Joseph’s Inheritance

16 The allotment for the descendants of Joseph[a] went from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho on the east, through the wilderness(A) ascending from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel. From Bethel it went to Luz and proceeded to the border of the Archites by Ataroth.(B) It then descended westward to the border of the Japhletites as far as the border of lower Beth-horon, then to Gezer,(C) and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. So Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph,(D) received their inheritance.(E)

Ephraim’s Inheritance

This was the territory of the descendants of Ephraim by their clans:

The border of their inheritance went from Ataroth-addar(F) on the east of Upper Beth-horon. In the north the border went westward from Michmethath;(G) it turned eastward from Taanath-shiloh and passed it east of Janoah. From Janoah it descended to Ataroth and Naarah,(H) and then reached Jericho and went to the Jordan. From Tappuah the border[b] went westward along the Brook of Kanah and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.(I)

This was the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Ephraim by their clans, together with the cities set apart for the descendants of Ephraim within the inheritance of the descendants of Manasseh—all these cities with their villages. 10 But, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer.(J) So the Canaanites live in Ephraim to this day,(K) but they are forced laborers.

West Manasseh’s Inheritance

17 This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh(L) as Joseph’s firstborn. Gilead and Bashan came to Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh and the father of Gilead, who was a man of war.(M) So the allotment was for the rest of Manasseh’s descendants by their clans, for the sons of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, by their clans.

Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.(N) They came before Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, saying, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our male relatives.”[c] So they gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers, in keeping with the Lord’s instruction.(O) As a result, 10 tracts fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which are beyond the Jordan,[d] because Manasseh’s daughters received an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of Manasseh’s sons.

The border of Manasseh went from Asher to Michmethath near Shechem. It then went southward toward the inhabitants of En-tappuah. The region of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah itself on Manasseh’s border(P) belonged to the descendants of Ephraim. From there the border descended to the Brook of Kanah; south of the brook, cities belonged to Ephraim among Manasseh’s cities. Manasseh’s border was on the north side of the brook and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. 10 Ephraim’s territory was to the south and Manasseh’s to the north, with the Sea as its border. They[e] reached Asher on the north and Issachar on the east. 11 Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh had Beth-shean with its towns, Ibleam with its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor with its towns;(Q) the inhabitants of En-dor with its towns, the inhabitants of Taanach with its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo with its towns—the three cities of[f] Naphath.(R)

12 The descendants of Manasseh could not possess these cities, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land. 13 However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they imposed forced labor on the Canaanites but did not drive them out completely.(S)

Joseph’s Additional Inheritance

14 Joseph’s descendants said to Joshua, “Why did you give us only one tribal allotment[g] as an inheritance? We have many people, because the Lord has been blessing us greatly.”

15 “If you have so many people,” Joshua replied to them, “go to the forest and clear an area for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, because Ephraim’s hill country is too small for you.”

16 But the descendants of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who inhabit the valley area have iron chariots, both at Beth-shean with its towns and in the Jezreel Valley.”

17 So Joshua replied to Joseph’s family (that is, Ephraim and Manasseh), “You have many people and great strength. You will not have just one allotment, 18 because the hill country will be yours also. It is a forest; clear it and its outlying areas will be yours. You can also drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and are strong.”

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 16:1 = the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh
  2. Joshua 16:8 Ephraim’s northern border
  3. Joshua 17:4 Lit our brothers
  4. Joshua 17:5 = east of the Jordan River
  5. Joshua 17:10 The people of Manasseh, or Manasseh’s borders
  6. Joshua 17:11 LXX, Vg read the third is
  7. Joshua 17:14 Lit one lot and one territory

Ephraim’s Allocation

16 The territorial allotment for the descendants of Joseph proceeded from the Jordan River by Jericho eastward of the Jericho waters into the wilderness, proceeding from Jericho through the hill country of Bethel and from Bethel to Luz, continuing to the border of the Archites at Ataroth. It proceeded westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the territory of lower Beth-horon, then toward Gezer, ending at the Mediterranean[a] Sea.

Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance. This was the territory allocated to the descendants of Ephraim according to their families: the border of their inheritance on the east was Ataroth-addar as far as upper Beth-horon. Then the border proceeded west from Michmethath on the north, then turned east toward Taanath-shiloh, continuing to the east of Janoah. It proceeded from Janoah to Ataroth, then to Naarah, then proceeded to Jericho and ended at the Jordan River. From Tappuach, the border proceeded west to the Kanah brook, ending at the Mediterranean Sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Ephraim according to their families, along with the cities that had been set aside for the descendants of Ephraim within the allotment of the descendants of Manasseh, including all of the cities and villages. 10 However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites live within the territory of[b] Ephraim to this day, but they serve as forced laborers.

Manasseh’s Allocation

17 The territorial allotment for the tribe of Manasseh, the firstborn of Joseph, was allocated first[c] to Machir the firstborn of Manasseh and father of Gilead. Since he had been a man of war, Gilead and Bashan were allocated to him.[d]

Now allotments were made[e] with respect to the remaining descendants of Manasseh according to their families: for the descendants of Abiezer, the descendants of Helek, the descendants of Asriel, the descendants of Shechem, the descendants of Hepher, and the descendants of Shemida—the male descendants of Joseph’s son Manasseh, according to their families.

Hepher’s son Zelophehad, grandson of Gilead and great-grandson of Manasseh’s son Machir had no sons, only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They appeared before Eleazar the priest and Nun’s son Joshua and declared, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives.” So in keeping what the Lord had commanded, he gave them an inheritance among their ancestor’s relatives. That is why ten allotments fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan beyond the Jordan River, since the granddaughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. (The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.)

The border of Manasseh proceeded from Asher to Michmethath east of Shechem, then turned south to include the inhabitants of En-tappuach. (The territory of Tappuach belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuach itself,[f] on the border of Manasseh, was allocated[g] to the descendants of Ephraim.) The border proceeded to the Kanah brook and proceeded south. These cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh, with the border of Manasseh on the north of the brook, terminating at the Mediterranean[h] Sea.

10 The southern area was allocated to Ephraim and the northern area to Manasseh. The Mediterranean[i] Sea was the border, extending to Asher on the North and to Issachar on the east. 11 In Issachar and Asher, Manasseh held Beth-shean and its towns, Ibleam 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, and the three coastal districts.[j] 12 The descendants of Manasseh did not take possession of these cities, because the Canaanites predominated in that territory. 13 Later on, when the Israelis had become strong, they forced the Canaanites to work for them, but they never did expel them completely.

Protests by the Tribe of Joseph

14 At that time, the descendants of Joseph asked Joshua, “Why did you give us[k] only one allotment and portion for an inheritance, since we’re numerous and the Lord has blessed us all along?”

15 So Joshua replied to them, “Since you’re so numerous, go up to the forest and clear ground there for yourselves in the territory where the Perizzites and Rephaim[l] are, because the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”

16 The descendants of Joseph replied, “The hill country isn’t sufficient for us, but all the Canaanites who live on the plain have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shean and its villages as well as the inhabitants of the Jezreel Valley.”

17 So Joshua told the tribes of Joseph, which were Ephraim and Manasseh, “You’re truly a numerous group, and you have great power. You are not to have only one allotment, 18 but the hill country will also belong to you. Even though it’s a forest, you will clear it and possess it to its farthest borders. You’ll drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and even though they’re strong.”

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 16:3 The Heb. lacks Mediterranean
  2. Joshua 16:10 The Heb. lacks the territory of
  3. Joshua 17:1 The Heb. lacks was allocated first
  4. Joshua 17:1 The Heb. lacks were allocated to him
  5. Joshua 17:2 The Heb. lacks allotments were made
  6. Joshua 17:8 The Heb. lacks itself
  7. Joshua 17:8 The Heb. lacks was allocated
  8. Joshua 17:9 The Heb. lacks Mediterranean
  9. Joshua 17:10 The Heb. lacks Mediterranean
  10. Joshua 17:11 Or the third is Napheth
  11. Joshua 17:14 Lit. me
  12. Joshua 17:15 I.e. a race of giants that formerly populated Canaan; cf. Num 13:22, 33; Deut 9:2