Joshua 17

Jos 17:1 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.

A lot for the tribe of Manasseh - as the “first-born,” was to receive not only the territory on the east of Jordan won by the valor of the Machirites, but also a portion with the other tribes on the west of Jordan, the holy land of promise strictly so called. Thus, though Ephraim took precedence of Manasseh, according to the prediction of Joseph Gen_48:20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In you shall Israel bless, saying, God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh. And he put Ephraim before Manasseh, yet Manasseh received “the double portion” which was the special privilege of the first-born Deu_21:17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated as the first-born by giving him a double portion of all that he has. For he is the beginning of his strength. The right of the first-born is his.

There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh - It was necessary to mark this because Jacob, in his blessing, (Gen_48:19, Gen_48:20), did in a certain sense set Ephraim before Manasseh, though the latter was the first-born; but the place here shows that this preference did not affect the rights of primogeniture.

For Machir - It is not likely that Machir himself was now alive; if he were, he must have been nearly 200 years old: It is therefore probable that what is spoken here is spoken of his children, who now possessed the lot that was originally designed for their father, who it appears had signalized himself as a man of skill and valor in some of the former wars, though the circumstances are not marked. His descendants, being of a warlike, intrepid spirit, were well qualified to defend a frontier country, which would be naturally exposed to invasion.

Gilead and Bashan - Part of these countries; for part of them was also given to the Reubenites, and part to the Gadites. This may be added as a reason, either, why he got those places from the Amorites: or why they were allotted to him or his posterity, because this was a frontier country, and the out - works to the land of Canaan, and therefore required valiant persons to defend it.

the father of Gilead--Though he had a son of that name Num_27:1 And the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh, the son of Joseph came. And these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah, yet, as is evident from the use of the Hebrew article, reference is made, not to the person, but the province of Gilead. "Father" here means lord or possessor of Gilead. This view is confirmed by the fact that it was not Machir, but his descendants, who subdued Gilead and Bashan Num_32:40-41 And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he lived in it. And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns of it, and called them Havoth-jair. Deu_3:13-15 And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half tribe of Manasseh, all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants. Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites. And he called them after his own name, Bashan (Towns of Jair) to this day. And I gave Gilead to Machir. These Machirites had their portion on the east side of Jordan. The western portion of land, allotted to the tribe of Manasseh, was divided into ten portions because the male descendants who had sons consisted of five families, to which, consequently, five shares were given; and the sixth family, namely, the posterity of Hepher, being all women, the five daughters of Zelophehad were, on application to the valuators, endowed each with an inheritance in land Num_27:4 Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he has no son? Therefore give us a possession among the brothers of our father. The inheritance of Manasseh on this side of the Jordan was on the north of Ephraim.

Jos 17:2 There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for the children of Abiezer, 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 by their families.

For the rest - for those who were not settled on the east of Jordan.

The rest of the children of Manasseh - That is, his grandchildren; for it is contended that Manasseh had no other son than Machir; and these were very probably the children of Gilead, the son of Machir. Hence the families of the Jeezerites, Helekites, Asrielites, Shechemites, Hepherites, and Shemidaites, mentioned in Num_26:29-34.

for the children of Abiezer - who is called Jeezer in Num_26:30; and was a son of Gilead, the son of Machir.

These were the male children - This expression is used to bring in what follows, concerning his female children, which is observed for the sake of, otherwise none but males inherited; the following is an excepted and remarkable case.

Jos 17:3 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.

left no son; but he had five daughters - whose names are given in Jos_17:3 (as in Num_26:33; Num_27:1; Num_36:10). These daughters had petitioned Moses for a separate portion in the promised land, and their request had been granted (Num_27:2., compared with Josh 36). They therefore came before the committee appointed for dividing the land and repeated this promised, which as at once fulfilled. Consequently there were ten families of Manasseh who had received portions by the side of Ephraim, five male and five female.

Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh - The descent of this man is particularly given, to show the truth and reality of it, upon which his daughters made their request, and that granted and now claimed:

Jos 17:4 And they came near 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 brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.

the Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance - for upon their application to Moses he inquired of the Lord, who ordered him to grant their request, Num_27:6-7 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. You shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brothers. And you shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.

Jos 17:5 And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan;

Ten portions - As there were six sons and five daughters, among whom this division was to be made, there should be eleven portions, but Zelophehad, son of Hepher, having left five daughters in his place, neither he nor Hepher is reckoned. The lot of Manasseh therefore was divided into ten parts; five for the five families descended from the male children of Gilead, and five others for the five daughters of Zelophehad, who represented the sixth family, the Hepherites.

