Joshua 17
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CHAPTER 17
Allotment for the Half-Tribe of Manasseh (17:1–18)
1–2 Here we are reminded that some of the descendants of Gilead, a grandson of Manasseh, received an allotment of land east of the Jordan (see Numbers 32:33,39–42). This chapter describes the land given to the remaining descendants of Gilead61 (see Numbers 26:29–34).
3–6 The descendants of six of Gilead’s sons were given their land west of the Jordan; hence the tribe of Manasseh is referred to as two “half-tribes,” one east and the other west of the Jordan River. One of those six sons, Hepher, had a son Zelophehad who had only daughters (verse 3); these daughters had asked Moses to give them their father’s inheritance, which Moses agreed to do (see Numbers 26:33; 27:1–11; 36:1–13). Thus the land of the half-tribe of Manasseh west of the Jordan was divided into ten tracts: five for the five brothers of Hepher, and five for Hepher’s five granddaughters (verses 5–6).
7–11 These verses describe the boundaries and some of the towns of the allotment of land given to the half-tribe of Manasseh west of the Jordan.
12–13 Here we learn that the Manassites did not drive all the Canaanites out of their land (see Joshua 16:10). Even after they had become strong they did not do so (verse 13); in this, they were disobeying God’s clear command (see Deuteronomy 7:1–2; 20:1618). Perhaps they wanted the economic benefits of the Canaanites’ forced labor.
14–18 These verses further reveal the unworthy character of the people of Joseph (verse 14)—that is, the Ephraimites and Manassites: they were not satisfied with the amount of land they had been given.62 Joshua was not sympathetic to their complaint. They said they had too little land; Joshua said they had too little faith.
Joshua told them to go and settle the uninhabited forested land in their area; why should they live only in the towns the Canaanites had built! (verse 15). When the people of Joseph expressed fear of the Canaanites and their iron chariots63 (verse 16), Joshua answered them with the confidence of faith: “. . . you can drive them out” (verse 18).