English · ASV

Joshua 16

Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

The Inheritance of the Children of Joseph 1–4

1
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; ​
2
and it went out from Beth-el to Luz, and passed along unto the border of the Archites to Ataroth; ​
3
and it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, unto the border of Beth-horon the nether, even unto Gezer; and the goings out thereof were at the sea.
4
And the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance. ​

Boundaries of the Tribe of Ephraim 5–10

5
And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: the border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth-addar, unto Beth-horon the upper; ​
6
and the border went out westward at Michmethath on the north; and the border turned about eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and passed along it on the east of Janoah;
7
and it went down from Janoah to Ataroth, and to Naarah, and reached unto Jericho, and went out at the Jordan.
8
From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families;
9
together with the cities which were set apart for the children of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages. ​
10
And they drove not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim unto this day, and are become servants to do taskwork. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Joshua 16

Verse 1

the lot of the children of Joseph — The lot (goral) settled which portion each tribe received. Ephraim and Manasseh draw it together here, and later tell Joshua, 'Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit' (Josh 17:14). The line starts at the Jordan by Jericho and climbs through the wilderness to Bethel.

Verse 2

Bethel to Luz — Luz was the city's first name: 'the name of that city was called Luz at the first' (Gen 28:19), before Jacob named the place Bethel, 'the house of God' (Gen 28:17). Joshua 18:13 says plainly, 'Luz, which is Bethel', so the border passes the one town under both names.

Verse 4

Manasseh and Ephraim — Jacob had made Joseph's two sons his own: 'Ephraim and Manasseh… are mine; as Reuben and Simeon' (Gen 48:5). Joseph thus ranks as two tribes, and Reuben's forfeited birthright 'was given unto the sons of Joseph' (1 Chr 5:1). The 'inheritance' is nachal, a possession passed on by lot.

Verse 5

the border of the children of Ephraim — Ephraim's boundary is given first and at length (vv.5–8), though Manasseh was the elder. Jacob had said of Manasseh's younger brother that he 'shall be greater than he' and 'set Ephraim before Manasseh' (Gen 48:19–20). Manasseh's portion follows in Joshua 17.

Verse 9

separate cities — Ephraim held towns inside Manasseh's allotment: 'these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh' (Josh 17:9), among them Tappuah, which 'belonged to the children of Ephraim' though the land around it was Manasseh's (Josh 17:8). Brothers' portions overlapped.

Verse 10

drave not out the Canaanites — 'Drave out' is yarash, to dispossess, the word of the command to 'drive out all the inhabitants of the land' (Num 33:52). Ephraim let them stay and 'serve under tribute' (mas); the same is said of Manasseh (Josh 17:13), and Judg 1:29 records it again. Gezer was later taken by Pharaoh and given to Solomon's wife (1 Kgs 9:16).