Judges 1:28

KJV

And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.

KJV (with Strong's)

And it came to pass, when Israel {H3478} was strong {H2388}, that they put {H7760} the Canaanites {H3669} to tribute {H4522}, and did not utterly {H3423} drive them out {H3423}.

Complete Jewish Bible

In time, when Isra'el had grown strong, they did put the Kena'ani to forced labor but failed to drive them out completely.

Berean Standard Bible

When Israel became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor, but they never drove them out completely.

American Standard Version

And it came to pass, when Israel was waxed strong, that they put the Canaanites to taskwork, and did not utterly drive them out.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Judges 1:28 encapsulates a critical juncture in Israel's early settlement of the Promised Land, revealing a profound deviation from God's explicit covenant commands. Despite having grown significantly in military and numerical strength, the tribes of Israel, specifically highlighted here, chose not to completely dispossess the indigenous Canaanite inhabitants. Instead, they opted for a pragmatic, economically driven solution: subjecting the Canaanites to forced labor and tribute. This decision, born out of a lack of full obedience and a prioritization of material gain, established a dangerous precedent that would profoundly compromise Israel's spiritual integrity, setting the stage for cycles of idolatry, oppression, and divine judgment throughout the tumultuous period of the Judges.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Judges 1 serves as a crucial bridge between the unified, Joshua-led conquest and the fragmented, disobedient era of the Judges. The chapter begins with Israel seeking divine counsel after Joshua's death, and initial victories are recorded, particularly for the tribe of Judah ([Judges 1:1-20](/judges/1-1 "Judges 1:1-20 - Initial Conquests and Failures")). However, as the narrative progresses, a somber pattern of incomplete obedience emerges. Prior to Judges 1:28, the text details how Benjamin failed to dislodge the Jebusites from Jerusalem ([Judges 1:21](/judges/1-21 "Judges 1:21 - Benjamin's Failure to Dispossess Jebusites")), and Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali similarly failed to fully drive out the inhabitants of their allotted territories, instead allowing them to dwell among them ([Judges 1:27-33](/judges/1-27 "Judges 1:27-33 - Incomplete Conquest by Various Tribes")). Judges 1:28, while specifically mentioning the Canaanites in a general sense, encapsulates this widespread national failure. It explains *why* the Canaanites remained in the land, directly foreshadowing the divine rebuke in [Judges 2:1-3](/judges/2-1 "Judges 2:1-3 - The Angel of the Lord's Rebuke at Bochim") and laying the theological groundwork for the recurring cycles of sin, judgment, and deliverance that define the rest of the book.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** God's command to Israel regarding the indigenous nations of Canaan was absolute and repeatedly emphasized: they were to utterly destroy or drive out the inhabitants because of their abominable idolatry and practices, lest Israel be corrupted ([Deuteronomy 7:1-6](/deuteronomy/7-1 "Deuteronomy 7:1-6 - God's Command to Destroy the Nations of Canaan")). This was not merely a military strategy but a theological imperative to preserve Israel's covenant purity and unique relationship with Yahweh. The Canaanites were deeply immersed in polytheistic worship, including the fertility cults of Baal and Asherah, and practiced child sacrifice and ritual prostitution—practices anathema to Israel's monotheistic faith. In the ancient Near East, it was common for conquering powers to subject defeated peoples to "tribute" (forced labor or taxation) for economic benefit. For Israel, this presented a powerful temptation: to gain wealth and labor by compromising God's command for complete separation. The choice to exploit the Canaanites economically rather than eradicate their presence reflected a prioritization of immediate material gain over long-term spiritual integrity, a decision that proved disastrous for the nation's spiritual health and covenant faithfulness.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully illustrates the pervasive theme of **incomplete obedience** throughout the Book of Judges. Israel's failure to "utterly drive them out" despite being "strong" demonstrates a selective adherence to God's commands, choosing what was convenient or profitable over what was divinely mandated. This leads directly to the theme of **compromise**, where the pursuit of worldly gain (tribute/forced labor) superseded covenant faithfulness. This compromise, in turn, **foreshadows the cycle of apostasy and oppression** that defines the entire book. The remaining Canaanites and their gods would become "thorns in their sides" and a "snare" to Israel ([Judges 2:3](/judges/2-3 "Judges 2:3 - God's Judgment: Canaanites Remain as Snares")), leading to Israel's repeated turning away from God and subsequent subjugation by foreign powers. The verse also highlights the **dangers of strength without spiritual discernment**, as Israel's military success ironically led to a spiritual failure, demonstrating that God's people are most vulnerable when they rely on their own might rather than His explicit word.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Strong (Hebrew, _châzaq'_):** The verb חָזַק (_châzaq_) means to be or grow firm, strong, or mighty. Here, it indicates that Israel's military and numerical power had increased significantly since the initial, more challenging phases of the conquest. This strength should have enabled them to fulfill God's command completely. However, the verse presents a tragic **irony**: Israel's physical strength became the very condition under which they chose spiritual weakness and compromise. Their ability to utterly defeat the Canaanites was present, yet they chose a path of partiality, failing to "fasten upon" and "conquer" as God intended.
* **Tribute (Hebrew, _maç'_):** The noun מַס (_maç_) refers to forced labor, a levy, or conscription. It denotes a system where a conquered population is compelled to perform arduous tasks or pay heavy taxes to their conquerors. This term highlights Israel's economic motivation: rather than driving out the Canaanites, they exploited them for their own benefit, turning them into a source of cheap labor and revenue. This decision was a direct contravention of God's command for complete separation, as the presence of the Canaanites, even as subjugated peoples, presented an ongoing spiritual danger. The burden of this "tribute" was not only on the Canaanites but ultimately on Israel's spiritual health.
* **Did not utterly drive them out (Hebrew, _yârash'_):** The verb יָרַשׁ (_yârash_) means to occupy (by driving out previous tenants), to seize, to dispossess, or to inherit. The negative construction "did not utterly drive them out" emphasizes Israel's failure to fulfill the divine mandate for complete expulsion. God had commanded a total "disinherit[ance]" of the Canaanites from the land, not merely their subjugation. This phrase underscores the deliberate nature of Israel's disobedience; it was not an inability but an unwillingness to fully execute God's will, choosing coexistence and exploitation over complete eradication of pagan influences. Their failure to "possess" the land fully by "driving out" the inhabitants left a spiritual void.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And it came to pass, when Israel was strong":** This clause establishes the context of Israel's military and numerical ascendancy. It implies a period of consolidation and growth following the initial, more challenging phases of the conquest under Joshua. The phrase suggests a moment of opportunity and capability, where Israel possessed the means—the physical strength and resources—to fully obey God's command regarding the Canaanites. This strength, however, became the very catalyst for their spiritual decline.
* **"that they put the Canaanites to tribute":** This details Israel's chosen course of action. Instead of expelling the Canaanites, they subjected them to forced labor or taxation. This decision was driven by pragmatic, economic considerations, valuing the material benefits of a subjugated workforce over the spiritual purity and security that complete obedience would have provided. It represents a deliberate act of compromise, a calculated choice to prioritize worldly gain over divine mandate.
* **"and did not utterly drive them out":** This final clause explicitly states Israel's failure and disobedience. It directly contrasts with God's repeated commands to dispossess the inhabitants of the land. This omission was not an oversight or a temporary setback but a conscious, deliberate choice to allow the Canaanites to remain, thereby retaining their pagan influences within the Promised Land. This act of partial obedience carried profound long-term consequences for the spiritual health and covenant faithfulness of the nation.

