Judges 1:33

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator records the ongoing partial conquest of Canaanite territories following Joshua's death, specifically noting Naphtali's territorial outcome.

The words — The Hebrew לֹא הוֹרִישׁ (lo'- ho.Rish) literally translates to "did not dispossess" or "did not drive out," indicating a deliberate failure to clear the land.

The thread — This same pattern of incomplete displacement and forced labor appears in Judges 1:30 regarding Zebulun, while Joshua 19:32 records the initial casting of the lot for Naphtali before the boundary description begins in verse 33.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that partial obedience produces lasting compromise, leaving the conqueror dependent on subjugated populations rather than fully established.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

נַפְתָּלִ֗יnaf.ta.LiNaphtali לֹֽא־lo'-not הוֹרִ֞ישׁho.Rishit dispossessed אֶת־'et-<obj.>יֹשְׁבֵ֤יyo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants of בֵֽית־veit-Beth שֶׁ֙מֶשׁ֙she.meshShemesh וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>יֹשְׁבֵ֣יyo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants of בֵית־veit-Beth עֲנָ֔ת'a.NatAnath וַיֵּ֕שֶׁבva/i.Ye.shevand/ it dwelt בְּקֶ֥רֶבbe./Ke.revin/ [the] midst of הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖יha./ke.na.'a.Nithe/ Canaanite[s]יֹשְׁבֵ֣יyo.she.Vei[the] inhabitants of הָאָ֑רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land וְיֹשְׁבֵ֤יve./yo.she.Veiand/ [the] inhabitants of בֵֽית־veit-Beth שֶׁ֙מֶשׁ֙she.meshShemesh וּבֵ֣יתu./Veitand/ Beth עֲנָ֔ת'a.NatAnath הָי֥וּha.Yuthey becameלָהֶ֖םla./Hemfor <the>/ themלָמַֽס׃ סla./Mas<into>/ forced labor

King James Version

Neither did Naphtali drive 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 tributaries unto them.

Cross-references

Joshua 19:32 The sixth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Naphtali:
Psalms 18:24 So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.
Judges 1:30 Zebulun failed to drive out the inhabitants of Kitron and Nahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and served as forced laborers.
Judges 1:35 And the Amorites were determined to dwell in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. But when the house of Joseph grew in strength, they pressed the Amorites into forced labor.