37), yet by the time they were well settled in Canaan the hands were crossed again, and the blessing of Moses was verified, Deu 33:17, They are the ten thousands of Ephraim and they are the thousands of Manasseh. Families and kingdoms are diminished and increased, increased and diminished again, as God pleases. 3. A brand is put upon the Ephraimites, that they did not drive out the Canaanites from Gezer (Jos 16:10), either through carelessness or cowardice, either for want of faith in the promise of God, that he would give them success if they would make a vigorous effort, or for want of zeal for the command of God, which obliged them utterly to drive out the Canaanites, and to make no peace with them. And, though they hoped to satisfy the law by putting them under tribute, yet (as Calvin thinks) this made the matter worse, for it shows that they spared them out of covetousness, that they might be profited by their labours, and by dealing with them for their tribute they were in danger of being infected with their idolatry; yet some think that, when they brought them under tribute, they obliged them to renounce their idols, and to observe the seven precepts of the sons of Noah; and I should think so, but that we find in the sequel of the story that the Israelites were so far from restraining idolatry in others that they soon fell into it themselves. Many famous places were within this lot of the tribe of Ephraim, though not mentioned here. In it were Ramah, Samuel's city (called in the New Testament Arimathea, of which Joseph was, that took care of our Saviour's burial), and Shiloh, where the tabernacle was first set up. Tirzah also, the royal city of Jeroboam and his successors, and Deborah's palm-tree, under which she judged Israel, were in this tribe. Samaria, built by Omri after the burning of the royal palace of Tirzah, was in this tribe, and was long the royal city of the kingdom of the ten tribes; not far from it were Shechem, and the mountains Ebal and Gerizim, and Sychar, near which was Jacob's well, where Christ talked with the woman of Samaria. We read much of Mount Ephraim in the story of the Judges, and of a city called Ephraim, it is probable in this tribe, to which Christ retired, Joh 11:54. The whole kingdom of the ten tribes is often, in the prophets, especially in Hosea, called Ephraim.
“And the Canaanites have lived in the midst of Ephraim to this very day.” But Ephraim is interpreted as “fruitful.” Therefore, although it is fruitful, it is not able to eject the Canaanite (who is of a different and cursed seed) from its territory until this day. But we can also say this concerning the church. Taken another way, there is no soul who is able to remain pure in this present life seeking peace alone without sinning until he sees Christ, the peace of God and the one who [dwells] throughout all those who bear fruit. For no one is clean from sordidness, from strange or alien thinking [on his own]. And so, just as the Jebusites and Canaanites are always found in Jerusalem, it is also necessary to suffer for the casting out of these, but only those who call upon God are able to do so.
Continue studying Joshua 16:10 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Joshua 16:10 records a significant failure of the tribe of Ephraim to fully obey God's command regarding the conquest of Canaan. Despite receiving their designated inheritance, they neglected to completely expel the Canaanite inhabitants of Gezer. Instead, they opted for a pragmatic compromise, subjugating these indigenous peoples for forced labor. This act of partial obedience, driven by expediency rather than unwavering faith in divine mandate, allowed a persistent spiritual and cultural threat to remain within Israel's borders, foreshadowing detrimental long-term consequences for the nation's faithfulness, purity, and ultimate well-being.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Joshua 16:10 effectively employs several literary devices to convey its significant message. Contrast is central, highlighting the stark difference between God's explicit command to utterly dispossess the Canaanites and Ephraim's partial obedience, which resulted in their continued presence. This tension between divine will and human action underscores the theme of Israel's wavering faithfulness and the perils of compromise. The verse also functions as a powerful piece of Foreshadowing. The failure at Gezer, explicitly noted with the phrase "unto this day," anticipates the widespread apostasy, syncretism, and internal strife that characterize the period of the Judges, where the remaining Canaanites indeed became "thorns in their sides" as warned. This phrase also serves as a form of Emphasis, drawing the reader's attention to the lasting and detrimental consequences of this specific act of disobedience. Finally, there is an element of Irony present: by seeking immediate economic gain through tribute, Ephraim inadvertently sowed the seeds of future spiritual and national decline, demonstrating that perceived short-term benefits can lead to profound long-term spiritual detriment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Joshua 16:10 serves as a profound theological warning against the dangers of incomplete obedience and spiritual compromise. It underscores the truth that God's commands are not mere suggestions but divine imperatives, given for the ultimate welfare, holiness, and purity of His people. Ephraim's failure to fully dispossess the Canaanites reveals a lack of faith in God's power to grant total victory and a preference for human expediency (economic gain through tribute) over divine wisdom and covenant faithfulness. This compromise set a dangerous precedent for future generations, leading directly to the spiritual decline, syncretism, and idolatry that plagued Israel throughout the period of the Judges. The passage teaches that tolerating sin or ungodly influences, even for perceived benefit or convenience, inevitably leads to long-term spiritual contamination and hinders the full realization of God's covenant blessings. True faithfulness requires decisive action against all that opposes God's will, recognizing that partial obedience is, in God's eyes, a profound form of disobedience.