Joshua 17 Study Notes

17:4-6 Although daughters did not normally inherit land (they received a dowry instead), Moses allowed this special stipulation (Nm 36:1-13) in the absence of any sons. He required only that these women marry within their tribe so the land would not pass out of it.

17:7-13 A border description (vv. 7-9a) is followed by a note about towns of Ephraim that were in Manasseh’s territory (v. 9b) and by other tribes and bodies of water that bordered this tribe (vv. 9c-10). The towns of Manasseh that were located within the tribal borders of Issachar and Asher (v. 11) were not occupied for a while because of the strength of the Canaanites (v. 12). On imposing forced labor, see note at 16:10.

17:14-18 The allocation of additional land was necessary due to the large population among Joseph’s descendants who lived in the central hill country of Israel. The land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim seems to be identical to the hill country and its forest. In Gn 34:30 the area around Shechem belonged to the Canaanites and Perizzites; thus, it may refer to this region of Manasseh. The Canaanites in the valley had iron chariots, which caused the Ephraimites to doubt their ability to conquer them, but Joshua, a man of faith, encouraged them (v. 18; cp. Jdg 1:19; 4:3,13).