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Joshua 17

1

There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.

2

There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families.

3

But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

4

And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.

5

And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan;

1
6

Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead.

1
7

And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of En–tappuah.

8

Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim;

9

And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:

10

Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.

11

And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth–shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.

12

Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

13

Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.

14

And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?

15

And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.

16

And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth–shean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

17

And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:

18

But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

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Joshua 17

Manasseh's allotment is divided between west and east Jordan (the latter already settled), with the western portion granted to the daughters of Zelophehad—a striking affirmation of female inheritance rights within the tribe when male heirs are absent. The daughters' petition, granted by Joshua and Eleazar the priest (17:4), demonstrates that covenantal inheritance transcends gender and that leadership (Joshua/Eleazar) honors legitimate claims to familial property. The Manassites' complaint that their allotment is insufficient is met by Joshua's challenge: 'You are a numerous people; go up into the forest and clear ground' (17:15), suggesting that the land's full possession requires Israel's active participation and that the promise is not passive but demanding. The chapter's inclusion of female inheritance and its emphasis on Israelite initiative in actualizing territorial claims reveal that the covenant community's boundaries are broader and its responsibilities more active than automatic blessing alone.

Joshua 17:1

The allotment of Manasseh, the firstborn of Joseph — This verse establishes the inheritance of Manasseh through the patriarchal lineage, honoring Jacob's adoption of Joseph's sons (Gen. 48). The tribal structure reflects both primogeniture and divine apportionment; Manasseh receives the land west of the Jordan as their historical due. The phrase 'allotment fell' (gôrāl) indicates the casting of lots as God's sovereign mechanism for distributing the land, ensuring that divine will operates through the mechanism of human action. This opening prioritizes the restoration of tribal order after Sinai's rebellion, binding covenant promise to concrete territorial possession.

Joshua 17:2

Machir the firstborn of Manasseh — for he was a man of war, and he had Gilead and Bashan — Machir's martial character ('îsh millḥāmâ) and his prior conquest of the eastern territories foreshadow the principle that inheritance follows both divine lot and human valor in service to the covenant. The assignment of Gilead and Bashan to Machir's descendants honors their faithful military action and establishes a pattern: the land is taken and held through obedience and strength. The mention of his warring nature integrates the reality of conquest into the theological framework—territory belongs to those who fight under God's banner.

Joshua 17:3

And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but only daughters — and the names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah — This verse marks the fulfillment of Numbers 27, where the daughters of Zelophehad successfully petitioned for inheritance rights in a patriarchal society. Their naming and explicit listing assert a revolutionary theological claim: women may inherit land and covenant blessing when the male line fails. The five daughters become symbols of justice and the flexibility of God's law within its fixed principles; covenant favor extends beyond traditional patriarchal bounds when faithful obedience requires it.

Joshua 17:4

And Zelophehad had no sons; Zelophehad died, and his daughters inherited among the kinsmen of their father — The reiteration of Zelophehad's death and childlessness emphasizes the legal-theological principle at stake: inheritance is not merely biological but covenantal, dependent on the LORD's just allocation. The daughters' inheritance 'among the kinsmen' (baqereb) places them within the family structure rather than outside it, integrating female property rights into tribal identity. This represents a landmark moment in covenant law where justice ('adālâ) overrides conventional patriarchal strictures.

Joshua 17:5

Thus the portion of Manasseh was ten portions, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan — The enumeration of 'ten portions' (ḥelekîm) reflects the mathematical precision of covenant distribution; Manasseh's inheritance is quantified and validated. The formula 'besides...beyond the Jordan' distinguishes the settled western territories from the conquered eastern holdings, acknowledging both the conquest narrative and the covenantal grant. The inclusion of both sides of the Jordan emphasizes the unity of the promised land as a coherent territorial reality.

Joshua 17:6

Because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons, the land of Gilead fell to the rest of the sons of Manasseh — The daughters' inheritance does not diminish the sons' portions; instead, it enriches the total tribal allotment by securing covenant blessing for female descendants. The phrase 'fell to the rest' (wayehî leshear) shows the impartial operation of the casting of lots even when women participate. This verse demonstrates covenant law's internal consistency: justice for the daughters strengthens rather than weakens the tribe's hold on the land.

Joshua 17:7

The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Michmethath, which is east of Shechem — This geographical precision anchors the abstract covenant promise in concrete spatial reality. Shechem's prominence in Joshua's theology (the site of covenant renewal in ch. 24) marks it as a boundary point of sacred significance. The movement 'from Asher' establishes tribal adjacency, showing how the conquest creates a contiguous territorial block where covenant unity becomes geographical identity. The detail serves the theological purpose of demonstrating that God's word concretely reshapes the land.

Joshua 17:8

Then the boundary went down to the brook of Kanah — The detailed boundary description (vv. 8–10) reflects the scribal precision of divinely sanctioned allocation. The brook Kanah becomes a liminal space, a marker between tribal inheritances. Such detailed boundary work embodies the covenant principle that the LORD carefully measures and distributes what belongs to His people; no portion is random or ill-defined. The specificity paradoxically reinforces the theological claim that human geography reflects divine ordering.

