Judges 1:33

KJV

Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.

KJV (with Strong's)

Neither did Naphtali {H5321} drive out {H3423} the inhabitants {H3427} of Bethshemesh {H1053}, nor the inhabitants {H3427} of Bethanath {H1043}; but he dwelt {H3427} among {H7130} the Canaanites {H3669}, the inhabitants {H3427} of the land {H776}: nevertheless the inhabitants {H3427} of Bethshemesh {H1053} and of Bethanath {H1043} became tributaries {H4522} unto them.

Complete Jewish Bible

Naftali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beit-Shemesh or Beit-'Anat but lived among the Kena'ani living in the land; however, the inhabitants of Beit-Shemesh and Beit-'Anat became forced labor for them.

Berean Standard Bible

Naphtali failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. So the Naphtalites also lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, but the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath served them as forced laborers.

American Standard Version

Naphtali drove not out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to taskwork.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Judges 1:33 chronicles the tribe of Naphtali's failure to fully obey God's command to dispossess the Canaanite inhabitants from their divinely allotted territory, specifically the cities of Bethshemesh and Bethanath. Rather than completely expelling them, Naphtali opted for a pragmatic compromise, allowing the Canaanites to remain in the land, albeit under subjugation as forced laborers or "tributaries." This act of partial obedience is a poignant illustration of a pervasive pattern in the opening chapters of Judges, foreshadowing the spiritual and social decay that would plague Israel throughout the period, as their compromise with pagan cultures inevitably led to apostasy, syncretism, and cycles of divine judgment.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Judges 1:33 is situated within a crucial introductory section of the book of Judges (Judges 1:27-36), which serves as a lamentable catalog detailing the various Israelite tribes' incomplete conquest of Canaan following the death of Joshua. This section immediately follows accounts of Judah and Simeon's relatively successful, though still partial, campaigns (Judges 1:1-20) and the specific failure of the Benjamites to drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem (Judges 1:21). The repeated, somber refrain "but did not drive them out" or similar expressions (e.g., Judges 1:27, 29, 30, 31, 32) underscores a consistent pattern of widespread disobedience across the tribes. This collective failure sets a pessimistic and foreboding tone for the entire book, starkly contrasting with the triumphant narratives of conquest found in [the book of Joshua](/joshua/1 "Joshua - The Conquest of Canaan"). It establishes the spiritual decline and compromised covenant relationship that necessitate the cyclical pattern of sin, oppression, and divine deliverance that defines the subsequent chapters of [Judges](/judges/2 "Judges 2 - The Angel of the Lord's Rebuke").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The period described in Judges 1 immediately follows the initial, Joshua-led conquest and marks the time when the Israelite tribes were settling into their respective land allotments. God's explicit and repeated command (e.g., [Deuteronomy 7:2](/deuteronomy/7-2 "Deuteronomy 7:2 - Command to Utterly Destroy"), [Deuteronomy 20:16-18](/deuteronomy/20-16-18 "Deuteronomy 20:16-18 - Destroying the Nations of the Land")) was to utterly dispossess or destroy the indigenous Canaanite populations. This was not an act of arbitrary cruelty but a divine imperative to prevent the corruption of Israel's unique monotheistic faith by the Canaanites' abominable polytheistic practices, which included fertility cults, ritual prostitution, and child sacrifice. Bethshemesh, meaning "house of the sun," and Bethanath, meaning "house of Anath" (a prominent Canaanite goddess), were likely significant cultic centers dedicated to their respective deities, indicating strong pagan influence. Allowing these inhabitants to remain, even as tributaries, meant living in close proximity to, and being constantly exposed to, these corrupting influences—precisely what God sought to prevent for the spiritual purity and covenant faithfulness of His people.
* **Key Themes:** Judges 1:33 powerfully illustrates several key themes central to the book of Judges and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights **Partial Obedience and Compromise**. Naphtali's decision to make the Canaanites tributaries, rather than executing the divine command for complete expulsion, was a strategic and economic compromise that directly defied God's explicit instructions. This partial obedience, while appearing pragmatic or even beneficial, was fundamentally an act of profound disobedience. Secondly, it underscores the **Consequences of Disobedience**. The phrase "he dwelt among the Canaanites" immediately signals the negative outcome. This cohabitation inevitably led to spiritual syncretism and apostasy, as vividly depicted throughout the book (e.g., [Judges 2:11-13](/judges/2-11 "Judges 2:11-13 - Israel's Idolatry")). Thirdly, it exemplifies the **Failure to Dispossess**, a recurring lament and central motif in [Judges 1](/judges/1 "Judges 1 - Incomplete Conquest"). This widespread failure among the tribes was not merely a military shortcoming or a logistical challenge but a profound spiritual lapse—a lack of faith in God's power, a diminished zeal for His glory, and a disregard for His holy character and covenant requirements.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Drive out (Hebrew, _yârash'_):** The Hebrew verb יָרַשׁ (_yârash_, H3423) means "to inherit, take possession of, dispossess, drive out." In the context of the conquest, it carries the strong connotation of completely expelling the previous inhabitants to fully take possession of the land as an inheritance from God. Naphtali's failure to "drive out" signifies a direct contradiction of God's command and a failure to fully claim their inheritance through faith and resolute obedience.
* **Dwelt (Hebrew, _yâshab'_):** The Hebrew verb יָשַׁב (_yâshab_, H3427) means "to sit, dwell, inhabit, remain." The phrase "but he dwelt among the Canaanites" is profoundly significant. It indicates a reversal of God's intention; instead of Israel dispossessing the Canaanites, the Israelites settled down *with* them. This cohabitation was the root cause of much of Israel's future idolatry and moral decay, as it facilitated the assimilation of pagan practices and the erosion of their distinct identity as God's holy people.
* **Tributaries (Hebrew, _maç'_):** The Hebrew word מַס (_maç_, H4522) refers to forced labor, corvée, or a levy/tax. While it implies a degree of Israelite dominance and economic benefit through subjugation, it falls critically short of the divine command for complete expulsion. This arrangement, though seemingly practical and advantageous, allowed the spiritual and cultural contamination of the Canaanites to persist within the land, becoming an enduring snare for Israel's covenant faithfulness.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath;":** This opening clause immediately states Naphtali's primary failure. Despite being allotted their territory in the northern part of Canaan (Joshua 19:32-39), they did not fulfill the divine mandate to completely expel the existing Canaanite populations from these specific cities. This highlights a lack of faith, resolve, and commitment to God's explicit instructions, mirroring the similar failures of other tribes mentioned in this chapter.
* **"but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land:":** This phrase underscores the direct and detrimental consequence of their failure to drive out the inhabitants. Instead of maintaining their distinct identity and separateness as God's holy people, Naphtali chose to cohabitate with the very people God commanded them to remove. This compromise was a dangerous spiritual concession, guaranteeing ongoing exposure to the idolatrous and immoral practices of the Canaanites, which would inevitably corrupt Israel's covenant relationship with Yahweh.
* **"nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.":** This final clause describes the nature of the compromise Naphtali made. They did not simply ignore the Canaanites; they subjugated them, forcing them into labor or taxation. While this demonstrated a degree of military superiority and provided immediate economic benefit, it was not the full obedience God required. This "tributary" status was a pragmatic solution that prioritized worldly gain over spiritual purity, ultimately proving to be a persistent spiritual snare for the tribe and the nation as a whole.

