From Fraternizing to Idolatry
In taking possession of the Promised Land, the Israelites won early victories over its inhabitants. However, the sons of Israel failed to obey God’s commands fully. They did not drive out the enemy. (Judg. 1:1–2:10) - WT 2/15 2008
Because God’s orders were not fully carried out, many inhabitants of Canaan survived Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land. (Judges 1:19-21) - WT 7/15 1997
Showing how Israel had “not listened” to God, the Scriptures relate that the tribe of Judah neglected to dispossess the inhabitants of a certain area of southern Canaan “because [the inhabitants] had war chariots with iron scythes.” (Judg. 1:19) Apparently these scythed chariots frightened the tribe of Judah. Thereafter the tribes of Benjamin, Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali and Dan likewise failed to drive out the Canaanite inhabitants of numerous cities and dependent towns. Instead, they consented to dwell in among the Canaanites, setting some of them to “forced labor.”—Judg. 1:21-36. - WT 8/15 1977