Joshua 17:1

17:1 The tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn son, was also allotted land. ¹  The descendants of Makir, Manasseh’s firstborn and the father of Gilead, received land, for they were warriors. ²  They were assigned Gilead and Bashan. ³ 

Joshua 6:26

6:26 At that time Joshua made this solemn declaration: ⁴  “The man who attempts to rebuild ⁵  this city of Jericho ⁶  will stand condemned before the Lord. ⁷  He will lose his firstborn son when he lays its foundations and his youngest son when he erects its gates!” ⁸ 

[17:1]  ¹ tn Heb “and the lot belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph.”

[17:1]  ² tn Heb “to Makir, the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, for he was a man of war.”

[17:1]  ³ tn Heb “Gilead and Bashan belonged to him.”

[6:26]  ⁴ tn Normally the Hiphil of שָׁבַע (shava’) has a causative sense (“make [someone] take an oath”; see Josh 2:17, 20), but here (see also Josh 23:7) no object is stated or implied. If Joshua is calling divine judgment down upon the one who attempts to rebuild Jericho, then “make a solemn appeal [to God as judge]” or “pronounce a curse” would be an appropriate translation. However, the tone seems stronger. Joshua appears to be announcing the certain punishment of the violator. 1 Kgs 16:34, which records the fulfillment of Joshua’s prediction, supports this. Casting Joshua in a prophetic role, it refers to Joshua’s statement as the “word of the Lord” spoken through Joshua.

[6:26]  ⁵ tn Heb “rises up and builds.”

[6:26]  ⁶ tc The LXX omits “Jericho.” It is probably a scribal addition.

[6:26]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew phrase אָרוּר לִפְנֵי יְהוָה (’arur lifney yÿhvah, “cursed [i.e., condemned] before the Lord”) also occurs in 1 Sam 26:19.

[6:26]  ⁸ tn Heb “With his firstborn he will lay its foundations and with his youngest he will erect its gates.” The Hebrew verb יַצִּיב (yatsiv, “he will erect”) is imperfect, not jussive, suggesting Joshua’s statement is a prediction, not an imprecation.