Discovery BoxJoshua 16:1-10
Context16:1 The land allotted to Joseph’s descendants extended from the Jordan at Jericho 1 to the waters of Jericho to the east, through the desert and on up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel. 2 16:2 The southern border 3 extended from Bethel to Luz, 4 and crossed to Arkite territory at Ataroth. 16:3 It then descended westward to Japhletite territory, as far as the territory of lower Beth Horon and Gezer, and ended at the sea.
16:4 Joseph’s descendants, Manasseh and Ephraim, were assigned their land. 5 16:5 The territory of the tribe of Ephraim by its clans included the following: 6 The border of their assigned land to the east was Ataroth Addar as far as upper Beth Horon. 16:6 It then extended on to the sea, with Micmethath on the north. It turned eastward to Taanath Shiloh and crossed it on the east to Janoah. 16:7 It then descended from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho, 7 and extended to the Jordan River. 8 16:8 From Tappuah it went westward to the Valley of Kanah and ended at the sea. This is the land assigned to the tribe of Ephraim 9 by its clans. 16:9 Also included were the cities set apart for the tribe of Ephraim within Manasseh’s territory, along with their towns. 10
16:10 The Ephraimites 11 did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites live among the Ephraimites to this very day and do hard labor as their servants.
Joshua 17:8-10
Context17:8 (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, 12 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 13 western border and their territory 14 touched Asher on the north and Issachar on the east.
Joshua 17:14-18
Context17:14 The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you assigned us only one tribal allotment? After all, we have many people, for until now the Lord has enabled us to increase in number.” 15 17:15 Joshua replied to them, “Since you have so many people, 16 go up into the forest and clear out a place to live in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites, for the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you.” 17:16 The descendants of Joseph said, “The whole hill country 17 is inadequate for us, and the Canaanites living down in the valley in Beth Shean and its surrounding towns and in the Valley of Jezreel have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels.” 18 17:17 Joshua said to the family 19 of Joseph – to both Ephraim and Manasseh: “You have many people and great military strength. You will not have just one tribal allotment. 17:18 The whole hill country 20 will be yours; though it is a forest, you can clear it and it will be entirely yours. 21 You can conquer the Canaanites, though they have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels and are strong.”
[16:1] 1 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[16:1] 2 tn Heb “The lot went out to the sons of Joseph from the Jordan [at] Jericho to the waters of Jericho to the east, the desert going up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel.”
[16:2] 3 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the southern border) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[16:2] 4 tn In the Hebrew text the place name “Luz” has the directive ending, indicating that the border went from Bethel to Luz. Elsewhere Luz and Bethel appear to be names for the same site (cf. Judg 1:23), but here they appear to be distinct. Note that the NIV translates “from Bethel (that is, Luz)” here, following the reading of the LXX, εἰς Βαιθηλ Λουζα (eis Baiqhl Louza, “from Bethel [Luz]”).
[16:4] 5 tn Or “received their inheritance.”
[16:5] 6 tn Heb “The territory of the sons of Ephraim was for their clans.”
[16:7] 7 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[16:7] 8 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[16:8] 9 tn Heb “This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim.”
[16:9] 10 tn Heb “and the cities set apart for the sons of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh, all the cities and their towns.”
[16:10] 11 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Ephraimites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:9] 12 tn Heb “these cities belonged to Ephraim in the midst of the cities of Manasseh.”
[17:10] 13 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Manasseh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:10] 14 tn Heb “they”; the referent (their territory) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:14] 15 tn Heb “Why have you given me as an inheritance one lot and one portion, though I am a great people until [the time] which, until now the
[17:15] 16 tn Heb “If you are a great people.”
[17:16] 17 tn The Hebrew text has simply “the hill country,” which must here include the hill country of Ephraim and the forest regions mentioned in v. 15.
[17:16] 18 tn Heb “and there are iron chariots among all the Canaanites who live in the land of the valley, to those who are in Beth Shean and its daughters and to those who are in the Valley of Jezreel.” Regarding the translation “chariots with iron-rimmed wheels” see Y. Yadin, The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands, 255 and R. Drews, “The ‘Chariots of Iron’ of Joshua and Judges,” JSOT 45 (1989): 15-23.
[17:18] 20 tn The Hebrew text has simply “the hill country,” which must here include the hill country of Ephraim and the forest regions mentioned in v. 15.
