Joshua 16:1

1 And the lot came forth for the children of Joseph from the Jordan of Jericho as far as the waters of Jericho eastwards, to the wilderness which goes up from Jericho to the hill-country of Bethel.

Joshua 16:1 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 16:1

And the lot of the children of Joseph fell
Or, "went out" {a}; of the pot or urn, this being the next lot that was drawn to that of Judah, the government being Judah's, and the birthright Joseph's, ( 1 Chronicles 5:2 ) ; and by his children are here meant the tribe of Ephraim, and the tribe of Manasseh: or the line and border according to the lot went forth

from Jordan by Jericho unto the water of Jericho on the east;
by which it appears, that this was the southern border of the lot; for the tribe of Benjamin, in which Jericho was, lay between Judah and Ephraim, and the border began at Jordan, where it flowed near Jericho, and proceeded to a water which belonged to that city, and is generally thought to be the waters Elisha healed, ( 2 Kings 2:19-22 ) ;

to the wilderness that goeth up throughout Mount Bethel;
this was the wilderness of Bethaven, ( Joshua 18:12 ) ; Jarchi interprets it of the border that went up through Mount Bethel; which is true, and so might the wilderness also, for which the Targum is express; mention is made of a mountain on the east of Bethel, ( Genesis 12:8 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 (auyw) "et egressa est", Pagninus, Montanus; "exivit", Piscator.

Joshua 16:1 In-Context

1 And the lot came forth for the children of Joseph from the Jordan of Jericho as far as the waters of Jericho eastwards, to the wilderness which goes up from Jericho to the hill-country of Bethel.

2 And [the border] went from Bethel to Luz, and passed to the border of the Archites to Ataroth,

3 and went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, as far as the border of the lower Beth-horon, and to Gezer; and ended at the sea.

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

5 And the border of the children of Ephraim was according to their families; the border of their inheritance eastwards was Ataroth-Addar as far as the upper Beth-horon;