Joshua 16-17
Modern English Version
Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh
16 The allotment of land for the descendants of Joseph was from the Jordan by Jericho then east into the wilderness, rising from Jericho to the hill country of Bethel. 2 It goes out from Bethel to Luz and passes to the border of Arkite territory at Ataroth. 3 It goes down westward to the territory of the Japhletites, to the border of lower Beth Horon and Gezer, and then goes out to the sea.
4 So the descendants of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
5 The territory of the Ephraimites, according to their clans, was as follows. The border of their inheritance on the east was Ataroth Addar as far as upper Beth Horon. 6 The border goes out toward the sea with Mikmethath on the north. It turns eastward toward Taanath Shiloh and passes it on the east toward Janoah. 7 It descends from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah, touches Jericho, and extends to the Jordan. 8 From Tappuah the border goes west to the Kanah Ravine and out to the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites according to their clans. 9 The other cities for the Ephraimites were in the middle of the inheritance of the descendants of Manasseh, all the cities and their villages.
10 They did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites live in the midst of Ephraim until this day performing heavy labor as slaves.
17 Then allotment was made to the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. To Makir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a warrior. 2 And allotments were made to the rest of the tribe of Manasseh, according to their families: Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida; these were the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, according to their families.
3 Yet Zelophehad, son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh had no sons, only daughters. These were his daughters’ names: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah. 4 They approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, saying, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance among their fathers’ relatives according to the word of the Lord. 5 Therefore Manasseh received ten regions, apart from the lands of Gilead and Bashan on the east side of the Jordan, 6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons, and the rest of the people of Manasseh received the land of Gilead.
7 The boundary of Manasseh was from Asher to Mikmethath east of Shechem, and it runs south toward the inhabitants of En Tappuah. 8 Now Manasseh owned the land of Tappuah, but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the Ephraimites. 9 Then the border descended to the Kanah Ravine, southward to the brook. 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 The land belonging to Ephraim was to the south, and the land belonging to Manasseh to the north. The Mediterranean Sea was the boundary of this territory, which bordered Asher in the north and Issachar in the east.
11 In Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned districts: Beth Shan, Ibleam, Dor, Endor, Taanach, Megiddo, Naphoth, and their respective villages.
12 Yet the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, because the Canaanites were determined to live in that land. 13 But when the children of Israel became strong, they put the Canaanites to hard labor as slaves, but they did not actually drive them out.
14 The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you assigned us a single allotment, a single portion? We are a numerous people, as the Lord has blessed us.”
15 Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up to the forests and clear out a place there for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you.”
16 The descendants of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites living in the plains have iron chariots, both those in Beth Shan and the Jezreel Valley.”
17 Joshua said to Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, “You are a numerous people who have great strength. There will not be only one allotment for you. 18 The hill country shall be yours. Although it is a forest you shall clear it and own it to its borders. You shall drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and are strong.”
Joshua 16-17
21st Century King James Version
16 And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from the 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 the Archites to Ataroth,
3 and goeth down westward to the border of the Japhletites, unto the border of Bethhoron the Nether and to Gezer; and the boundaries 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 Michmethath 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 Naarah, and came to Jericho and went out at the Jordan.
8 The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the River Kanah; and the boundaries 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 drove not out the Canaanites who 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, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side of the 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 border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, 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 border descended unto the River Kanah, southward of the river. These cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the boundaries 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 waxed strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out.
14 And the children of Joseph spoke 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 who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Bethshean and her towns, and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel.”
17 And Joshua spoke 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 boundaries of it shall be thine; for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and though they be strong.”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.