Joshua 17
1This was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. As for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.
2So this was for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, for the children of Helek, for the children of Asriel, for the children of Shechem, for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida. These were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families.
3But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
4They came to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the princes, saying, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father.
5Ten parts fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;
6because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.
7The border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is before Shechem. The border went along to the right hand, to the inhabitants of En Tappuah.
8The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh; but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim.
9The border went down to the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook. These cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and ended at the sea.
10Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea was his border. They reached to Asher on the north, and to Issachar on the east.
11Manasseh had three heights in Issachar, in Asher Beth Shean and its towns, and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns.
12Yet the children of Manasseh couldn’t drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
13When the children of Israel had grown strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and didn’t utterly drive them out.
14The children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me just one lot and one part for an inheritance, since we are a numerous people, because the LORD has blessed us so far?”
15Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest, and clear land for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”
16The children of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. All the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth Shean and its towns, and those who are in the valley of Jezreel.”
17Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, that is, to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, “You are a numerous people, and have great power. You shall not have one lot only;
18but the hill country shall be yours. Although it is a forest, you shall cut it down, and it’s farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”
Joshua 17 details the territorial allotment for the tribe of Manasseh, including the notable case of Zelophehad's daughters who successfully claimed their inheritance rights as previously established under Moses. The chapter describes the complex boundaries between Manasseh and Ephraim, highlighting areas where the Israelites failed to completely drive out the Canaanite inhabitants. When the tribes of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) complained about insufficient territory, Joshua challenged them to clear additional land in the forested hill country, revealing ongoing tensions about incomplete conquest.
Context
This chapter continues the systematic land distribution that began in chapter 14, focusing on the Joseph tribes before moving to the remaining tribal allotments.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-6Manasseh's Inheritance AllocatedThe tribe receives its portion, including the special case of Zelophehad's daughters claiming their inheritance rights.
- 7-11Territorial Boundaries DefinedDetailed description of Manasseh's borders with neighboring tribes and specific cities within their territory.
- 12-13Incomplete Conquest AcknowledgedManasseh fails to drive out all Canaanites, instead subjecting them to forced labor rather than complete removal.
- 14-18Joseph's Tribes Request More LandEphraim and Manasseh complain about insufficient territory, prompting Joshua's challenge to clear forest land themselves.
The Territory of Ephraim and Manasseh
16:1–17:18Description of the territorial inheritance given to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph. The passage notes that the Canaanites were not completely driven out but remained as forced laborers.
person_contrast
Joseph's favored descendants receive the largest territorial inheritance yet repeatedly fail to expel the Canaanites, creating an ironic reversal where blessing becomes compromise.
Joshua 17:1
Joshua 13:31lexicalHalf Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir the son of…
Numbers 36:1lexicalThe heads of the fathers’ households of the family of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of…
Numbers 27:1lexicalThen the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the f…
Joshua 21:6lexicalThe children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, out of the tribe of Ash…
Joshua 20:8lexicalBeyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, Ra…
Joshua 17:2
Numbers 27:1lexicalThen the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the f…
Numbers 26:31lexicaland Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; and Shechem, the family of the Shechemites;
Numbers 26:32lexicaland Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; and Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.
1 Chronicles 7:19lexicalThe sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.
Joshua 21:5lexicalThe rest of the children of Kohath had ten cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, out of the tribe o…
Joshua 17:3
Numbers 27:1lexicalThen the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the f…
Numbers 26:33lexicalZelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah,…
Numbers 36:11lexicalfor Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to their father’s brothers’ sons…
Numbers 26:29lexicalThe sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir became the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the fa…
1 Chronicles 7:17lexicalThe sons of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh.
Joshua 17:4
Joshua 19:51lexicalThese are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the…
Joshua 19:49lexicalSo they finished distributing the land for inheritance by its borders. The children of Israel gave an inheritance to Jos…
Numbers 32:28lexicalSo Moses commanded concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’…
Joshua 21:1lexicalThen the heads of fathers’ houses of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to t…
Numbers 34:17lexical“These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son…
Joshua 17:5
Joshua 20:8lexicalBeyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, Ra…
Deuteronomy 3:13lexicaland the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh—all the region of Argob,…
1 Kings 4:13lexicalBen Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, belonged to him; and the region…
Deuteronomy 3:14lexicalJair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and called t…
Deuteronomy 4:47lexicalThey took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the J…
Joshua 17:6
Numbers 18:24lexicalFor the tithe of the children of Israel, which they offer as a wave offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites fo…
Numbers 18:20lexicalThe LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I a…
Jeremiah 12:14lexicalThe LORD says, “Concerning all my evil neighbors, who touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inhe…
Joshua 19:9lexicalOut of the part of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children…
Joshua 19:49lexicalSo they finished distributing the land for inheritance by its borders. The children of Israel gave an inheritance to Jos…
Joshua 17:8
Joshua 16:8lexicalFrom Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the…
Ezekiel 48:5lexical“By the border of Manasseh, from the east side to the west side, Ephraim, one portion.
Joshua 17:9
Joshua 16:8lexicalFrom Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the…
Joshua 15:7lexicalThe border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that faces the ascent of…
Joshua 15:4lexicaland it passed along to Azmon, went out at the brook of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your south…
Joshua 18:14lexicalThe border extended, and turned around on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lies before Beth Horon sout…
Numbers 34:5lexicalThe border shall turn about from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and it shall end at the sea.
Joshua 17:10
Joshua 19:34lexicalThe border turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, and went out from there to Hukkok. It reached to Zebulun on the south, and r…
1 Kings 7:25lexicalIt stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the…
2 Chronicles 4:4lexicalIt stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south,…
1 Chronicles 9:24lexicalOn the four sides were the gatekeepers, toward the east, west, north, and south.
Zechariah 14:4lexicalHis feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives w…
Joshua 17:11
Judges 1:27lexicalManasseh didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its towns, nor Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of…
1 Chronicles 7:29lexicaland by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Beth Shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns,…
1 Kings 4:12lexicalBaana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth…
Joshua 21:6lexicalThe children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, out of the tribe of Ash…
1 Kings 4:11lexicalBen Abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had Taphath, Solomon’s daughter, as wife);
Joshua 17:13
Judges 1:28lexicalWhen Israel had grown strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and didn’t utterly drive them out.
Judges 1:33lexicalNaphtali didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but he lived among the Can…
Judges 1:30lexicalZebulun didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived among them,…
Joshua 16:10lexicalThey didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the territory of Ephraim to this da…
Joshua 17:16
Judges 1:19lexicalThe LORD was with Judah, and drove out the inhabitants of the hill country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants o…
1 Kings 4:12lexicalBaana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth…
Joshua 17:17
Joshua 21:5lexicalThe rest of the children of Kohath had ten cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, out of the tribe o…
Genesis 48:13lexicalJoseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’…
Joshua 16:4lexicalThe children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
Genesis 46:20lexicalTo Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bo…
Joshua 14:4lexicalFor the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. They gave no portion to the Levites in the land, excep…
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