שופטים, פרק א׳, פסוק כ״ח

As the Israelites established their presence in the land, their growing military strength brought them significant economic control over the local population. However, this newfound power also revealed a conscious decision to leave the conquest incomplete.

Over time, the Israelites gathered enough strength to successfully impose their authority and rule over the local inhabitants [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Yet, a stark contrast emerged between their military capabilities and their actual actions. Rather than following the Commandment to completely drive out the Canaanites, the Israelites settled for turning the defeated population into tax-paying subjects [מלבי״ם]. Consequently, the Canaanites remained living in their original places [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

While the nation as a whole possessed the strength to help expel the enemy, the choice to collect taxes instead was driven by specific tribal interests. The tribe of Manasseh, in particular, made a willing choice to leave the Canaanites in the land. They were tempted by the immediate financial benefits, ultimately preferring the economic profit of taxation over the complete removal of the local inhabitants [אברבנאל].