17 1 The portion of the half tribe of Manasseh. 3 The daughters of Zelophehad. 13 The Canaanites are become tributaries. 14 Manasseh and Ephraim require a greater portion of heritage.
1 This was also the lot of the tribe of Manasseh: for he was the (A)firstborn of Joseph, to wit, of Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, and the father of Gilead: now because he was a man of war, he had Gilead and Bashan.
2 And also (B)of the [a]rest of the sons of Manasseh by their families, even of the sons of Abiezer, and of the sons of Helek, and of the sons of Asriel, and of the sons of Shechem, and of the sons of Hepher, and of the sons of Shemida: these were the males of Manasseh, the son of Joseph according to their families.
3 ¶ (C)But Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah:
4 Which came before Eleazar the Priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our [b]brethren: therefore according to the commandment of the Lord, he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
5 And there fell ten portions to [c]Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of Jordan,
6 Because the daughters of Manasseh did inherit among his sons: and Manasseh’s other sons had the land of Gilead.
7 ¶ So the borders of Manasseh were from Asher to Michmethath that lieth before Shechem, and this border goeth on the right hand, even to the inhabitants of En Tappuah.
8 The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but [d]Tappuah beside the border of Manasseh belongeth to the sons of Ephraim.
9 Also this border goeth down unto the [e]river Kanah Southward to the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: and the border of Manasseh is on the North side of the river, and the ends of it are at the [f]Sea,
10 The South pertaineth to Ephraim, and the North to Manasseh, and the sea is his border: and they met together in [g]Asher Northward, and in Issachar Eastward.
11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher, Beth Shean, and her towns, and Ibleam, and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor with the towns thereof, and the inhabitants of En Dor with the towns thereof, and the inhabitants of Taanach with her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo with the towns of the same, even three countries.
12 Yet the children of Manasseh [h]could not destroy those cities, but the Canaanites dwelled still in that land.
13 Nevertheless, when the children of Israel were strong, they put the Canaanites under tribute, but cast them not out wholly.
14 Then the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot, and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath [i]blessed me hitherto?
15 Joshua then answered them, If thou be much people, get thee up to the woods, and cut trees for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites, and of the giants, [j]if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.
16 Then the children of Joseph said, The mountain will not be enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the low country have chariots of iron, as well they in Beth Shean, and in the towns of the same, as they in the valley of Jezreel.
17 And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power, and shalt not have one lot.
18 Therefore the mountain shall be thine: for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the ends of it shall be thine, [k]and thou shalt cast out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
Footnotes
- Joshua 17:2 For the other half tribe had their portion beyond Jordan.
- Joshua 17:4 Among them of our tribe.
- Joshua 17:5 In the land of Canaan: five to the males: and other five to the daughters of Zelophehad.
- Joshua 17:8 Meaning, the city itself.
- Joshua 17:9 Or, the brook of reeds.
- Joshua 17:9 That is, toward the main sea.
- Joshua 17:10 In the tribe of Asher, and tribe of Issachar.
- Joshua 17:12 For at the first they lacked courage, and after agreed with them on condition, contrary to God’s commandment.
- Joshua 17:14 According to my father Jacob’s prophecy, Gen. 48:19.
- Joshua 17:15 If this mount be not large enough, why dost not thou get more by destroying God’s enemies, as he hath commanded?
- Joshua 17:18 So that thou shalt enlarge thy portion thereby.