Joshua 16:1

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;

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 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Or "sons"