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Joshua 14-17
New Living Translation

The Land Divided West of the Jordan

14 The remaining tribes of Israel received land in Canaan as allotted by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the tribal leaders. 2 These nine and a half tribes received their grants of land by means of sacred lots, in accordance with the Lord’s command through Moses. 3 Moses had already given a grant of land to the two and a half tribes on the east side of the Jordan River, but he had given the Levites no such allotment. 4 The descendants of Joseph had become two separate tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim. And the Levites were given no land at all, only towns to live in with surrounding pasturelands for their livestock and all their possessions. 5 So the land was distributed in strict accordance with the Lord’s commands to Moses.

Caleb Requests His Land

6 A delegation from the tribe of Judah, led by Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb said to Joshua, “Remember what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh-barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, 8 but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God. 9 So that day Moses solemnly promised me, ‘The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.’

10 “Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise—even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. 11 I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. 12 So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.”

13 So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as his portion of land. 14 Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 (Previously Hebron had been called Kiriath-arba. It had been named after Arba, a great hero of the descendants of Anak.)

And the land had rest from war.

The Land Given to the Tribe of Judah

15 The allotment for the clans of the tribe of Judah reached southward to the border of Edom, as far south as the wilderness of Zin.

2 The southern boundary began at the south bay of the Dead Sea,[a] 3 ran south of Scorpion Pass[b] into the wilderness of Zin, and then went south of Kadesh-barnea to Hezron. Then it went up to Addar, where it turned toward Karka. 4 From there it passed to Azmon until it finally reached the Brook of Egypt, which it followed to the Mediterranean Sea.[c] This was their[d] southern boundary.

5 The eastern boundary extended along the Dead Sea to the mouth of the Jordan River.

The northern boundary began at the bay where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea, 6 went up from there to Beth-hoglah, then proceeded north of Beth-arabah to the Stone of Bohan. (Bohan was Reuben’s son.) 7 From that point it went through the valley of Achor to Debir, turning north toward Gilgal, which is across from the slopes of Adummim on the south side of the valley. From there the boundary extended to the springs at En-shemesh and on to En-rogel. 8 The boundary then passed through the valley of Ben-Hinnom, along the southern slopes of the Jebusites, where the city of Jerusalem is located. Then it went west to the top of the mountain above the valley of Hinnom, and on up to the northern end of the valley of Rephaim. 9 From there the boundary extended from the top of the mountain to the spring at the waters of Nephtoah,[e] and from there to the towns on Mount Ephron. Then it turned toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim). 10 The boundary circled west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passed along to the town of Kesalon on the northern slope of Mount Jearim, and went down to Beth-shemesh and on to Timnah. 11 The boundary then proceeded to the slope of the hill north of Ekron, where it turned toward Shikkeron and Mount Baalah. It passed Jabneel and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

12 The western boundary was the shoreline of the Mediterranean Sea.[f]

These are the boundaries for the clans of the tribe of Judah.

The Land Given to Caleb

13 The Lord commanded Joshua to assign some of Judah’s territory to Caleb son of Jephunneh. So Caleb was given the town of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), which had been named after Anak’s ancestor. 14 Caleb drove out the three groups of Anakites—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the sons of Anak.

15 From there he went to fight against the people living in the town of Debir (formerly called Kiriath-sepher). 16 Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher.” 17 Othniel, the son of Caleb’s brother Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel’s wife.

18 When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him[g] to ask her father for a field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What’s the matter?”

19 She said, “Give me another gift. You have already given me land in the Negev; now please give me springs of water, too.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

The Towns Allotted to Judah

20 This was the homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Judah.

21 The towns of Judah situated along the borders of Edom in the extreme south were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, 28 Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—twenty-nine towns with their surrounding villages.

33 The following towns situated in the western foothills[h] were also given to Judah: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim—fourteen towns with their surrounding villages.

37 Also included were Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmam, Kitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—sixteen towns with their surrounding villages.

