Joshua 16:1

1 The allotment of the descendants of Joseph went from the Jordan by Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, 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 ) .


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, east of the waters of Jericho, into the wilderness, going up from Jericho into the hill country to Bethel;
2 then going from Bethel to Luz, it passes along to At'aroth, the territory of the Archites;
3 then it goes down westward to the territory of the Japh'letites, as far as the territory of Lower Beth-hor'on, then to Gezer, and it ends at the sea.
4 The people of Joseph, Manas'seh and E'phraim, received their inheritance.
5 The territory of the E'phraimites by their families was as follows: the boundary of their inheritance on the east was At'aroth-ad'dar as far as Upper Beth-hor'on,
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.