Charles Ellicott Commentary Judges 1:27

"And Manasseh did not drive out [the inhabitants of] Beth-shean and its towns, nor [of] Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land." — Judges 1:27 (ASV)

Neither did Manasseh. — The sacred historian is glancing at the conquest of Canaan, advancing from the southern tribes upward to central and northern Palestine .

Beth-shean. — This was the town on whose walls the victorious Philistines nailed the bodies of Saul and Jonathan after the battle of Gilboa. The brave people of Jabesh Gilead, out of gratitude, recovered them from there (1 Samuel 31:8; 2 Samuel 21:12).

It is mentioned again in 1 Kings 4:12. In later days, it was well known as Scythopolis, or “city of Scythians” , a name contemptuously given to it because of the barbarism of its inhabitants (Josephus, Vit. 6).

Although conquered by Manasseh, it was in the lot of Issachar (Joshua 17:11). It is now called Beisan. It was in a district so rich and fruitful that the Rabbis describe it as the gate of Paradise.

And her towns. — Literally, and her daughters.

Taanach. — The name means “the sandy.” It was a town of Issachar assigned to the Levites and was famous for Barak’s victory over Sisera. It is still called Taanuk (Robinson, Bibl. Res. i. 316).

Dor. — Properly in Asher, it seems to have been attacked by Manasseh and was ultimately won by Ephraim (Joshua 11:2; Joshua 17:11; 1 Chronicles 7:29). It long continued to be an important place (Josephus, Antt. xiv. 5, § 3).

It lies near the foot of Carmel and is now called Tantura. Endor (“the fountain of Dor”) was probably one of its dependencies.

Ibleam. — Also called Bileam (1 Chronicles 6:70), it was a Levitical town (Joshua 21:25). The only event connected with it in Scripture is the death of Ahaziah (2 Kings 9:27). It is perhaps Khirbet-Belameh.

Megiddo. — Near Taanach, it is now called Lejjûn, from having been a Roman station.

See Judges 1:19; 2 Kings 9:27 (concerning the death of Ahaziah); and 2 Kings 23:29 and Zechariah 12:11 (concerning the defeat of Josiah by Pharaoh Necho). It was fortified by Solomon (1 Kings 9:15).

From this town is derived the famous name Armageddon (Revelation 16:16), as a scene of battle and wailing.

The Canaanites would dwell in that land — i.e., the old inhabitants obstinately and successfully held their own (Joshua 17:12).