#### Literary Devices
Judges 1:33 employs several potent literary devices to convey its significant message regarding Israel's spiritual decline. The most prominent is **Repetition**, as this verse echoes the recurring phrase "did not drive out" seen throughout [Judges 1](/judges/1 "Judges 1 - Incomplete Conquest") (e.g., Judges 1:27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32). This consistent repetition emphasizes the widespread nature of Israel's disobedience and the collective failure of the tribes to fulfill God's command, building a cumulative sense of disappointment and impending judgment. There is also a clear **Contrast** between God's explicit command to utterly dispossess the Canaanites and Naphtali's chosen action of dwelling among them and making them tributaries. This stark contrast highlights the tension between divine will and human compromise, underscoring the severity of their disobedience. Furthermore, the verse functions as **Foreshadowing**, hinting at the cycles of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance that will characterize the entire book of Judges. Naphtali's failure to cleanse their land of pagan influences directly sets the stage for the spiritual decline and divine judgment described in subsequent chapters, illustrating how initial compromises lead to deeper spiritual entanglement.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Judges 1:33 is a profound theological statement on the nature of obedience, the perils of compromise, and the inevitable consequences of spiritual impurity. It underscores God's absolute holiness and His demand for a people set apart, unadulterated by the pagan practices of the surrounding nations. The failure to fully dispossess the Canaanites was not merely a military oversight but a direct affront to God's covenant requirements, revealing a fundamental lack of faith in His power and a preference for pragmatic, worldly solutions over divine commands. This compromise with sin, even when seemingly beneficial (like receiving tribute), inevitably leads to spiritual decay and ultimately provokes divine discipline, as the "snare" of the Canaanites would become a recurring theme in Israel's history. The verse serves as a timeless warning against partial obedience and the insidious dangers of allowing worldly influences to coexist with spiritual commitment, thereby diluting faith and inviting judgment.

