The Failed Conquest of Canaan

Wars of the Bible

In the previous blog, we followed the Tribe of Judah and the campaign into the Hill Country. While they were successful in taking the Hill Country, one of the last lines reveals that they could not clear the plains, for the Canaanites had superior weaponry,  in the form of iron chariots. 

This failure to clear the land would become a recurring theme, leading to God’s judgment upon them for disobeying his command. In the verses we’ll be reading in Judges, we’ll go through a long list of failures as the Israelites attempt to conquer the Promised Land. We’ll also preview the Judges, God-appointed leaders sent to rescue the Israelites from foreign oppressors, before diving into the battles that they fought before the formation of the monarchy under King Saul. 

Failure to Complete the Conquest

But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

²² The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them. ²³ And the

house of Joseph scouted out Bethel. (Now the name of the city was formerly Luz.) ²⁴ And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.” ²⁵ And he showed them the way into the city. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go. ²⁶ And the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city and called its name Luz. That is its name to this day.

²⁷ Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. ²⁸ When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely.

²⁹ And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.

³⁰ Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them, but became subject to forced labor.

³¹ Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon or of Ahlab or of Achzib or of Helbah or of Aphik or of Rehob, ³² so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out.

³³ Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labor for them.

³⁴ The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain. ³⁵ The Amorites persisted in dwelling in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labor. ³⁶ And the border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward.

Israel's Disobedience

2 Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, ² and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? ³ So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”

Judges 1:21 - 2:3

The Other Tribes and the Incomplete Conquest

What started with Judah’s early successes now gives way to repeated failures by the Tribes of Israel to conquer Canaan. We learn that the tribe of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem, but instead lived beside them. Archaeological evidence shows that Jerusalem was continuously inhabited during this period, with no clear destruction layer. However, the city remained firmly under Jebusite control until David's time, illustrating Israel’s failure to fully conquer the land. 

Then we move to the city of Bethel, known as Luz. In this brief episode, rather than a major battle, the Israelites use espionage, negotiation, and infiltration to conquer the city. A Betelite is spared in exchange for granting the Israelites access to the city. Excavations at Bethel reveal little destruction but rather an occupation that aligns with this narrative. The latter part of the episode, in which the spared Bethelite founds the city of Luz, has not been confirmed by archaeological evidence. 

As we move north into the territories of Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali, a consistent pattern emerges. Cities like Beth-shean, Megiddo, Taanach, and Gezer—among the most well-known archaeological sites in the region—provide strong evidence of continued Canaanite occupation into the Iron Age. These were not abandoned or destroyed. Instead, the biblical text makes it plain that the Canaanites persisted in the land.

A map showing the locations of many of the places mentioned in Judges, but also the locations of events carried out by six of the twelve judges.

Rather than driving them out, the Israelites often resorted to subjugation. Forced labor becomes the compromise. This detail is easy to overlook, but it is one of the most historically grounded elements in the entire passage. Across the ancient Near East, it was far more common for conquering peoples to dominate and exploit existing populations than to eliminate them. In this sense, Judges 1 reflects a very realistic picture of how power was exercised in the ancient world.

We also see a parallel with the coastal regions. The Cities of Acco and Sidon remain under Canaanite control, and later under the famed sailors of ancient history, the Phoenicians. Archaeology confirms that these were thriving communities. 

Lastly, as the tribe of Dan attempts to break beyond the hill country, they are pressed back by the Amorites from the plains. Again, the plains featured Canaanite tribes that appear to have superior military technology in chariots and fortified cities. This makes it much harder to conquer, leaving Israel to occupy and defend the hill country as its foothold in the region. 

My Spiritual Takeaways

The failures of the Israelites to follow God’s commands reflect how, as believers today, we can happen to us if we do the same. We will inevitably become corrupted and fall from God. 

Failing to follow God’s Commands has Real Consequences. 

Everything in this world is trying to tempt us to move away from God. And if we aren’t careful, we can find ourselves far from him. Every day, we make choices to rest in His word and commands. Fortunately, through Jesus, we have a way back to God through grace alone. 

Previewing the Judges 

The “Judges” were not kings but were leaders raised up by God to deliver Israel during times of crisis before the formation of the monarchy. They served as military commanders, spiritual reformers, and regional leaders during a chaotic period between Joshua and the monarchy. In total, there are twelve judges: 

Othniel 

The first judge was from the tribe of Judah. He delivered Israel from Mesopotamian oppression. 

Ehud

A left-handed Benjaminite who assassinated Eglon, king of Moab. 

Shamgar

Defeated 600 Philistines with an oxgoad. 

Deborah

She was a prophetess and is the only judge who’s female. She helped lead Israel alongside Barak against the Canaanite general Sisera.

Gideon 

A reluctant leader chosen by God to defeat the Midianites with a drastically reduced army of 300 men. 

Tola

Judging Israel for 23 years, and hailing from the tribe of Issachar, he brought stability after Abimilech (son of Gideon, who made himself king). 

Jair

A Gileadite judge who ruled for 22 years. He is known for his 30 sons, who rode donkeys and controlled 30 towns. 

Jephthah

Hailing from Gilead, Jephthah was a warrior who delivered Israel from the Ammonite threat.

Ibzan

Likely from Bethlehem, he was known for having 30 sons and daughters whom he sent abroad. He judged Israel for 7 years and was likely buried in Bethlehem.  

Elon

From the tribe of Zebulun. Judged Israel for 10 years; little else is recorded.

Abdon

Had a large family of 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys, indicating wealth and leadership status.

Samson

A Nazirite with extraordinary strength, who fought the Philistines. 

As we proceed through the Book of Judges, we’ll explore the battles that these judges fought. In the next blog, we’ll explore Othenial and his defeat of the Mesopotamian King Cushan-rishathaim. 

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Sources

1. Bible Gateway. (n.d.). Judges 3 (English Standard Version). Retrieved April 21, 2026, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+3&version=ESV 

2. Dever, W. G. (2003). Who Were the Early Israelites and Where Did They Come From? Eerdmans.

3. Finkelstein, I., & Silberman, N. A. (2001). The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology’s New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts. Free Press.

4. Kitchen, K. A. (2003). On the Reliability of the Old Testament. Eerdmans.

5. Mazar, A. (1990). Archaeology of the Land of the Bible: 10,000–586 B.C.E. Doubleday.

Images

1. Andy. (2018, July 7). Book of Judges: Invasion of Canaan; occupation of the promised land (Judges 3). God’s War Plan. https://godswarplan.com/book-of-judges-invasion-of-canaan-occupation-of-the-promised-land-judges-3

2. Bible Art. (n.d.). Judges 1:19 – “And the Lord was with Judah…” Retrieved April 21, 2026, from https://bible.art/p/YVjLVsSzTbYBhRgFPSMo/judges-1:19-and-the-lord-was-with