#### Literary Devices
Judges 1:28 employs several significant literary devices that amplify its theological weight. The most prominent is **Irony**, as Israel's newfound "strength" (חָזַק, _châzaq_) paradoxically leads not to greater obedience, but to spiritual weakness and disobedience. Their military might, which should have facilitated complete conquest, instead enabled a compromise that would prove detrimental. There is also clear **Contrast** between God's explicit command to utterly drive out the Canaanites and Israel's chosen action of putting them to tribute. This highlights the stark divergence between divine will and human expediency, emphasizing Israel's deliberate choice to deviate from their covenant obligations. Furthermore, the verse functions as powerful **Foreshadowing**, signaling the impending cycles of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance that will define the rest of the Book of Judges. This act of incomplete obedience is presented as the root cause of the future troubles, setting the stage for the recurring narrative of Israel's spiritual decline and the subsequent divine judgments.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Judges 1:28 serves as a stark theological commentary on the dangers of incomplete obedience and the seductive power of compromise. It underscores the principle that God's commands are not arbitrary burdens but are given for the protection, purification, and flourishing of His people. Israel's failure to fully dispossess the Canaanites, driven by a desire for economic gain, reveals a prioritization of material prosperity over covenant fidelity and spiritual purity. This act of disobedience was not merely a military misstep but a profound theological failure, demonstrating a lack of trust in God's provision and a willingness to tolerate the very influences He had warned against. This compromise ultimately led to the spiritual decay and moral chaos that characterized the period of the Judges, illustrating that partial obedience is, in God's eyes, disobedience, and that the seeds of compromise inevitably bear bitter fruit, hindering the full realization of God's redemptive purposes for His people.

