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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 goral (lot) of the Bnei Yosef ran from the Yarden by Yericho, east of the spring at Yericho, to the midbar that goeth up from Yericho into the hill country of Beit-El,

And goeth out from Beit-El to Luz, and passeth along unto the territory of Arkhi to Atarot,

And goeth down westward to the territory of Yaphleti, unto the territory of Lower Beit Choron, and to Gezer; ending at the Yam [Mediterranean Sea].

So the Bnei Yosef, Menasheh and Ephrayim, inherited their nachalah.

And the boundary of the Bnei Ephrayim according to their mishpekhot was thus: the boundary of their nachalah on the east side was Atarot Addar, unto Upper Beit Choron;

And the boundary ran toward the Yam to Michmetat on the north side; and the boundary ran eastward unto Taanat Shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Yanochah;

And it ran down from Yanochah to Atarot, and to Naarah, and came to Yericho, and ran to an end at the Yarden.

The boundary ran from Tapuach westward unto the Wadi Kanah; and the end thereof ran to the Yam. This is the nachalah of the tribe of the Bnei Ephrayim by their mishpekhot.

And the towns set aside for the Bnei Ephrayim were inside the Bnei Menasheh, all the towns with their villages.

10 And they drove not out the Kena’ani that dwelt in Gezer: but the Kena’ani dwell among the Ephrayim unto yom hazeh, and serve under forced labor.

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

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,

And goeth out from Bethel to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,

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.

So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.

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;

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;

And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.

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.

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.