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Texts -- Joshua 17:1-10 (NET)

Context
17:1 The tribe of Manasseh , Joseph’s firstborn son , was also allotted land. The descendants of Makir , Manasseh’s firstborn and the father of Gilead , received land, for they were warriors . They were assigned Gilead and Bashan . 17:2 The rest of Manasseh’s descendants were also assigned land by their clans , including the descendants of Abiezer , Helek , Asriel , Shechem , Hepher , and Shemida . These are the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans . 17:3 Now Zelophehad son of Hepher , son of Gilead , son of Makir , son of Manasseh , had no sons , only daughters . These are the names of his daughters : Mahlah , Noah , Hoglah , Milcah , and Tirzah . 17:4 They went before Eleazar the priest , Joshua son of Nun , and the leaders and said , “The Lord told Moses to assign us land among our relatives .” So Joshua assigned them land among their uncles , as the Lord had commanded . 17:5 Manasseh was allotted ten shares of land, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan , 17:6 for the daughters of Manasseh were assigned land among his sons . The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh . 17:7 The border of Manasseh went from Asher to Micmethath which is near Shechem . It then went south toward those who live in Tappuah . 17:8 (The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh , but Tappuah , located on the border of Manasseh , belonged to the tribe of Ephraim .) 17:9 The border then descended southward to the Valley of Kanah . Ephraim was assigned cities there among the cities of Manasseh , but the border of Manasseh was north of the valley and ended at the sea . 17:10 Ephraim’s territory was to the south , and Manasseh’s to the north . The sea was Manasseh’s western border and their territory touched Asher on the north and Issachar on the east .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Joshua

    [nave] JOSHUA 1. Called also Jehoshua, and Jehoshuah, and Oshea. Son of Nun, Num. 13:8; 1 Chr. 7:27. Intimately associated with Moses, Ex. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11. A religious zealot, Num. 11:28. Sent with others to view the promise...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Gibeon

    [ebd] hill-city, "one of the royal cities, greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty" (Josh. 10:2). Its inhabitants were Hivites (11:19). It lay within the territory of Benjamin, and became a priest-city (18:25; 21:17)....

  • Abiezer

    [isbe] ABIEZER - ab-i-e'-zer, a-bi-e'-zer ('abhi`ezer, "father of help," or "my father is help." Iezer, Iezerite (in the King James Version Jeezer, Jeezerite), is Abiezer with the letter beth omitted): (1) A descendant of Joseph th...
    [smith] (father of help, helpful). Eldest son of Gilead, and descendant of Manasseh. (Joshua 17:2; 1 Chronicles 7:18) (B.C. 1450.) He was the ancestor of the great judge Gideon. [GIDEON] One of David?s mighty men. (2 Samuel 23...
    [nave] ABIEZER 1. Called also Jeezer, progenitor of the Abiezrites, Num. 26:30; Josh. 17:2; Judg. 6:34; 8:2. 2. One of David's heroes, 2 Sam. 23:27; 1 Chr. 27:12.

  • Manasseh

    [smith] (forgetting), the eldest son of Joseph, (Genesis 41:51; 46:20) born 1715-10 B.C. Both he and Ephraim were born before the commencement of the famine. He was placed after his younger brother, Ephraim, by his grandfather Jacob,...
    [nave] MANASSEH 1. Son of Joseph and Asenath, Gen. 41:50, 51; 46:20; adopted by Jacob on his deathbed, Gen. 48:1, 5-20. Called Manasses, Rev. 7:6. 2. Tribe of. Descendants of Joseph. The two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, ...

  • Noah

    [ebd] rest, (Heb. Noah) the grandson of Methuselah (Gen. 5:25-29), who was for two hundred and fifty years contemporary with Adam, and the son of Lamech, who was about fifty years old at the time of Adam's death. This patriarch is...
    [smith] (motion), one of the five daughters of Zelophehad. (Numbers 26:33; 27:1; 36:11; Joshua 17:3) (B.C. 1450.)
    [nave] NOAH 1. Son of Lamech, Gen. 5:28, 29. Builds an ark and saves his family from the flood, Gen. 6:14-22; 7:8; Matt. 24:38; Luke 17:27; Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:20. Builds an altar and offers sacrifices, Gen. 8:20, 21. Receives t...

  • Zelophehad

    [isbe] ZELOPHEHAD - ze-lo'-fe-had (tslophchadh, meaning unknown): Head of a Manassite family who died without male issue (Nu 26:33; 27:1,7; 36:2,6,10,11; Josh 17:3; 1 Ch 7:15). His daughters came to Moses and Eleazar and successful...
    [smith] (first-born), son of Zepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh. (Joshua 17:3) (B.C. before 1450.) He was apparently the second son of Hepher. (1 Chronicles 7:15) Zelophehad came out of Egypt with Moses, but die...
    [nave] ZELOPHEHAD, grandson of Gilead. His daughters petition for his inheritance, Num. 27:1-11; 36; Josh. 17:3-6; 1 Chr. 7:15.

