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Joshua 16:1

in Joshua 16

The allotment for the descendants of Joseph extended from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho on the east, through the wilderness that goes up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And the lot came out for the children of Joseph from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill-country to Beth-el;

KJV

And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Beth–el,

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This verse in Joshua 16

Commentary

7 notes on this verse
To the wilderness - Strike out “to,” for the word is in apposition to “lot.” The wilderness is Jos 18:12 “the wilderness of Bethaven.”

This site's exposition

The allotment for the descendants of Joseph

on Joshua 16:1-4

Joseph draws one lot for two tribes, and the description gives Ephraim his portion first and leaves Manasseh to chapter 17. Genesis 48:14 and 48:19 stand behind that order, where Jacob crossed his hands and said the younger brother would be the greater. Only the southern border is traced here.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

proposed

Children of Joseph - That is, of Ephraim, and the half tribe of Manasseh, which are here put together in one; because in these first verses he speaks of them in common; and then of their several portions.
And the lot of the children of Joseph fell,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Unless I could hope to solve the doubts that arise upon this draught of the border of Ephraim, it is to no purpose to mention them: no doubt it was then perfectly understood, so as that the first intention of recording it was effectually answered, which was to notify the ancient landmarks, which posterity must by no means remove.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

It was drawn in one lot, that the brethren might be contiguously situated; but it was afterwards divided. The southern boundary only is described here; that on the north being irregular and less defined (Jos 17:10, 11), is not mentioned. water of Jericho-- (2Ki 2:19), at the joint of its junction with the Jordan. mount Beth-el--the ridge south of Beth-el.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

The children of Joseph - Ephraim and Manasseh, and their descendants. The limits of the tribe of Ephraim extended along the borders of Benjamin and Dan, from Jordan on the east to the Mediterranean on the west.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

The lot for the descendants of Yoseif came out at the northern border which marked the end of Yehoshua’s conquest. There, the lot fell for them, as stated below, “And the house of Yoseif will remain in their boundary on the north.” 1 See chapter:5.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Joshua 16:1:1, via Sefaria, The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

15 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיֵּצֵ֨אand it went out

    vaiyetze'H3318 →1067 times

  • הַגּוֹרָ֜לthe lot

    hagoralH1486 →78 times

  • לִבְנֵ֤יof [the] descendants of

    livneiH1121 →4930 times

  • יוֹסֵף֙Joseph

    yosefH3130 →213 times

  • מִיַּרְדֵּ֣ןfrom [the] Jordan

    miyardenH3383 →182 times

  • יְרִיח֔וֹof Jericho

    yerichoH3405 →57 times

  • לְמֵ֥יto [the] waters of

    lemeiH4325 →581 times

  • יְרִיח֖וֹJericho

    yerichoH3405 →57 times

  • מִזְרָ֑חָהeast -ward

    mizrachahH4217 →74 times

  • הַמִּדְבָּ֗רthe wilderness

    hamidbarH4057 →270 times

  • עֹלֶ֧הgoing up

    ʾolehH5927 →890 times

  • מִירִיח֛וֹfrom Jericho

    mirichoH3405 →57 times

  • בָּהָ֖רin the hill country

    baharH2022 →546 times

  • בֵּֽית־Beth-

    beit-H1008 →142 times

  • אֵֽל׃-el

    ʾelH1008 →142 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

4 in all, six open

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Joshua 8:15

    Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.

    it leads to

    • Joshua 18:12

      On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.

    • Judges 20:36

      Then the Benjamites realized they had been defeated. Now the men of Israel had retreated before Benjamin because they were relying on the ambush they had set against Gibeah.

  • Through

    Joshua 18:12

    On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.

    it leads to

    • Joshua 7:2

      Meanwhile, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied…

    • Joshua 6:1

      Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

    • Joshua 2:1

      Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

    • Hosea 10:5

      The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn with its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced in its glory— for it has been taken from them into…

    • Hosea 4:15

      Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’

  • Through

    Joshua 15:61

    These were in the wilderness:

    it leads to

    • Joshua 15:6

      The northern border started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan, went up to Beth-hoglah, proceeded north of Beth-arabah, and went up to the Stone of Bohan son of…

Where this verse is studied

About Joshua

Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon, John Martin, 1816, National Gallery of Art. Public domain.
Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon, John Martin, 1816, National Gallery of Art. Public domain.
Joshua: the study guide →Read Joshua 16 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Joshua 16 →