There fell ten portions to Manasseh - The Hebrew word chabley, which we translate portions, signifies literally cords or cables, and intimates that by means of a cord, cable, or what we call a chain, the land was divided.

Jos 17:6 Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.

Jos 17:7 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 Entappuah.

Asher - Not the tribe but a city of the tribe of Manasseh.

to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem - the same place mentioned in the description of the border of Ephraim; Jos_16:6,

unto the inhabitants of Entappuah – it seems to be so called from a fountain in it, or near it, as well as from a multitude of apples growing there, and with which perhaps the country abounded, of which in Jos_17:8.

Shechem - founded by the Hivite prince Shechem Gen_33:18 And Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram. And he pitched his tent in front of the city and is frequently mentioned in the book of Genesis. It was there that the ten tribes effected their separation from Judah 1Ki_12:1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem. For all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king and Jeroboam resided there 1Ki_12:25 And Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim and lived in it, and went out from there and built Penuel. In later times it was the chief city of the country of Samaria, and the capital of the Samaritans Joh_4:5 Then He came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

Jos 17:8 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim;

Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim – it was one of those separate cities they had among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh; though it seems they had only the city, not the territory adjacent to it, and which was named from it.

Jos 17:9 And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:

Unto the river Kanah - Literally, the river or valley of the reeds. The tribe of Manasseh appears to have been bounded on the north by this torrent or valley, and on the south by the Mediterranean Sea.

these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh - that is, the cities before mentioned, Asher, Michmethah, Entappuah, and Tappuah; though they were in the tribe of Manasseh, yet they were inhabited by the Ephraimites:

Jos 17:10 Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh's, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.

They met together in Asher on the north - The tribe of Asher extended from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Carmel, Jos_19:26, and the tribe of Manasseh extended to Dor and her towns, which were in the vicinity of Carmel; and thus it appears that these two tribes formed a junction at the Mediterranean Sea. This may serve to remove the difficulties in this verse; but still it does appear that in several cases the tribes were intermingled; for Manasseh had several towns, both in Issachar and in Asher, see Jos_17:11. In like manner, Judah had towns in Dan and Simeon; and Simeon had towns in Judah; and what is spoken of the boundaries of the tribes, may be sometimes understood of those towns which certain tribes had within the limits of others. For, in several cases, towns seem to be interchanged, or purchased, by mutual consent, so that in some instances the possessions were intermingled, without any confusion of the tribes or families.

Jos 17:11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.

Beth-shean - Perhaps Beth-shean (in Issachar) and the other five towns (in Asher) were given to the Manassites in compensation for towns in the Manassite territory allotted to the Ephraimites. (See Jos_17:9. Compare Jos_21:9.) To the wall of Beth-shean, or Bethshah (“Beisan,” about 5 miles west of the Jordan), the bodies of Saul and his sons were fastened by the Philistines after the battle on Mount Gilboa. "Beth-shean" means "house of rest," so called from its being the halting place for caravans travelling between Syria or Midian, and Egypt, and the great station for the commerce between these countries for many centuries.

Beth-shean - Called afterwards Scythopolis; the city of the Scythians or Cuthites, those who were sent into the different Samaritan cities by the kings of Assyria. Called Scythopolis by Josephus; perhaps from Succoth, a place where Jacob resided, and which was not far from it, Gen_33:17. It was one of the cities of Decapolis, from whence our Lord had hearers, Mat_4:25.

Ibleam - a Levitical town. Near this place Ahaziah was mortally wounded by Jehu (2Ki_9:27), and fled to Megiddo, which was no doubt not far distant.

and Ibleam and her towns - it seems to be the same with Bileam, by a transposition of the two first letters, 1Ch_6:70 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh: Aner with its open lands, and Bileam with its open lands, for the family of the rest of the sons of Kohath; and was a place not far from Megiddo, after mentioned, as appears from 2Ki_9:27 And when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw, he fled by the way of the garden-house. And Jehu followed after him and said, Strike him also in the chariot, at the going up to Gur, that is near Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.

Three countries - Rather “the three hills.” The district belonging to the last-mentioned three towns had a common name, derived no doubt from its natural features, and was called “the three hills.”

even three countries - the three last cities, with their towns, that are mentioned, Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo; all which perhaps belonged to Dor.

Dor - On the Mediterranean Sea. This had been a royal city.

Inhabitants of Dor - Not the places only, but the people; whom they spared and used for servants.

En-dor - The well or fountain of Dor, the place where Saul went to consult the witch; 1Sa_28:7 And Saul said to his servants, Seek me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servant said to him, Behold, there is a woman who is a medium, at Endor.

Taanach - this had been a royal city;

Megiddo - this was another royal city mentioned with the Taanach; These were near to each other, and they are generally mentioned in Scripture together. They were both royal and strongly fortified places (see on Jdg_1:27).

