Joshua 17:13
Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Forced labor (corvée) was standard practice in ancient Near Eastern empires—Egypt used Hebrew slaves for building projects (Exodus 1:11), and later Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires employed similar systems. By adopting this practice with Canaanites, Israel imitated pagan nations rather than maintaining covenant distinctiveness. The economic temptation was obvious: skilled Canaanite workers could build cities, work fields, and increase productivity. But God's command to destroy Canaanites wasn't arbitrary cruelty—it was spiritual quarantine against religions involving child sacrifice, cult prostitution, and practices that debased the image of God in humanity (Leviticus 18:21-30). The compromise proved disastrous: within a generation, Israel was worshiping Baal and Asherah (Judges 2:11-13), vindicating God's wisdom. The pattern repeated throughout history: pragmatic compromise with sin leads to spiritual catastrophe.
Questions for Reflection
- In what areas of life are you tempted to manage or utilize sin (put it to tribute) rather than utterly destroy it as God commands?
- How does the economic benefit of keeping Canaanite workers illustrate the short-term gains that tempt us to compromise God's standards?
- What can we learn from Israel's failure about the danger of substituting our practical wisdom for God's revealed commands, even when our way seems more reasonable?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out—The phrase ki chazqu benei Yisrael (כִּי חָזְקוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל, "when the children of Israel were waxen strong") indicates increasing military power over time. The verb chazaq (חָזַק, "strong, prevailed") ironically echoes God's command to Joshua to "be strong and courageous" (1:6-7, 9)—but Israel uses strength for compromise rather than obedience.
Instead of completing conquest, they put the Canaanites to tribute (vayitnu et-haKena'ani lamas, וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת־הַכְּנַעֲנִי לָמַס, "made the Canaanites tributary labor"). The noun mas (מַס) refers to forced labor or corvée, a system where subjected peoples worked for their conquerors. This pragmatic solution provided economic benefit (free labor) but directly violated God's command to utterly destroy the Canaanites (Hebrew horem tacharimem, חָרֵם תַּחֲרִימֵם, Deuteronomy 20:17). They substituted their wisdom for God's, prioritizing short-term economic gain over long-term spiritual purity. Solomon would later expand this forced labor system (1 Kings 9:20-21), but its seeds were planted here through disobedience.