Joshua 16-17
EasyEnglish Bible
Land for the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh
16 This is the land that Joshua gave to the descendants of Joseph.[a] Their land went from the Jordan River at Jericho, and from there it went through the desert into the hills of Bethel.
2 The south border of their land went from Bethel, to Luz, and then to the land of the Arkites at Ataroth. 3 It continued to the west, to the land of the Japhletites as far as lower Beth Horon and Gezer. The border ended at the sea.
4 Joshua gave this land to Manasseh and Ephraim, the sons of Joseph. It was for them and their descendants.
Land for Ephraim's tribe
5 Joshua gave this land to the tribe of Ephraim, clan by clan:
The border of their land went from Ataroth Addar in the east to Beth Horon. 6 Then it continued west to the sea, with Micmethath on the north side of the border. East of Micmethath, the border went past Taanath Shiloh on the east and then to Janoah. 7 From there it went to Ataroth and Naarah and past Jericho to the Jordan River. 8 From Tappuah, the border continued to the west, to the stream of Kanah. From there, it continued to the sea.
That is the land that Joshua gave to the families of the tribe of Ephraim. 9 They also received some towns and villages that were in Manasseh's land. 10 But the tribe of Ephraim did not chase out the Canaanite people who lived in Gezer. Canaanite people still live there with the people of Ephraim, but they have to work as their slaves.
Land for Manasseh's tribe
17 This is the land that Manasseh's tribe received. Manasseh was Joseph's firstborn son. Manasseh's firstborn son was Makir. He was the father of Gilead. Makir's descendants were brave soldiers. Because of that, Moses had already given Gilead and Bashan to them, east of the Jordan River. 2 The other families of Manasseh received land on the west side of the Jordan. They were the descendants of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida. They were all sons of Manasseh, and leaders of their clans.
3 Zelophehad, son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons. He had only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. 4 They went to see Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders. They said, ‘The Lord told Moses to give us part of the land. We must have land like the sons of other families.’ Joshua agreed and he gave land to them, like the other families. 5 That is why Manasseh's tribe received ten parts of the land, as well as Gilead and Bashan on the east side of the Jordan. 6 The daughters of Manasseh received some land, as well as his sons. They gave the land of Gilead to the other families of Manasseh.
7 The border of Manasseh's land went from Asher to Micmethath, east of Shechem. It went south to include En Tappuah. 8 Manasseh received the land near Tappuah, but the town of Tappuah belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. 9 The border of Manasseh's land went down to Kanah valley and along its north side to the Mediterranean Sea. Some towns on the south of that valley belonged to Ephraim, but they were in Manasseh's land. 10 Ephraim's land was south of the river, and Manasseh's land was to the north. Manasseh's west border was the Mediterranean Sea. Asher's land was on the north side of Manasseh's land. Issachar's land was on the east side. 11 Some towns that were in the lands of Issachar and Asher belonged to Manasseh. They were Beth Shan, Ibleam and the people who lived in Dor, Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo. They included the villages near those towns. 12 But the men of Manasseh could not chase out the people who lived in those cities. So the Canaanite people continued to live there. 13 When the Israelites became stronger, they made the Canaanites work for them as slaves. But they never completely chased the Canaanites out from those towns.
Joseph's descendants ask for more land
14 Joseph's descendants asked Joshua, ‘Why have you given only one part of the land for us to live in? The Lord has blessed us with many children, so there are many people in our tribe.’
15 Joshua said to them, ‘Because there are so many of you, you may take more land. If the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, move into the forest that belongs to the Perizzites and the Rephaites. Cut down trees there to make a place to live.’
16 They replied, ‘The hill country is certainly not big enough for us. But the Canaanites who live in Beth Shan and its villages, and in the valley of Jezreel, have iron chariots.’
17 Joshua said to the men from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, ‘You have very many strong men who can fight. I will give you more land than the part that you have already received. 18 You may take the whole of the hill country as your land. You can cut down the trees of the forests and live there. It is true that the Canaanites are strong fighters and they have iron chariots. But you will be strong enough to chase them out.’
Footnotes
- 16:1 The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh. Ephraim and Manasseh were Joseph's sons.
Joshua 16-17
King James Version
16 And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Bethel,
2 And goeth out from Bethel to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,
3 And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer; and the goings out thereof are at the sea.
4 So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
5 And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the upper;
6 And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanathshiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;
7 And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.
8 The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.
9 And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
10 And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
17 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;
6 Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.
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 Entappuah.
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 Bethshean 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 Bethshean 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.
Joshua 16-17
New King James Version
Ephraim and West Manasseh
16 The lot [a]fell to the children of Joseph from the Jordan, by Jericho, to the waters of Jericho on the east, to the (A)wilderness that goes up from Jericho through the mountains to [b]Bethel, 2 then went out [c]from (B)Bethel to Luz, passed along to the border of the Archites at Ataroth, 3 and went down westward to the boundary of the Japhletites, (C)as far as the boundary of Lower Beth Horon to (D)Gezer; and [d]it ended at the sea.
4 (E)So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their [e]inheritance.
The Land of Ephraim
5 (F)The border of the children of Ephraim, according to their families, was thus: The border of their inheritance on the east side was (G)Ataroth Addar (H)as far as Upper Beth Horon.
6 And the border went out toward the sea on the north side of (I)Michmethath; then the border went around eastward to Taanath Shiloh, and passed by it on the east of Janohah. 7 Then it went down from Janohah to Ataroth and [f]Naarah, reached to Jericho, and came out at the Jordan.
8 The border went out from (J)Tappuah westward to the (K)Brook Kanah, and [g]it ended at the sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families. 9 (L)The separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
10 (M)And they did not drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day and have become forced laborers.