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Joshua 16:10 offers a timeless and crucial lesson for believers today, serving as a stark reminder that partial obedience to God's commands is, in essence, disobedience, and that compromise with the world's values inevitably leads to spiritual detriment. Just as Ephraim failed to fully drive out the Canaanites, we are often tempted to tolerate "Canaanites" in our own lives—areas of persistent sin, worldly influences, ungodly habits, or even unredeemed thought patterns that we allow to remain. We might do so for perceived comfort, material gain, social acceptance, or simply out of spiritual laziness and a lack of conviction. This verse challenges us to prayerfully examine our lives for any areas where we have settled for less than God's complete will, perhaps accepting a "tribute" of temporary pleasure or immediate material benefit in exchange for true spiritual purity and freedom. The "unto this day" phrase serves as a solemn warning that such compromises are not benign; they have lasting, detrimental consequences, becoming "thorns in our sides" that hinder our spiritual growth, corrupt our walk with God, and prevent us from fully inheriting the spiritual blessings and abundant life Christ has secured for us. True spiritual victory requires decisive, unwavering obedience and a refusal to compromise with anything that opposes God's holiness and perfect will for our lives.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was Gezer ever fully conquered by the Israelites, or did the Canaanites always remain there?
Answer: Joshua 16:10 explicitly states that the Canaanites remained in Gezer "unto this day," indicating that Ephraim never fully dispossessed them. This historical reality is corroborated by subsequent biblical accounts. While the Ephraimites failed to drive them out, Gezer was eventually conquered much later, not by Israelite initiative, but by an Egyptian Pharaoh. According to 1 Kings 9:16, this Pharaoh conquered Gezer, burned it with fire, killed the Canaanites who lived there, and then gave it as a dowry to his daughter, who became Solomon's wife. This demonstrates that Ephraim's initial failure was never rectified by their own obedience or military effort, and the city only came under Israelite control much later through external, non-covenantal means, long after the initial opportunity for complete obedience had passed.
Why was it so crucial for the Israelites to completely drive out the Canaanites, rather than simply subjugating them?
Answer: The divine command to completely drive out the Canaanites was fundamentally theological and spiritual, extending far beyond mere military or political strategy. God's primary concern was the spiritual purity and unwavering faithfulness of His covenant people. As detailed in passages like Deuteronomy 7:3-4, God knew that allowing the Canaanites to remain would inevitably lead to intermarriage, the adoption of their abhorrent idolatrous practices, and a turning away from the exclusive worship of Yahweh. Their pagan rituals, which included child sacrifice, cultic prostitution, and divination, were an utter abomination to God. Subjugating them for tribute, as Ephraim did, still allowed for dangerous cultural and religious interaction and syncretism, which was precisely the spiritual contamination God sought to prevent. The command was a crucial safeguard for Israel's unique identity as a holy nation, set apart to bear witness to the one true God.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Joshua 16:10, with Ephraim's failure to fully dispossess the Canaanites of Gezer, powerfully foreshadows the spiritual inadequacy of the Old Covenant and humanity's inherent inability to achieve complete victory over sin and spiritual enemies through its own strength. The Israelites, despite divine command and provision, were ultimately unable to fully purge the land of its spiritual threats, leaving "thorns in their sides" that would lead to widespread apostasy and national decline. This highlights humanity's inherent weakness and inability to perfectly obey God's commands or fully overcome sin on its own. However, in Christ, we witness the ultimate and decisive fulfillment of this incomplete conquest. Jesus, the true and greater Joshua, did not compromise with sin or spiritual enemies. Through His perfect life of obedience, His atoning death on the cross, and His triumphant resurrection, He decisively conquered sin, death, and the devil, disarming principalities and powers and triumphing over them as described in Colossians 2:15. He fully accomplished what Israel could not, securing a complete and eternal spiritual victory. For believers, this means we are no longer called to fight in our own strength against spiritual foes, but to stand firm in the victory Christ has already won. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to "drive out" the "Canaanites" of sin and worldly influence from our lives, not through our own might, but by drawing on the inexhaustible power of Christ who dwells within us, enabling us to put on the full armor of God and stand firm against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:10-12). Unlike Ephraim, who sought temporary economic tribute from their enemies, Christ calls us to complete separation from sin and the world's corrupting influences, offering true freedom and an eternal inheritance in His Kingdom, where no spiritual enemy can dwell "unto this day" because He has utterly defeated them once and for all.