1The lot of Manasseh. 3The case of Zelophehad's daughters. 7The coast of Manasseh distinguished from that of Ephraim. 12The Canaanites could not be wholly driven out, but those that remain are subjected to tribute. 14The children of Joseph petition for and obtain another lot.
1THERE was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph;ato wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead: 1because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.
a Gen. 46:20.
1 Implying, that Machir, having by his valor subdued the land of Bashan, obtained a double portion, the same likewise appertained to him, as to the first-born, Deut. 21:17.
2There was also a lot for 2the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for the children of Abi-ezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph 3by their families.
2 Understand this of those who had received no inheritance on the other side of Jordan.
3 That is, which were heads of the generations and families that descended from them, and carried the name.
3¶But Zelophehad,b the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and thesecare the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
b Num. 26:33; 27:1.
c Num. 27:1.
4And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, Thed LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
d Num. 27:7; 36:2.
5And there fell 4ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan;
4 That is, ten pieces of land, for, they were wont to measure out and divide the land with cords or lines. And observe here, that the five brethren, which are named in verse 2, had five lots, but the sixth lot for Zelophehad the son of Hepher, fell to his five daughters, because he left no son. This together makes the ten portions, or ten parts.
6Because the 5daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.
5 Namely, who descended from Manasseh, and were begotten of Zelophehad.
7¶And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah.
8Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim;
9And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward 6of the river: 7these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoingse of it were at the sea:
6 Or, of the valley.
7 Namely, Tappuah and Kana, meaning, that the cities and the country of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh were intermixed one with another. See Joshua 16:9.
e limits or boundaries*
10Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and 8the sea is 9his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.
8 Namely, the Syrian sea.
9 This has respect to the border of Ephraim and also to that of Manasseh.
11And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher 10Beth-shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of 11En-dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.
10 Afterward called Scythopolis, or the city of the Scythians, 2 Maccabees 12:29. See also 1 Maccabees 5:52.
11 This is translated the fountain Dor. About this place many of Sisera’s fugitive soldiers were slain by Barak, Psalm 83:10.
12Yet thef children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
f Judges 1:27.
13Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not 12utterly drive them out.
12 Hebr. driving out, they drave them not out.
14And 13the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion 14to inherit, seeing I am a great people, 15forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto?
13 Namely, both the tribes, as well Ephraim as Manasseh, as appears verses 15, 16, 17.
14 That is, but so much land as if we were but one tribe, and would dwell together, whereas indeed we are two tribes.
15 These two tribes were in the last numbering 85,200 strong. See Num. 26:34, 37.
15And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and 16cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.
16 As if he would say: Cut down the wood, and prepare the ground for tillage, and build houses and cities upon it.
16And the children of Joseph said, The hill 17is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley 18have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth-shean and 19her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.
17 Hebr. will not be found for us. So Num. 11:22, and elsewhere.
18 As if they would say: The Canaanites, who have many iron chariots wherewith they come into battle, will be too strong for us, and will forcibly oppose us when we shall go about to cut down the wood on the mountain.
19 Hebr. her daughters, that is, small towns.
17And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:
18But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: 20and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for 21thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
20 That is, as such you shall be able to plant it and possess it from the one end unto the other.
21 This Joshua utters thus confidently, relying on the promise of God, Joshua 13:6.