The Other Half-Tribe of Manasseh (West)
17 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the (N)firstborn of Joseph: namely for (O)Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war; therefore he was given (P)Gilead and Bashan. 2 And there was a lot for (Q)the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: (R)for the children of [h]Abiezer, the children of Helek, (S)the children of Asriel, the children of Shechem, (T)the children of Hepher, and the children of Shemida; these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families.
3 But (U)Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters. And these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 And they came near before (V)Eleazar the priest, before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the rulers, saying, (W)“The Lord commanded Moses to give us an [i]inheritance among our brothers.” Therefore, according to the commandment of the Lord, he gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers. 5 Ten shares fell to (X)Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side of the Jordan, 6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons; and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead.
7 And the territory of Manasseh was from Asher to (Y)Michmethath, that lies east of Shechem; and the border went along south to the inhabitants of En Tappuah. 8 Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, but (Z)Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim. 9 And the [j]border descended to the [k]Brook Kanah, southward to the brook. (AA)These cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook; and it ended at the sea.
10 Southward it was Ephraim’s, northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea was its border. Manasseh’s territory was adjoining Asher on the north and Issachar on the east. 11 And in Issachar and in Asher, (AB)Manasseh had (AC)Beth Shean and its towns, Ibleam and its towns, the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, the inhabitants of En Dor and its towns, the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns—three hilly regions. 12 Yet (AD)the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. 13 And it happened, when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to (AE)forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.
More Land for Ephraim and Manasseh
14 (AF)Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given us only (AG)one [l]lot and one share to inherit, since we are (AH)a great people, inasmuch as the Lord has blessed us until now?”
15 So Joshua answered them, “If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you.”
16 But the children of Joseph said, “The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have (AI)chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are (AJ)of the Valley of Jezreel.”
17 And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—saying, “You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have only one [m]lot, 18 but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its [n]farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, (AK)though they have iron chariots and are strong.”
Footnotes
- Joshua 16:1 Lit. went out
- Joshua 16:1 LXX Bethel Luz
- Joshua 16:2 LXX to Bethel,
- Joshua 16:3 Lit. the goings out of it were at the sea
- Joshua 16:4 possession
- Joshua 16:7 Naaran, 1 Chr. 7:28
- Joshua 16:8 Lit. the goings out of it were at the sea
- Joshua 17:2 Jeezer, Num. 26:30
- Joshua 17:4 possession
- Joshua 17:9 boundary
- Joshua 17:9 Wadi
- Joshua 17:14 allotment
- Joshua 17:17 allotment
- Joshua 17:18 Lit. goings out
Joshua 16-17
English Standard Version
The Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh
16 The allotment of the people of Joseph went from the Jordan by Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, (A)into the wilderness, going up from Jericho into the hill country to Bethel. 2 Then (B)going from Bethel to Luz, it passes along to Ataroth, the territory of the Archites. 3 Then it goes down westward to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the territory of Lower (C)Beth-horon, then to (D)Gezer, and it ends at the sea.
4 (E)The people of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.
5 The territory of the people of Ephraim by their clans was as follows: the boundary of their inheritance on the east was (F)Ataroth-addar as far as Upper Beth-horon, 6 and the boundary goes from there to the sea. On the north is (G)Michmethath. Then on the east the boundary turns around toward Taanath-shiloh and passes along beyond it on the east to Janoah, 7 then it goes down from Janoah to Ataroth and (H)to Naarah, and touches Jericho, ending at the Jordan. 8 From (I)Tappuah the boundary goes westward to the brook Kanah and ends at the sea. Such is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Ephraim by their clans, 9 together with (J)the towns that were set apart for the people of Ephraim within the inheritance of the Manassites, all those towns with their villages. 10 However, (K)they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived in the midst of Ephraim to this day but have been made (L)to do forced labor.
17 Then allotment was made to the people of Manasseh, for he was (M)the firstborn of Joseph. To (N)Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, (O)were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war. 2 And allotments were made (P)to the rest of the people of Manasseh by their clans, Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These were the male descendants of Manasseh the son of Joseph, by their clans.
3 Now (Q)Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters, and these are the names of his daughters: (R)Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 They approached (S)Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the leaders and said, (T)“The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance along with our brothers.” So according to the mouth of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father. 5 Thus there fell to Manasseh ten portions, besides (U)the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of the Jordan, 6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead was allotted to the rest of the people of Manasseh.
7 The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to (V)Michmethath, which is east of Shechem. Then the boundary goes along southward to the inhabitants of En-tappuah. 8 The land of (W)Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah on the boundary of Manasseh belonged to the people of Ephraim. 9 (X)Then the boundary went down to the brook Kanah. These cities, to the south of the brook, among the cities of Manasseh, belong to Ephraim. Then the boundary of Manasseh goes on the north side of the brook and ends at the sea, 10 the land to the south being Ephraim's and that to the north being Manasseh's, with the sea forming its boundary. On the north Asher is reached, and on the east Issachar. 11 Also in Issachar and in Asher (Y)Manasseh had Beth-shean and its villages, and Ibleam and its villages, and the inhabitants of (Z)Dor and its villages, and the inhabitants of En-dor and its villages, and the inhabitants of (AA)Taanach and its villages, and the inhabitants of (AB)Megiddo and its villages; (AC)the third is Naphath.[a] 12 (AD)Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. 13 Now when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites (AE)to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.
14 Then (AF)the people of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me but (AG)one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am (AH)a numerous people, since all along the Lord has blessed me?” 15 And Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up by yourselves to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and (AI)the Rephaim, since (AJ)the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.” 16 The people of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. Yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have (AK)chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in (AL)the Valley of Jezreel.” 17 Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, “You are a numerous people and have great power. You shall not have one allotment only, 18 but 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, (AM)though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”
Footnotes
- Joshua 17:11 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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