Joshuachapter 17

A.Zelophehad's daughters claim their inheritancevv. 1-6

1 Now this was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as Joseph’s firstborn son, namely for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh and father of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead and Bashan because Machir was a man of war. 2 So this allotment was for the rest of the descendants of Manasseh—the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. 3 But Zelophehad son of Hepher (the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh) had no sons but only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 They approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, and said, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers, in keeping with the command of the LORD. 5 Thus ten shares fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan beyond the Jordan, 6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. And the land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.

B.Manasseh's towns, and the Canaanites who would not govv. 7-13

7 Now the border of Manasseh went from Asher to Michmethath near Shechem, then southward to include the inhabitants of En-tappuah. 8 The region of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah itself, on the border of Manasseh, belonged to Ephraim. 9 From there the border continued southward to the Brook of Kanah. There were cities belonging to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh, but the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook and ended at the Sea. 10 Ephraim’s territory was to the south, and Manasseh’s was to the north, having the Sea as its border and adjoining Asher on the north and Issachar on the east. 11 Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphath), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements. 12 But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these cities, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land. 13 However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they put the Canaanites to forced labor; but they failed to drive them out completely.

C.Too great for one lot? Then clear the forestvv. 14-18

14 Then the sons of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one portion as an inheritance? We have many people, because the LORD has blessed us abundantly.” 15 Joshua answered them, “If you have so many people that the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go to the forest and clear for yourself an area in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim.” 16 “The hill country is not enough for us,” they replied, “and all the Canaanites who live in the valley have iron chariots, both in Beth-shean with its towns and in the Valley of Jezreel.” 17 So Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You have many people and great strength. You shall not have just one allotment, 18 because the hill country will be yours as well. It is a forest; clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours. Although the Canaanites have iron chariots and although they are strong, you can drive them out.”

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Chapter summary

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Manasseh's portion covers Gilead and Bashan for Machir's line and ten shares west of Jordan, including, notably, the daughters of Zelophehad, who come before Eleazar and Joshua and receive an inheritance among their father's brethren, exactly as Numbers 27 promised. Again the failure is recorded: Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and the valley towns, for they had chariots of iron. When the house of Joseph complains that one lot is too small for so great a people, Joshua sends them up to clear the forest and take the valleys too, thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

History · Joshua — Joshua overview

A. 1–6 Zelophehad's daughters claim their inheritance
B. 7–13 Manasseh's towns, and the Canaanites who would not go
C. 14–18 Too great for one lot? Then clear the forest

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Numbers 263 verses
- Numbers 26:29These were the descendants of Manasseh: The Machirite clan from Machir, the father of Gilead, and the Gileadite clan from Gilead.
- Numbers 26:33Now Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons but only daughters. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
- Numbers 26:34These were the clans of Manasseh, and their registration numbered 52,700.
- Read Numbers 26 →
Joshua 163 verses
- Joshua 16:3Then it descended westward to the border of the Japhletites as far as the border of Lower Beth-horon and on to Gezer, and it ended at the Sea.
- Joshua 16:8From Tappuah the border went westward to the Brook of Kanah and ended at the Sea. This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Ephraim,
- Joshua 16:10But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer. So the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day, but they are forced laborers.
- Read Joshua 16 →
1 Chronicles 72 verses
- 1 Chronicles 7:18These were the sons of Gilead son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. His sister Hammolecheth gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.
- 1 Chronicles 7:29And along the borders of Manasseh were Beth-shean, Taanach, Megiddo, and Dor, together with their villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns.
- Read 1 Chronicles 7 →
Numbers 272 verses
- Numbers 27:1Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. These were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. They approached
- Numbers 27:5So Moses brought their case before the LORD,
- Read Numbers 27 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Joshua 172 verses
- Joshua 17:2So this allotment was for the rest of the descendants of Manasseh—the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph.
- Joshua 17:14Then the sons of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one portion as an inheritance? We have many people, because the LORD has blessed us abundantly.”
- Read Joshua 17 →
Joshua 122 verses
- Joshua 12:17the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
- Joshua 12:23the king of Dor in Naphath-dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
- Read Joshua 12 →
Judges 12 verses
- Judges 1:19The LORD was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plains because they had chariots of iron.
- Judges 1:27At that time Manasseh failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and their villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.
- Read Judges 1 →
Genesis 482 verses
- Genesis 48:19But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”
- Genesis 48:22And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
- Read Genesis 48 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.