  • Machir

    [ebd] sold. (1.) Manasseh's oldest son (Josh. 17:1), or probably his only son (see 1 Chr. 7:14, 15; comp. Num. 26:29-33; Josh. 13:31). His descendants are referred to under the name of Machirites, being the offspring of Gilead (Nu...
    [smith] (sold). The eldest son, (Joshua 17:1) of the patriarch Manasseh by an Aramite or Syrian concubine. (1 Chronicles 7:14) At the time of the conquest the family of Machir had become very powerful, and a large part of the cou...
    [nave] MACHIR 1. One of the sons of Manasseh, Gen. 50:23. Father of the Machirites, Num. 26:29; 36:1. The land of Gilead allotted to, Num. 32:39, 40; Deut. 3:15; Josh. 13:31. Certain cities of Bashan given to, Josh. 13:31; 17:1....

  • Tirzah

    [isbe] TIRZAH - tur'-za (tirtsah; Thersa): (1) A royal city of the Canaanites, the king of which was slain by Joshua (12:24). It superseded Shechem as capital of the Northern Kingdom (1 Ki 14:17, etc.), and itself gave place in tur...
    [smith] (delight), youngest of the five daughters of Zelophehad. (Numbers 26:33; 27:1; 36:11; Joshua 17:3) (B.C. 1450.)
    [nave] TIRZAH 1. A daughter of Zelophehad, Num. 26:33; 36:11; Josh. 17:3. Special legislation in regard to the inheritance of, Num. 27:1-11; 36; Josh. 17:3, 4. 2. A city of Canaan. Captured by Joshua, Josh. 12:24. Becomes the re...

  • Daughter

    [nave] DAUGHTER Forbidden to be wife of her mother's husband, Lev. 20:14. Sold in concubinage, Ex. 21:7-10. Given in marriage by parents, Judg. 1:12, 13; 1 Sam. 17:25; 18:20, 21. Property rights of, Num. 27:1-11; 36; Josh. 17:3-...

  • Heir

    [nave] HEIR. Gal. 4:1, 2.Gen. 15:3; Gen. 21:10 Gal. 4:30. Gen. 25:5, 6; Lev. 25:45, 46; Num. 27:8-11; Num. 36:1-8 Josh. 17:3-6. Deut. 21:15-17; Ruth 4:1-12; Eccl. 2:18, 19 See: Inheritance; Birthright; Firstborn; Orphan; Will. Fi...

  • Women

    [nave] WOMEN Creation of, Gen. 1:27; 2:21, 22. Named, Gen. 2:23. Fall of, and curse upon, Gen. 3:1-16; 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14. Promise to, Gen. 3:15. Had separate apartments in dwellings, Gen. 24:67; 31:33; Esth. 2:9, 11. Ve...

  • Milcah

    [isbe] MILCAH - mil'-ka (milkah; Melcha): (1) Daughter of Haran, wife of Nahor, and grandmother of Rebekah (Gen 11:29; 22:20-23; 24:15,24,47). (2) Daughter of Zelophehad (Nu 26:33; 27:1; 36:11; Josh 17:3). Many recent authorities a...
    [smith] (queen or counsel). Daughter of Haran and wife of her uncle Nahor, Abraham?s brother, to whom she bore eight children. (Genesis 11:29; 22:20,23; 24:15,24,47) The fourth daughter of Zelophehad. (Numbers 26:33; 27:1; 36:11; Jo...
    [nave] MILCAH 1. Wife of Nahor and mother of Bethuel, Gen. 11:29; 22:20-23; 24:15, 24, 47. 2. Daughter of Zelophehad. Special legislation in regard to the inheritance of, Num. 26:33; 27:1-7; 36:1-12; Josh. 17:3, 4.

  • Michmethah

    [ebd] hiding-place, a town in the northern border of Ephraim and Manasseh, and not far west of Jordan (Josh. 16:6; 17:7).
    [isbe] MICHMETHAH - mik'-me-tha (ha-mikhmethah; Codex Vaticanus Hikasmon; Codex Alexandrinus Machthoth): A place named in defining the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh (Josh 16:6; 17:7). It is said to lie "before," i.e. to the Eas...
    [smith] (hiding-place), a place which formed one of the landmarks of the boundary of the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh on the western side of Jordan. (Joshua 17:7) The position of the place must be somewhere on the east of and ...
    [nave] MICHMETHAH, a city between Ephraim and Manasseh, Josh. 16:6; 17:7.

  • Mahlah

    [isbe] MAHLAH - ma'-la (machlah "sickness" or "song," etymology doubtful): (1) Eldest of Zelophehad's 5 daughters (Nu 26:33; 27:1). As Zelophehad, grandson of Manasseh, had no sons, the daughters successfully claimed their father's...
    [nave] MAHLAH One of the daughters of Zelophehad. Special legislation in regard to the inheritance of, Num. 26:33; 27:1-7; 36:1-12; Josh. 17:3, 4.

