Joshua 17

Modern

Literal

Manasseh’s Western Inheritance

¹Now 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.

¹And there was a lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, and were given to him Gilead and Bashan.

²So this allotment was for the rest of the descendants of Manasseh—the clans of Abiezer,^a Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph.

²And there was for the remaining sons of Manasseh—for their clans, for the sons of Abiezer, and the sons of Helek, and the sons of Asriel, and the sons of Shechem, and the sons of Hepher, and the sons of Shemida; these were the sons of Manasseh son of Joseph, males by their clans.

³But 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.

³And Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had unto him no sons, but only daughters. And these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

⁴They 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.

⁴And they came near before the face of Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua son of Nun, and before the rulers, saying, “YHWH commanded Moses to give to us an inheritance in the midst of our brothers.” And he gave to them according to the commandment of YHWH an inheritance in the midst of the brothers of their father.

⁵Thus ten shares fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan beyond the Jordan,

⁵And ten portions fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan that was on the other side of the Jordan,

⁶because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. And the land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.

⁶because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance in the midst of his sons. And the land of Gilead was for the rest of the sons of Manasseh.

⁷Now the border of Manasseh went from Asher to Michmethath near Shechem, then southward to include the inhabitants of En-tappuah.

⁷And the territory of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is on the face of Shechem, and the border went along on the south to those dwelling in En-tappuah.

⁸The region of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah itself, on the border of Manasseh, belonged to Ephraim.

⁸To Manasseh was the land of Tappuah, and Tappuah on the border of Manasseh was to the sons of Ephraim.

⁹From 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.^a

⁹And the border descended to the Brook of Kanah, southward to the brook; these cities of Ephraim are in the midst of the cities of Manasseh. And the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and its outgoing was at the sea.

¹⁰Ephraim’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.

¹⁰Southward was to Ephraim, and northward to Manasseh, and the sea was its border, and in Asher it met on the north, and in Issachar on the east.

¹¹Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphath), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements.

¹¹And to Manasseh was in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and its daughters, and Ibleam and its daughters, and those dwelling in Dor and its daughters, and those dwelling in Endor and its daughters, and those dwelling in Taanach and its daughters, and those dwelling in Megiddo and its daughters (the third is Naphath).

¹²But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these cities, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land.

¹²And the sons of Manasseh could not occupy these cities, and the Canaanite was determined to dwell in this land.

¹³However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they put the Canaanites to forced labor; but they failed to drive them out completely.

¹³And it came to pass, when the sons of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanite to forced labor; and they did not dispossess him completely.

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.”

¹⁴And the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given to me an inheritance of one lot and one portion, when I am a numerous people, forasmuch as that until now YHWH has blessed us?”

¹⁵Joshua 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.”

¹⁵And Joshua answered to them, “If you are a great people, then go up to the forest and create for yourself there in the land of the Perizzite and the Rephaim, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you.”

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.”

¹⁶And the sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and a chariot of iron is with every Canaanite who is dwelling in the land of the valley who are of Beth-shean and its daughters, and who are of the Valley of Jezreel.”

¹⁷So 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,

¹⁷And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, saying, “You are a great people, and great power is unto you. Not just one lot shall be unto you.

¹⁸because 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.”

¹⁸But the hill country shall be unto you, because it is wooded. And you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be unto you, for you shall drive out the Canaanite, though a chariot of iron is unto him, and though he is strong.”