42 Besides these, there were Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah—nine towns with their surrounding villages.

45 The territory of the tribe of Judah also included Ekron and its surrounding settlements and villages. 46 From Ekron the boundary extended west and included the towns near Ashdod with their surrounding villages. 47 It also included Ashdod with its surrounding settlements and villages and Gaza with its settlements and villages, as far as the Brook of Egypt and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

48 Judah also received the following towns in the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—eleven towns with their surrounding villages.

52 Also included were the towns of Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—nine towns with their surrounding villages.

55 Besides these, there were Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—ten towns with their surrounding villages.

58 In addition, there were Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon—six towns with their surrounding villages.

60 There were also Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim) and Rabbah—two towns with their surrounding villages.

61 In the wilderness there were the towns of Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi—six towns with their surrounding villages.

63 But the tribe of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, who lived in the city of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live there among the people of Judah to this day.

The Land Given to Ephraim and West Manasseh

16 The allotment for the descendants of Joseph extended from the Jordan River near Jericho, east of the springs of Jericho, through the wilderness and into the hill country of Bethel. 2 From Bethel (that is, Luz)[i] it ran over to Ataroth in the territory of the Arkites. 3 Then it descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as Lower Beth-horon, then to Gezer and over to the Mediterranean Sea.[j]

4 This was the homeland allocated to the families of Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

The Land Given to Ephraim

5 The following territory was given to the clans of the tribe of Ephraim.

The boundary of their homeland began at Ataroth-addar in the east. From there it ran to Upper Beth-horon, 6 then on to the Mediterranean Sea. From Micmethath on the north, the boundary curved eastward past Taanath-shiloh to the east of Janoah. 7 From Janoah it turned southward to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho, and ended at the Jordan River. 8 From Tappuah the boundary extended westward, following the Kanah Ravine to the Mediterranean Sea. This is the homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Ephraim.

9 In addition, some towns with their surrounding villages in the territory allocated to the half-tribe of Manasseh were set aside for the tribe of Ephraim. 10 They did not drive the Canaanites out of Gezer, however, so the people of Gezer live as slaves among the people of Ephraim to this day.

The Land Given to West Manasseh

17 The next allotment of land was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph’s older son. Makir, the firstborn son of Manasseh, was the father of Gilead. Because his descendants were experienced soldiers, the regions of Gilead and Bashan on the east side of the Jordan had already been given to them. 2 So the allotment on the west side of the Jordan was for the remaining families within the clans of the tribe of Manasseh: Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These clans represent the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph.

3 However, Zelophehad, a descendant of Hepher son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons. He had only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 These women came to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite leaders and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us a grant of land along with the men of our tribe.”

So Joshua gave them a grant of land along with their uncles, as the Lord had commanded. 5 As a result, Manasseh’s total allocation came to ten parcels of land, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan across the Jordan River, 6 because the female descendants of Manasseh received a grant of land along with the male descendants. (The land of Gilead was given to the rest of the male descendants of Manasseh.)

7 The boundary of the tribe of Manasseh extended from the border of Asher to Micmethath, near Shechem. Then the boundary went south from Micmethath to the settlement near the spring of Tappuah. 8 The land surrounding Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah itself, on the border of Manasseh’s territory, belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. 9 From the spring of Tappuah, the boundary of Manasseh followed the Kanah Ravine to the Mediterranean Sea.[k] Several towns south of the ravine were inside Manasseh’s territory, but they actually belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. 10 In general, however, the land south of the ravine belonged to Ephraim, and the land north of the ravine belonged to Manasseh. Manasseh’s boundary ran along the northern side of the ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. North of Manasseh was the territory of Asher, and to the east was the territory of Issachar.

11 The following towns within the territory of Issachar and Asher, however, were given to Manasseh: Beth-shan,[l] Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphoth-dor),[m] Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements.

12 But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these towns because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region. 13 Later, however, when the Israelites became strong enough, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves. But they did not drive them out of the land.

