Joshua 16

The Allotment of Ephraim and Manasseh

1 The allotment of the descendants of Joseph went from [the] Jordan by Jericho, at the waters of Jericho to the east, [into] the wilderness, going up from Jericho into the hill country [to] Bethel;

2 it continues from Bethel to Luz, and it passes [along] to the territory of the Arkites at Ataroth.

3 Then it goes down, to the west, to the territory of the Japhletites, up to the territory of Lower Beth-horon, then to Gezer, and {it ends} at the sea.

4 And the descendants of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.

5 [This] was the border of the descendants of Ephraim according to their families: the border of their inheritance to the east [was] Ataroth Addar, up to Upper Beth-horon.

6 The border continues to the sea; from Micmethath to [the] north, the border turns to the east to Taanath Shiloh, and it passes [along] it from the east to Janoah.

7 Then it goes down from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah; it touches Jericho and ends [at] the Jordan;

8 from Tappuah the border goes to the west, [to] the wadi of Kanah, and {it ends} at the sea. This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Ephraim according to their families,

9 with the cities that were set apart for the descendants of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the descendants of Manasseh, all the cities and their villages.

10 But they did not drive out the Canananites who were dwelling in Gezer, and so the Canaanites live in the midst of Ephraim to this day, but they became forced laborers.

Joshua 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

The sons of Joseph.

- This and the following chapter should not be separated. They give the lots of Ephraim and Manasseh, the children of Joseph, who, next to Judah, were to have the post of honour, and therefore had the first and best portion in the northern part of Canaan, as Judah in the southern part. God's people now, as of old, suffer his enemies to remain. Blessed Lord, when will all ( 1 Corinthians. 15:26 ) thou alone canst do it. These settled boundaries may remind us, that our situation and provision in this life, as well as our future inheritance, are appointed by the only wise and righteous God, and we should be content with our portion, since he knows what is best for us, and all we have is more than we deserve.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "sons"
• [b]. Hebrew "Arkite"
• [c]. Hebrew "Japhletite"
• [d]. Literally "the goings out of it were"
• [e]. Or "sons"
• [f]. Or "sons"
• [g]. A valley that is dry most of the year, but contains a stream during the rainy season
• [h]. Literally "the goings out of it were"
• [i]. Or "sons"
• [j]. Or "sons"
• [k]. Or "sons"
• [l]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [m]. Hebrew "Canaanite"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 16

This chapter gives us an account of the lot of the children of Joseph, Ephraim, and the half tribe of Manasseh, one half having settled on the other side Jordan; and first the borders of the whole lot in general are given, Jos 16:1-4; and then the borders of the tribe of Ephraim in particular, Jos 16:4-8; and it is observed, that this tribe had besides separate cities among the children of Manasseh, and that there were some Canaanites, particularly in Gezer, not driven out by the Ephraimites, Jos 16:9,10.