* [Deuteronomy 7:1-5](/deuteronomy/7-1-5 "Deuteronomy 7:1-5 - Command to Destroy Nations")
* [Judges 2:1-3](/judges/2-1-3 "Judges 2:1-3 - Angel of the Lord's Rebuke")
* [1 Samuel 15:22-23](/1_samuel/15-22-23 "1 Samuel 15:22-23 - Obedience Better Than Sacrifice")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Judges 1:33 serves as a powerful cautionary tale for believers today, mirroring the spiritual struggles we face in our own lives. Just as Naphtali failed to "drive out" the Canaanites, we are often tempted to allow "inhabitants" of sin, worldly mindsets, or ungodly influences to remain in our hearts and lives. These might manifest as habits we tolerate, attitudes we excuse, or relationships that compromise our faith. Partial obedience, where we do "enough" but stop short of complete surrender to God's will, can feel convenient or even beneficial in the short term, much like the economic gain Naphtali derived from the tributaries. However, this verse reminds us that such compromise inevitably leads to spiritual entanglement, a diluted faith, and a diminished witness. True spiritual vitality and freedom come not from managing sin, but from decisively "driving it out" through the power of the Holy Spirit, pursuing full and radical obedience to God's commands, and recognizing that anything that draws us away from Him is a snare. We are called to be a people set apart, not to dwell among the "Canaanites" of our culture, but to be agents of transformation within it, reflecting Christ's holiness and truth.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "Canaanites"—habits, attitudes, or influences—am I allowing to remain as "tributaries" in my life, rather than fully dispossessing them through radical obedience?**
* **In what specific areas of my life am I practicing partial obedience instead of complete surrender to God's revealed will?**
* **How does compromising with worldly values or sinful patterns hinder my spiritual growth, diminish my intimacy with God, and impact my witness to others?**
* **What concrete steps can I take today to "drive out" those influences that are not honoring to God, trusting in His empowering grace for complete victory and transformation?**

### FAQ

**Why was it so important for Israel to "drive out" the inhabitants, rather than just making them tributaries?**

Answer: God's command to "drive out" or utterly destroy the Canaanite inhabitants (e.g., [Deuteronomy 7:1-6](/deuteronomy/7-1-6 "Deuteronomy 7:1-6 - God's Command to Destroy")) was primarily for the spiritual preservation and purity of Israel. The Canaanites practiced idolatry, child sacrifice, and various immoral acts that were an abomination to the Lord. Allowing them to remain, even as subjugated tributaries, meant constant exposure to these corrupting influences. God knew that cohabitation would inevitably lead to syncretism, where Israel would adopt Canaanite gods and practices, thereby breaking their exclusive covenant with Him. The "tributary" arrangement, while economically advantageous and seemingly pragmatic, was a profound spiritual compromise that prioritized material gain over spiritual purity and covenant faithfulness, ultimately leading to the cycles of apostasy and judgment seen throughout [the book of Judges](/judges/2 "Judges 2 - The Angel of the Lord's Rebuke"). This compromise was a direct affront to God's holiness and His desire for a set-apart people.

**Did any tribes fully succeed in driving out the Canaanites from their territory?**

Answer: The opening chapters of Judges present a largely grim picture of incomplete conquest. While some tribes, like Judah and Simeon (Judges 1:1-20), experienced initial successes and demonstrated more resolve in their assigned territories, no tribe is recorded as having completely driven out all the inhabitants from their entire allotted territory. The repeated refrain "but did not drive them out" (e.g., Judges 1:27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33) highlights the pervasive and widespread failure across the tribes. This widespread disobedience is precisely why the Angel of the Lord rebukes Israel in [Judges 2:1-5](/judges/2-1-5 "Judges 2:1-5 - Angel of the Lord's Rebuke"), stating that because they did not obey, God would not drive out the remaining nations, and they would become "thorns in your sides" and "snares" to them, leading to their downfall.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Judges 1:33, with its lament of Naphtali's partial obedience and the enduring presence of the "Canaanites" within the promised land, powerfully foreshadows the spiritual battle that humanity faces and the ultimate, complete victory achieved in Jesus Christ. The Israelites' failure to fully dispossess their enemies reflects humanity's inherent inability to fully conquer sin and its corrupting influences through human effort, compromise, or mere subjugation. The "Canaanites" represent the indwelling sin, the worldly powers, and the spiritual forces of evil that seek to enslave us, just as the pagan inhabitants became a persistent snare to Israel. However, unlike Naphtali, Jesus Christ achieved a complete and decisive victory over all spiritual enemies. He did not merely make sin a "tributary" or allow it to coexist; He utterly disarmed and triumphed over the principalities and powers of darkness through His sacrificial death on the cross and His glorious resurrection (cf. [Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ's Triumph Over Powers")). Through His atoning sacrifice, Christ "drove out" the dominion of sin and death, offering true spiritual freedom and the empowering grace to live a life of full and radical obedience (cf. [Romans 6:6-7](/romans/6-6-7 "Romans 6:6-7 - Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ")). The New Covenant believer, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, is now empowered to "put to death the deeds of the body" (cf. [Romans 8:13](/romans/8-13 "Romans 8:13 - Spirit Mortifies Deeds of the Body")) and to "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed" (cf. [Romans 12:2](/romans/12-2 "Romans 12:2 - Transformed by Renewing of Mind")), thereby fulfilling the spiritual "driving out" that Israel failed to accomplish. In Christ, we inherit a spiritual kingdom where evil is ultimately vanquished, and we are called to live as a people set apart, anticipating the glorious day when every enemy, including death itself, will be finally destroyed (cf. [1 Corinthians 15:26](/1_corinthians/15-26 "1 Corinthians 15:26 - The Last Enemy, Death")).

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.

Cross-References

Joshua 19:32

¶ The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, [even] for the children of Naphtali according to their families.

Joshua 19:38

And Iron, and Migdalel, Horem, and Bethanath, and Bethshemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.

Psalms 18:24

Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

Judges 1:35

But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.

Judges 1:30

Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.