14 The descendants of Joseph came to Joshua and asked, “Why have you given us only one portion of land as our homeland when the Lord has blessed us with so many people?”

15 Joshua replied, “If there are so many of you, and if the hill country of Ephraim is not large enough for you, clear out land for yourselves in the forest where the Perizzites and Rephaites live.”

16 The descendants of Joseph responded, “It’s true that the hill country is not large enough for us. But all the Canaanites in the lowlands have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shan and its surrounding settlements and those in the valley of Jezreel. They are too strong for us.”

17 Then Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, “Since you are so large and strong, you will be given more than one portion. 18 The forests of the hill country will be yours as well. Clear as much of the land as you wish, and take possession of its farthest corners. And you will drive out the Canaanites from the valleys, too, even though they are strong and have iron chariots.”

Footnotes

  1. 15:2 Hebrew the Salt Sea; also in 15:5.
  2. 15:3 Hebrew Akrabbim.
  3. 15:4a Hebrew the sea; also in 15:11.
  4. 15:4b Hebrew your.
  5. 15:9 Or the spring at Me-nephtoah.
  6. 15:12 Hebrew the Great Sea; also in 15:47.
  7. 15:18 Some Greek manuscripts read he urged her.
  8. 15:33 Hebrew the Shephelah.
  9. 16:2 As in Greek version (also see 18:13); Hebrew reads From Bethel to Luz.
  10. 16:3 Hebrew the sea; also in 16:6, 8.
  11. 17:9 Hebrew the sea; also in 17:10.
  12. 17:11a Hebrew Beth-shean, a variant spelling of Beth-shan; also in 17:16.
  13. 17:11b The meaning of the Hebrew here is uncertain.
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Joshua 14-17
New International Version

Division of the Land West of the Jordan

14 Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance(A) in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar(B) the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel(C) allotted(D) to them.(E) 2 Their inheritances were assigned by lot(F) to the nine and a half tribes,(G) as the Lord had commanded through Moses. 3 Moses had granted the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan(H) but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest,(I) 4 for Joseph’s descendants had become two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim.(J) The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.(K) 5 So the Israelites divided the land, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.(L)

Allotment for Caleb

6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal,(M) and Caleb son of Jephunneh(N) the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God(O) at Kadesh Barnea(P) about you and me.(Q) 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea(R) to explore the land.(S) And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,(T) 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear.(U) I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.(V) 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance(W) and that of your children(X) forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’[a]

10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised,(Y) he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved(Z) about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!(AA) 11 I am still as strong(AB) today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous(AC) to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day.(AD) You yourself heard then that the Anakites(AE) were there and their cities were large and fortified,(AF) but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”

13 Then Joshua blessed(AG) Caleb son of Jephunneh(AH) and gave him Hebron(AI) as his inheritance.(AJ) 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.(AK) 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba(AL) after Arba,(AM) who was the greatest man among the Anakites.)

Then the land had rest(AN) from war.

Allotment for Judah(AO)

15 The allotment for the tribe of Judah, according to its clans, extended down to the territory of Edom,(AP) to the Desert of Zin(AQ) in the extreme south.(AR)

2 Their southern boundary started from the bay at the southern end of the Dead Sea,(AS) 3 crossed south of Scorpion Pass,(AT) continued on to Zin and went over to the south of Kadesh Barnea.(AU) Then it ran past Hezron up to Addar and curved around to Karka. 4 It then passed along to Azmon(AV) and joined the Wadi of Egypt,(AW) ending at the Mediterranean Sea. This is their[b] southern boundary.

