The author advances in his narrative from the southern section of the land, assaulted by Judah, upward to central and northern Palestine. At this point the narrative reveals a new trend. Previously the Hebrews had gained victories as well as suffered defeats. Now there simply follows a list of Canaanite strongholds that the different tribes were unable to capture. The towns whose inhabitants Manasseh was unable to expel, consisted of a chain of fortified cities guarding all the passes.

 At the eastern end of this “Canaanite line” was the ancient city of Beth-shan. It was at the place where the rather level country at the end of the Valley of Jezreel began to fall off toward the Jordan River. It is one of the oldest cities of Palestine, and at various times was the center for the worship of numerous heathen deities. It was an extremely strong fortress situated on a high hill built up by the ruins of previous eras. Because of its strategic location it commanded the roads to Damascus. Excavations at the site reveal that it was an Egyptian garrison city for several centuries, to about the 12th century B.C. In the days of Saul it was in the possession of the Philistines, whose main centers lay far to the south. Later David may have captured it, for it is mentioned as one of Solomon’s cities (1 Kings 4:12). For a long time it was known as Scythopolis, after the Scythians who captured it about the time of Jeremiah. Today it is called Tell el Ḥuṣn. The neighboring Arab town of Beisān perpetuates the ancient name.

The other fortified cities named in this verse commanded the passes leading from the central mountains of Samaria into the fertile plain of Esdraelon (or Megiddo). Megiddo, on the western end of the line, commanded the great highway between Egypt and Mesopotamia. Because of this it figured prominently in Egyptian campaigns against the great northern and eastern empires. Taanach, which bears the same name today, was 4 3/4 mi. (7.6 km.) southeast of Megiddo.

That is, they stubbornly resisted and repelled the attempts of the Hebrews to dislodge them. They realized correctly that if they could hold this chain of fortresses, they could command all the main routes of travel and commerce, and in addition, could separate the different tribes from one another and thus prevent a united confederation of the Hebrews. They applied the military rule of divide and conquer.

Literally, “her daughters,” the small villages clustered around these fortress cities.