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Joseph’s Tribal Lands

16 The land allotted to Joseph’s descendants extended from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho to the east, through the desert and on up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel.[a] The southern border[b] extended from Bethel to Luz,[c] and crossed to Arkite territory at Ataroth. It then descended westward to Japhletite territory, as far as the territory of lower Beth Horon and Gezer, and ended at the sea.

Joseph’s descendants, Manasseh and Ephraim, were assigned their land.[d] The territory of the tribe of Ephraim by its clans included the following:[e] The border of their assigned land to the east was Ataroth Addar as far as upper Beth Horon. It then extended on to the sea, with Micmethath on the north. It turned eastward to Taanath Shiloh and crossed it on the east to Janoah. It then descended from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho, and extended to the Jordan River.[f] From Tappuah it went westward to the Valley of Kanah and ended at the sea. This is the land assigned to the tribe of Ephraim[g] by its clans. Also included were the cities set apart for the tribe of Ephraim within Manasseh’s territory, along with their towns.[h]

10 The Ephraimites[i] did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites live among the Ephraimites to this very day and do hard labor as their servants.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 16:1 tn Heb “The lot went out to the sons of Joseph from the Jordan [at] Jericho to the waters of Jericho to the east, the desert going up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel.”
  2. Joshua 16:2 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the southern border) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Joshua 16:2 tn In the Hebrew text the place name “Luz” has the directive ending, indicating that the border went from Bethel to Luz. Elsewhere Luz and Bethel appear to be names for the same site (cf. Judg 1:23), but here they appear to be distinct. Note that the NIV translates “from Bethel (that is, Luz)” here, following the reading of the LXX, εἰς Βαιθηλ Λουζα (eis Baithēl Louza, “from Bethel [Luz]”).
  4. Joshua 16:4 tn Or “received their inheritance.”
  5. Joshua 16:5 tn Heb “The territory of the sons of Ephraim was for their clans.”
  6. Joshua 16:7 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  7. Joshua 16:8 tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim.”
  8. Joshua 16:9 tn Heb “and the cities set apart for the sons of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh, all the cities and their towns.”
  9. Joshua 16:10 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ephraimites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

16 ¶ And the lot of the sons of Joseph fell from the Jordan of Jericho unto the water of Jericho towards the east to the wilderness that goes up from Jericho to Mount Bethel,

and from Bethel going to Luz and passing the border of Archi in Ataroth,

and turns to descend to the westward sea to the border of Japhleti until the border of Bethhoron the lower, and to Gezer, and comes out at the sea.

So the sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.

¶ And this was the border of the sons of Ephraim according to their families; this was the border of their inheritance on the east side from Atarothaddar unto Bethhoron the upper;

and this border comes out to the sea and to Michmethah on the north side; and this border goes around eastward unto Taanathshiloh and from here passes on the east to Janohah;

and from Janohah it goes down to Ataroth and to Naarath, and touches in Jericho and comes out at the Jordan.

And from Tappuah this border turns towards the westward sea at the river Kanah and comes out at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim by their families.

There were also cities separated for the sons of Ephraim among the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.

10 And they did not drive out the Canaanite that dwelt in Gezer, but the Canaanite remained in the midst of Ephraim unto this day and served under tribute.

Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh

16 The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan, east of the springs of Jericho, and went up from there through the desert(A) into the hill country of Bethel.(B) It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz(C)),[a] crossed over to the territory of the Arkites(D) in Ataroth,(E) descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon(F) and on to Gezer,(G) ending at the Mediterranean Sea.

So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.(H)

This was the territory of Ephraim, according to its clans:

The boundary of their inheritance went from Ataroth Addar(I) in the east to Upper Beth Horon(J) and continued to the Mediterranean Sea. From Mikmethath(K) on the north it curved eastward to Taanath Shiloh, passing by it to Janoah(L) on the east. Then it went down from Janoah(M) to Ataroth(N) and Naarah, touched Jericho and came out at the Jordan. From Tappuah(O) the border went west to the Kanah Ravine(P) and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites, according to its clans. It also included all the towns and their villages that were set aside for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites.(Q)

10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.(R)

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 16:2 Septuagint; Hebrew Bethel to Luz