5 The eastern boundary(AX) is the Dead Sea(AY) as far as the mouth of the Jordan.

The northern boundary(AZ) started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan, 6 went up to Beth Hoglah(BA) and continued north of Beth Arabah(BB) to the Stone of Bohan(BC) son of Reuben. 7 The boundary then went up to Debir(BD) from the Valley of Achor(BE) and turned north to Gilgal,(BF) which faces the Pass of Adummim south of the gorge. It continued along to the waters of En Shemesh(BG) and came out at En Rogel.(BH) 8 Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnom(BI) along the southern slope of the Jebusite(BJ) city (that is, Jerusalem(BK)). From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley(BL) at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.(BM) 9 From the hilltop the boundary headed toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah,(BN) came out at the towns of Mount Ephron and went down toward Baalah(BO) (that is, Kiriath Jearim).(BP) 10 Then it curved westward from Baalah(BQ) to Mount Seir,(BR) ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), continued down to Beth Shemesh(BS) and crossed to Timnah.(BT) 11 It went to the northern slope of Ekron,(BU) turned toward Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalah(BV) and reached Jabneel.(BW) The boundary ended at the sea.

12 The western boundary is the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.(BX)

These are the boundaries around the people of Judah by their clans.

13 In accordance with the Lord’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb(BY) son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba(BZ), that is, Hebron.(CA) (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)(CB) 14 From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites(CC)—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai,(CD) the sons of Anak.(CE) 15 From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). 16 And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah(CF) in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” 17 Othniel(CG) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage.

18 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him[c] to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”

19 She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev,(CH) give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.(CI)

20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, according to its clans:

21 The southernmost towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev(CJ) toward the boundary of Edom were:

Kabzeel,(CK) Eder,(CL) Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh,(CM) Hazor,(CN) Ithnan, 24 Ziph,(CO) Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor),(CP) 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah,(CQ) 27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet, 28 Hazar Shual,(CR) Beersheba,(CS) Biziothiah, 29 Baalah,(CT) Iyim, Ezem,(CU) 30 Eltolad,(CV) Kesil, Hormah,(CW) 31 Ziklag,(CX) Madmannah,(CY) Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain(CZ) and Rimmon(DA)—a total of twenty-nine towns and their villages.

33 In the western foothills:

Eshtaol,(DB) Zorah,(DC) Ashnah,(DD) 34 Zanoah,(DE) En Gannim,(DF) Tappuah,(DG) Enam, 35 Jarmuth,(DH) Adullam,(DI) Sokoh,(DJ) Azekah,(DK) 36 Shaaraim,(DL) Adithaim and Gederah(DM) (or Gederothaim)[d]—fourteen towns and their villages.

37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpah,(DN) Joktheel,(DO) 39 Lachish,(DP) Bozkath,(DQ) Eglon,(DR) 40 Kabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, 41 Gederoth,(DS) Beth Dagon,(DT) Naamah and Makkedah(DU)—sixteen towns and their villages.

42 Libnah,(DV) Ether, Ashan,(DW) 43 Iphtah, Ashnah,(DX) Nezib, 44 Keilah,(DY) Akzib(DZ) and Mareshah(EA)—nine towns and their villages.

45 Ekron,(EB) with its surrounding settlements and villages; 46 west of Ekron, all that were in the vicinity of Ashdod,(EC) together with their villages; 47 Ashdod,(ED) its surrounding settlements and villages; and Gaza, its settlements and villages, as far as the Wadi of Egypt(EE) and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.(EF)

48 In the hill country:

Shamir,(EG) Jattir,(EH) Sokoh,(EI) 49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir(EJ)), 50 Anab,(EK) Eshtemoh,(EL) Anim, 51 Goshen,(EM) Holon(EN) and Giloh(EO)—eleven towns and their villages.

52 Arab, Dumah,(EP) Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba(EQ) (that is, Hebron) and Zior—nine towns and their villages.

55 Maon,(ER) Carmel,(ES) Ziph,(ET) Juttah,(EU) 56 Jezreel,(EV) Jokdeam, Zanoah,(EW) 57 Kain, Gibeah(EX) and Timnah(EY)—ten towns and their villages.