* [Deuteronomy 7:2-4](/deuteronomy/7-2 "God's Command to Utterly Destroy and Not Intermarry")
* [Exodus 23:32-33](/exodus/23-32 "Warning Against Covenants with Inhabitants")
* [Judges 2:1-3](/judges/2-1 "The Angel of the Lord Rebukes Israel for Disobedience")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Judges 1:28 offers a timeless and sobering lesson for believers today: the temptation to compromise with the "Canaanites" in our own lives. When we experience spiritual "strength"—perhaps a season of growth, a victory over a particular sin, a newfound discipline, or a sense of security in our faith—we can be subtly tempted to rationalize partial obedience. We might choose to put certain sinful habits, worldly influences, or unholy attitudes "to tribute" rather than utterly driving them out, believing we can control them, manage them, or even derive some perceived benefit from them. This verse reminds us that God's commands for holiness, separation, and complete surrender are not burdensome but are for our ultimate good, protection, and spiritual freedom. Any compromise with that which God has called us to eradicate—whether it be bitterness, unforgiveness, materialism, pride, or any form of idolatry—will inevitably lead to spiritual entanglement, hinder our intimacy with God, and diminish our witness. True spiritual victory is not found in merely managing sin or coexisting with it, but in fully surrendering to God's transformative power and completely dispossessing anything that stands in opposition to His perfect will for our lives.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be tempted to put "Canaanites to tribute" rather than utterly driving them out, rationalizing partial obedience?**
* **How might my perceived "strength," comfort, or success in certain areas of life inadvertently lead to spiritual compromise?**
* **What are the potential long-term consequences of partial obedience in my personal walk with God and my spiritual growth?**
* **Am I prioritizing immediate gain, comfort, or convenience over complete faithfulness and radical obedience to God's commands?**

### FAQ
**Why was it so critical for Israel to "utterly drive out" the Canaanites, rather than just subjugating them?**

Answer: The command to "utterly drive out" the Canaanites was not merely a military or political strategy, but a profound theological imperative rooted in God's covenant with Israel. The Canaanite nations practiced abhorrent idolatry, including child sacrifice, ritual prostitution, and divination, which were anathema to the worship of Yahweh. God knew that if Israel coexisted with these cultures, they would inevitably be corrupted by their pagan practices and turn away from Him. This is explicitly stated in [Deuteronomy 7:2-4](/deuteronomy/7-2 "God's Command to Destroy the Nations") and [Exodus 23:32-33](/exodus/23-32 "Warning Against Covenants with Inhabitants"). Subjugating them to tribute, as Judges 1:28 describes, meant that the Canaanites remained in the land, their altars and idols continued to exist, and their influence became a constant snare to Israel, leading to the cycles of apostasy and judgment seen throughout the Book of Judges ([Judges 2:11-15](/judges/2-11 "Israel's Cycle of Sin")). God desired a holy, set-apart people, and complete separation from these corrupting influences was essential for their spiritual well-being and their unique role as His covenant nation, a light to the surrounding peoples.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The failure of Israel in Judges 1:28 to utterly drive out the Canaanites, choosing compromise and economic gain over complete obedience, stands in stark contrast to the perfect obedience and ultimate victory achieved by Jesus Christ. Where Israel, despite its strength, succumbed to temptation and allowed the seeds of sin and idolatry to remain in the land, Christ, through His life, death, and resurrection, fully dispossessed the spiritual "Canaanites" of sin, death, and the devil. He did not merely put them to "tribute" or subjugate them; He utterly defeated them, triumphing over all principalities and powers on the cross ([Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Christ's Triumph Over Powers and Authorities")). Jesus, the true Israel, perfectly fulfilled the Father's will, driving out the spiritual enemies that enslave humanity. His sacrifice provides the means for believers to truly "drive out" the sin that clings to them, empowering them through the Holy Spirit to live lives of complete obedience and freedom from compromise ([Romans 6:6](/romans/6-6 "Our Old Self Crucified with Christ")). In Christ, we find the strength and the means to overcome every spiritual "Canaanite" that seeks to entangle us, experiencing the full victory that Israel failed to grasp. He is the ultimate "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "Jesus, the Lamb of God")), dispossessing the power of sin once and for all and establishing a kingdom of righteousness and peace ([Romans 14:17](/romans/14-17 "The Kingdom of God is Righteousness, Peace, and Joy")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.