Joshua 17:9

And the boundary went down to the brook of Kanah. The cities here, belonging to Ephraim, are among the cities of Manasseh. The boundary of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and it ended at the sea — The interspersing of Ephraimite cities within Manassite territory creates a geographical complexity that mirrors the tribal complexity: Ephraim and Manasseh, as brothers descended from Joseph, share overlapping inheritance. This mingling reflects the covenant reality that tribal boundaries exist for order and justice, not absolute separation. The phrase 'ended at the sea' (qayṣ yammâ) locates the allotment within the promised land's complete boundaries.

Joshua 17:10

The land to the south belonged to Ephraim and to the north belonged to Manasseh, and the sea was their boundary; on the north Asher was reached, and on the east Issachar — This comprehensive boundary statement establishes Ephraim and Manasseh's central positioning among the Joseph tribes. The cardinal arrangement of neighboring tribes (Asher north, Issachar east) places Joseph's descendants at the geographic heart of Israelite settlement. The theological implication is that Joseph's house—the favored son whose coat of many colors prefigured his rejection and restoration—now holds primary geographic honor.

Joshua 17:11

Also in Issachar and in Asher, Manasseh had Beth-shean and its villages, and Ibleam and its villages, and the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, and the inhabitants of En-dor and its villages, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; three regions — The enumeration of fortified cities and their villages emphasizes Manasseh's urban and strategic holdings. These major cities (Beth-shean, Megiddo, Taanach, Dor) were centers of Canaanite resistance; their mention here establishes that Manasseh's allotment includes the conquered urban strongholds. The 'three regions' (shlôsh) may indicate administrative districts, showing that covenant promise results in organized territorial control.

Joshua 17:12

Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land — This stark verse introduces the first significant crack in the conquest narrative. The grammar shifts from active conquest to passive inability ('lō yākelû); despite divine promise, human weakness or unfaithfulness allows the Canaanites to persist in their strongholds. This verse foreshadows the theological problem that will dominate subsequent biblical history: promised land occupied by un-expelled enemies. The persistence of Canaanite presence becomes a test of Israel's faith and obedience.

Joshua 17:13

But when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out — The conditional 'when' (kî) introduces a partial restoration: growing strength (ḥāzaq) allows for coerced labor ('avodâ) but not extermination. This represents a compromise of covenant purity; the Canaanites remain as a subjugated class rather than being driven out entirely. The phrase 'did not utterly drive them out' (lō hôrîšûm hôrîš) becomes a refrain in Joshua and Judges, indicating a repeated failure to maintain covenant exclusivity. Theologically, this compromise seeds the idolatry and apostasy that follow.

Joshua 17:14

Then the people of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, 'Why have you given us but one lot and one portion, when we are a numerous people, whom the LORD has blessed with abundance?' — The Joseph tribes' complaint reveals the tension between divine blessing (multiplication) and territorial limitation. Their rhetorical question assumes that numerical strength should correspond to land size; they interpret Joshua's allocation as inadequate. The phrase 'whom the LORD has blessed' (birkēnû) acknowledges divine favor even while protesting against what they perceive as injustice. This complaint raises the covenant question: does God's blessing guarantee proportional territorial reward?

Joshua 17:15

And Joshua said to them, 'If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.' — Joshua's response reframes the problem: abundance of people is not the issue; the issue is lack of initiative. The 'forest' (ya'ar) represents uncleared, un-tamed territory that requires labor and courage to subdue. By directing them to the 'land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim'—giants and ancient peoples—Joshua implicitly challenges them to replicate the faith shown at Jericho and Ai. The theology here is stark: God grants the land, but conquest requires human effort and courage.

Joshua 17:16

'But the hill country is not enough for us. Yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel.' — The Joseph tribes retreat from Joshua's challenge, citing a material obstacle: Canaanite iron chariots. The 'iron' (barzel) represents advanced military technology, a seemingly insuperable advantage. Their focus on this obstacle reveals a lack of faith; they forget that the walls of Jericho fell not through superior weaponry but through covenant obedience and divine power. The mention of 'Jezreel,' the future site of pivotal conflicts (Gideon, King Saul), marks this as strategically significant terrain.

Joshua 17:17

Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, both Manasseh and Ephraim, 'You are a numerous people and have great power; you shall not have one lot only. The hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.' — Joshua's final response combines encouragement ('you are numerous and strong') with a prophetic declaration that faith, not iron chariots, determines conquest. The formula 'you shall...you shall drive out' (tîrešû...togîršû) uses future tense as covenant promise, not mere exhortation. Joshua invokes the pattern of earlier victories: God renders enemy strength irrelevant to those who trust wholly in Him. This verse crystallizes the theological axiom underlying Joshua: human might depends entirely on covenant faithfulness.

Joshua 17:18

Joshua's exhortation to Ephraim to seize the hill country they complained about represents a theological turning point where divine promise meets human responsibility and courage. Rather than simply granting them additional lowland territory, Joshua calls them to claim what is rightfully theirs through faith and effort, the forest lands representing both a challenge and genuine promise of blessing. This directive reflects the principle that inheritance involves not passive reception but active claiming, and that complaints about divine provision often stem from insufficient faith rather than genuine limitation. Joshua's words transform Ephraim's anxiety into opportunity, teaching that the obstacles to blessing are often overcome not by changing circumstances but by deepening faith and courage in confronting them.