58 Halhul, Beth Zur,(EZ) Gedor,(FA) 59 Maarath, Beth Anoth and Eltekon—six towns and their villages.[e]

60 Kiriath Baal(FB) (that is, Kiriath Jearim(FC)) and Rabbah(FD)—two towns and their villages.

61 In the wilderness:(FE)

Beth Arabah,(FF) Middin, Sekakah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt and En Gedi(FG)—six towns and their villages.

63 Judah could not(FH) dislodge the Jebusites(FI), who were living in Jerusalem;(FJ) to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.(FK)

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(FL) into the hill country of Bethel.(FM) 2 It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz(FN)),[f] crossed over to the territory of the Arkites(FO) in Ataroth,(FP) 3 descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon(FQ) and on to Gezer,(FR) ending at the Mediterranean Sea.

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

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

The boundary of their inheritance went from Ataroth Addar(FT) in the east to Upper Beth Horon(FU) 6 and continued to the Mediterranean Sea. From Mikmethath(FV) on the north it curved eastward to Taanath Shiloh, passing by it to Janoah(FW) on the east. 7 Then it went down from Janoah(FX) to Ataroth(FY) and Naarah, touched Jericho and came out at the Jordan. 8 From Tappuah(FZ) the border went west to the Kanah Ravine(GA) and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites, according to its clans. 9 It also included all the towns and their villages that were set aside for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites.(GB)

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.(GC)

17 This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh(GD) as Joseph’s firstborn,(GE) that is, for Makir,(GF) Manasseh’s firstborn. Makir was the ancestor of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead(GG) and Bashan(GH) because the Makirites were great soldiers. 2 So this allotment was for the rest of the people of Manasseh(GI)—the clans of Abiezer,(GJ) Helek, Asriel,(GK) Shechem, Hepher(GL) and Shemida.(GM) These are the other male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.

3 Now Zelophehad son of Hepher,(GN) the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters,(GO) whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. 4 They went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance along with the brothers of their father, according to the Lord’s command.(GP) 5 Manasseh’s share consisted of ten tracts of land besides Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan,(GQ) 6 because the daughters of the tribe of Manasseh received an inheritance among the sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

7 The territory of Manasseh extended from Asher(GR) to Mikmethath(GS) east of Shechem.(GT) The boundary ran southward from there to include the people living at En Tappuah. 8 (Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, but Tappuah(GU) itself, on the boundary of Manasseh, belonged to the Ephraimites.) 9 Then the boundary continued south to the Kanah Ravine.(GV) There were towns belonging to Ephraim lying among the towns of Manasseh, but the boundary of Manasseh was the northern side of the ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. 10 On the south the land belonged to Ephraim, on the north to Manasseh. The territory of Manasseh reached the Mediterranean Sea and bordered Asher(GW) on the north and Issachar(GX) on the east.(GY)

11 Within Issachar(GZ) and Asher, Manasseh also had Beth Shan,(HA) Ibleam(HB) and the people of Dor,(HC) Endor,(HD) Taanach(HE) and Megiddo,(HF) together with their surrounding settlements (the third in the list is Naphoth[g]).(HG)

12 Yet the Manassites were not able(HH) to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. 13 However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.(HI)

14 The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”(HJ)

15 “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest(HK) and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites(HL) and Rephaites.(HM)”

16 The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron,(HN) both those in Beth Shan(HO) and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”(HP)

17 But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment(HQ) 18 but the forested hill country(HR) as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron(HS) and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 14:9 Deut. 1:36
  2. Joshua 15:4 Septuagint; Hebrew your
  3. Joshua 15:18 Hebrew and some Septuagint manuscripts; other Septuagint manuscripts (see also note at Judges 1:14) Othniel, he urged her
  4. Joshua 15:36 Or Gederah and Gederothaim
  5. Joshua 15:59 The Septuagint adds another district of eleven towns, including Tekoa and Ephrathah (Bethlehem).
  6. Joshua 16:2 Septuagint; Hebrew Bethel to Luz
  7. Joshua 17:11 That is, Naphoth Dor
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