Joshua 17:1-13

The Allotment of the Other Half-Tribe of Manasseh

1 Then the allotment was made for the tribe of Manasseh, because 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 [An allotment] was [made] for the remaining descendants of Manasseh, according to their families: For the children of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida--these [were] the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph according to their families.
3 But Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. These [are] the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
4 They came before Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, saying, "Yahweh commanded Moses to give an inheritance to us among our kinsmen." Therefore, according to the {command of Yahweh} he gave them an inheritance among the kinsmen of their father.
5 Thus ten shares fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which [is] beyond the Jordan,
6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. And the land of Gilead was [allotted] to the remaining descendants of Manasseh.
7 The border of Manasseh was from Asher [to] Micmethath, which [is] opposite Shechem; then the border goes to the south, to the inhabitants of En Tappuah.
8 The land of Tappuah {belonged to Manasseh}, but Tuppuah on the border of Manasseh {belonged to the descendants of Ephraim}.
9 Then the border goes down [to] the wadi of Kanah to the south of the wadi. These cities [belong] to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh [is] north of the wadi, and {it ends} at the sea.
10 The south [is] Ephraim's, and the north [is] Manasseh's; the sea is their border; Asher touches [the] north and on [the] east Issachar.
11 In Issachar and Asher, Manasseh had Beth-shean and its villages, Ibleam and its villages, the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, the inhabitants of En-dor and its villages, the inhabitants of Taanach and its villages, the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; the third is Napheth.
12 But the descendants of Manasseh were not able to take possession of these towns; the Canaanites were determined to live in this land.
13 And it happened, when the {Israelites} grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor but never drove them out completely.

Joshua 17:1-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 17

This chapter gives an account of the lot that fell to the half tribe of Manasseh, to the male children of Manasseh, and to the daughters of Zelophehad, Jos 17:1-6; and describes the coast of that lot, Jos 17:7-13; and relates the request of the sons of Joseph, to have their lot enlarged, which was granted, Jos 17:14-18.

Footnotes 18

  • [a]. Literally "and there was to him"
  • [b]. Literally "a man of war"
  • [c]. Or "sons"
  • [d]. Or "sons"
  • [e]. Or "among our brothers"
  • [f]. Literally "mouth of Yahweh"
  • [g]. Or "brothers"
  • [h]. Or "sons"
  • [i]. Or "which faces Shechem"
  • [j]. Literally "was to Manasseh"
  • [k]. Literally "was to the children of Ephraim"
  • [l]. A valley that is dry most of the year, but contains a stream during the rainy season
  • [m]. Literally "the goings out of it were"
  • [n]. Hebrew "its"
  • [o]. Or "sons"
  • [p]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
  • [q]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [r]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.