Jos 17:12 Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

Could not drive out - Mentioned in Jos_17:11; they had not strength at first to do it, or either were negligent and slothful, and suffered them to dwell among them, and did not take the advantage they might have done; and afterwards it was too late, they became too strong and numerous for them, at least for a time: Perhaps a mistaken humanity, arising from a disregard or forgetfulness of the divine command, and a decreasing principle of faith and zeal in the service of God, were the causes of their failure.

Could not drive out - The Manassites were unable to exterminate the Canaanites from these six towns, and the districts round; but when they grew stronger, they made them tributary slaves (Jos_16:10).

Jos 17:13 Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.

when the children of Israel were waxed strong - Increased in numbers, and became superior to the Canaanites, not only those of the tribe of Manasseh, but of the other tribes also:

that they put the Canaanites to tribute - they did not take away their lives, as they were commanded to do, but made them tributaries to them, which seems to arise from a covetous disposition, and done for the sake of gain: therefore broke the commandment of God, Deu_7:1-5 When the LORD your God shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you, and the LORD your God shall deliver them before you, you shall crush them, completely destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to his son, nor shall you take his daughter to your son. For they will turn away your son from following Me, so that they may serve other gods. So the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you and will destroy you suddenly. But you shall deal with them in this way: you shall destroy their altars and break down their images, and cut down their groves and burn their graven images with fire.

Jos 17:14 And 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 blessed me hitherto?

Seeing I am a great people - There was no real ground for this complaint. The assertion can hardly have been warranted by facts, for at the census Num. 26 the two tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim together were not greatly more numerous than the single tribe of Judah; and now that half the Manassites were provided for on the eastern side of Jordan, the remaining children of Joseph could hardly be stronger than the Danites or the Issacharites. The children of Joseph seem therefore to exhibit here that arrogant and jealous spirit which elsewhere characterises their conduct (Jdg_8:1; Jdg_12:1; 2Sa_19:41; 2Ch_28:7 etc.). A glance at the map shows that their complaint was in itself unreasonable. Their territory, which measured about 55 miles by 70 miles, was at least as large in proportion to their numbers as that of any other tribe, and moreover comprehended some of the most fertile of the whole promised land.

Seeing I am a great people - The two tribes join in laying a complaint before the leader, as to the narrow boundaries of their allotment and its insufficiency to be the residence of tribes so vastly increased. Now it might have been expected by them, that as Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim, that he would have favored their cause on that account, and that they should have obtained the grant of an addition by that means; but Joshua was impartial in his administration, and showed no favor and affection on that score, as appears by what follows. Joshua's answer was full of wisdom as well as patriotism. Knowing their character, he treated them accordingly, and sarcastically turned all their arguments against themselves. Thus he rebuked their unbelief and cowardice.

Children of Joseph - That is, of Ephraim and Manasseh.

Jos 17:15 And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.

and cut down for thyself there - cut down the trees of the wood, clear the ground of them, and so make it habitable, and by that means enlarge the places of their habitation:

If thou be a great people - Joshua takes them at their own word; Joshua would not reverse the decision of the lot; but as there was much woodland country, he gave them permission to clear away as much of it as they found necessary to extend themselves as far as they pleased. Joshua was himself of the tribe of Ephraim, but far from supporting the demands of his kinsmen he reproves them, and calls upon them to make good their great words by corresponding deeds of valor. He bids them clear the country of its woods and thus make room for settling their people.

The Perizzites - Supposed to be a savage and brutish kind of people, that lived in woods and mountains.

Giants - Who lived in caves and mountains, now especially when they were driven out of their cities.

Jos 17:16 And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

Chariots of iron - not scythe chariots, for these were introduced by Cyrus, and were unknown to the Medes, Persians, and Arabians, and all the early Asiatics before his time, as well as to the ancient Egyptians; they were simply chariots tipped with iron, just as the Egyptian war-chariots, Exo_14:7, were made of wood and strengthened with metal nails and tips.

both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel - both which belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, or were on the borders of it, though as yet they had not got possession, Jos_17:11.

Jos 17:17 And 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:

Thou shalt not have one lot only - i. e. The “but” with which the King James Version begins Jos_17:18 should be “for.”

thou art a great people - were very numerous, and so able to contend with the Canaanites, and make themselves more room: by dispossessing the Canaanites, relying on the providence of God, through his blessing on their endeavors, they shall double the portion of land at their disposal.

Jos 17:18 But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong - be not afraid of their chariots, though terrible, nor of their giants and mighty men, God will be on your side, and you have nothing to fear from them.