  • Kanah

    [isbe] KANAH - ka'-na (qanah, "reeds"): (1) The name of a "brook," i.e. wady, or "torrent bed," which formed part of the boundary between Ephraim and Manasseh (Josh 16:8; 17:9). The border of Ephraim went out westward from Tappuah ...
    [smith] (a place of reeds). One of the places which formed the landmarks of the boundary of Asher; apparently next to Zidon-rabbah, or "great Zidon." (Joshua 19:28) The river, a stream falling into the Mediterranean, which formed th...
    [nave] KANAH 1. A brook dividing Ephraim from Manasseh, Josh. 16:8; 17:9. 2. A town in Asher, Josh. 19:28.

  • Shechem

    [ebd] shoulder. (1.) The son of Hamor the Hivite (Gen. 33:19; 34). (2.) A descendant of Manasseh (Num. 26:31; Josh. 17:2). (3.) A city in Samaria (Gen. 33:18), called also Sichem (12:6), Sychem (Acts 7:16). It stood in the narrow ...
    [isbe] SHECHEM - she'-kem (shekhem, "shoulder"; Suchem, he Sikima, ta Sikima, etc.; the King James Version gives "Sichem" in Gen 12:6; and "Sychem" in Acts 7:16): 1. Historical: This place is first mentioned in connection with Abra...
    [nave] SHECHEM 1. Called also Sichem and Sychem, a district in the central part of the land of Canaan. Abraham dwells in, Gen. 12:6. Jacob buys a piece of ground in, and erects an altar, Gen. 33:18-20. The flocks and herds of Jac...

  • Asher

    [smith] a place which formed one boundary of the tribe of Manasseh on the south. (Joshua 17:7) Mr. Porter suggests that Teyasir may be the Asher of Manasseh. Handbook , p.348.
    [nave] ASHER 1. Son of Jacob, by Zilpah, Gen. 30:13; 35:26; 49:20; Ex. 1:4; 1 Chr. 2:2. Descendants of, Gen. 46:17; Num. 26:44-47. 2. Tribe of: Census of, by families, Num. 1:40, 41; 26:44-47; 1 Chr. 7:40; 12:36. Station of, in ...

  • Tappuah

    [ebd] apple-region. (1.) A town in the valley or lowland of Judah; formerly a royal city of the Canaanites (Josh. 12:17; 15:34). It is now called Tuffuh, about 12 miles west of Jerusalem. (2.) A town on the border of Ephraim (Josh...
    [nave] TAPPUAH 1. A city of Judah, Josh. 12:17; 15:34. 2. A city in Ephraim, Josh. 16:8; 17:8. 3. Son of Hebron, 1 Chr. 2:43.

  • Helek

    [ebd] a portion, (Josh. 17:2), descended from Manasseh.
    [isbe] HELEK - he'-lek chelekh): Son of Gilead the Manassite (Nu 26:30; Josh 17:2). Patronymic, Helekites (Nu 26:30).
    [nave] HELEK, son of Gilead, Num. 26:30; Josh. 17:2.
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • I. The conquest of the land chs. 1-12A. Preparations for entering Canaan chs. 1-21. God's charge to Joshua 1:1-92. Joshua's charge to Israel 1:10-183. The spying out of Jericho ch. 2B. Entrance into the land 3:1-5:121. Passag...
  • In one sense verses 1-9 are a preamble to the whole book. They contain the basic principles that were to guide Joshua and Israel so they could obtain all that God had promised their forefathers.1:1 The first word of the book ...
  • The writer identified 31 kings in the order in which Joshua defeated them."Many of the same names appear in the Amarna letters, thus confirming the historicity of our text."158"The description was not complete. Shechem is not...
  • Chapters 13-24 describe how Joshua divided the land and the results of that division. Many if not all the Israelite tribes did not conquer or control all the land allotted to them (15:63; 16:10; 17:12-13). The record of the a...
  • The writer may have dealt with the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh together since Jacob had given Joseph the second largest blessing after Judah (Gen. 49). Moreover half the tribe of Manasseh had already received its inheritan...
  • After the process of assigning land to the three tribes mentioned above, Israel's attention turned to relocating the tabernacle in a more central location (v. 1). God undoubtedly made the choice of Shiloh (lit. rest; cf. Deut...
  • First the two and one-half tribes east of the Jordan received their land. Then Judah, the primary recipient of Jacob's patriarchal blessing, and Joseph, the recipient of Jacob's patriarchal birthright, received their allotmen...
  • Israel's leaders completed this division of the land at Shiloh, the new location of the tabernacle."The gift of the land brought blessings not only to the nation as a whole and to the individual tribes. It also brought blessi...
  • These verses conclude the account of the division of the land proper (chs. 13-21; cf. 1:2-6; 11:23). They bind the two parts of the second half of the book together. They form a theological conclusion to the entire book up to...
  • The main part of the second half of the Book of Joshua dealing with the division of the land ends with the appointment of the Levitical cities (chs. 13-21). The rest of the book deals with settlement in the land (chs. 22-24)....
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • This is the sixth and last message that Ezekiel received from the Lord the night before the refugees reached the exiles with the message that Jerusalem had fallen (cf. 33:21-22). It too deals with God's plans for Israel in th...
  • The tribe of Dan was to receive the northernmost section of the Promised Land. The order of tribes from north to south, north of the sacred district, was Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben and Judah--seven tribal...
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