Joshua 17
Joshua 17:1 – The Inheritance of Joseph's Children This section explains how the land was given to the tribe of Manasseh, which was one half of the tribe of Joseph. Manasseh’s tribe was divided into two groups: one group lived east of the Jordan River and the other west of the Jordan, in Canaan. The families of Manasseh were further divided, and special attention is given to the daughters of Zelophehad, who received their own inheritance because their father had no sons. This passage highlights how inheritances were distributed fairly, even to daughters, when they claimed it according to God’s command.v. 1: The group of Manasseh descended from Machir, his oldest son, settled east of the Jordan River. Machir was born in Egypt and was known as a warrior, probably taking part in battles with the men of Gath (1 Chronicles 7:21 a). Because of their strength, Moses gave Machir’s family the land of Gilead and Bashan (Joshua 13:31 b). The verse says the lot came to Manasseh because he was Joseph’s firstborn. Some believe it means that even though Manasseh was the firstborn, Ephraim was chosen before him (see Genesis 48:19 c). The main families who settled east of the Jordan are listed in 1 Chronicles 5:24 d. v. 2: The west side of Manasseh’s tribe was divided among ten families. Six sons of Gilead are named here, just as they are in Numbers 26:30-32 e, but Jezeer is called Abiezer here. Five sons received their own land. v. 3: Hepher, one of the sons, did not have any sons to inherit his land—only daughters. These daughters were the children of Zelophehad. v. 4: The daughters of Zelophehad went to Joshua and asked for land, as God had commanded Moses to give them an inheritance among their father’s relatives. Earlier, they had pleaded with Moses for their rights and received a promise from God (Numbers 27:1-7 f). Now, they made sure to ask Joshua for what was promised, instead of waiting for their husbands to do it. Joshua obeyed God’s command and gave them land among their father’s brothers, showing that inheritance laws were followed and respected. v. 5: The land for Manasseh west of the Jordan was divided into ten shares, including the portions for the daughters of Zelophehad. This arrangement made sure everyone received their share as God had commanded.General Note: These women were rewarded for their faith and carefulness. Because they took steps to secure their inheritance, they received what was promised. This shows that those who make sure of their place with God will enjoy the blessings in the future, while those who do not care will miss out (Numbers 36:12 g). – Joshua 17:7 – The Borders and Cities of Manasseh This passage gives a short summary of the land given to the half-tribe of Manasseh on the west side of the Jordan. Their land stretched from the Jordan River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. To the south, Manasseh’s land was next to Ephraim. To the north, it bordered the tribes of Asher and Issachar. The tribes of Joseph, which are Ephraim and Manasseh, had land that touched Asher on the northwest and Issachar on the northeast (v. 10 h). This section also notes how the tribes often had cities and land mixed together, and that both Manasseh and Ephraim failed to remove the Canaanites completely from their land. v. 8: The city of Tappuah officially belonged to Ephraim, but the land around it was part of Manasseh’s territory. This shows that the two tribes were closely connected, and their lands were mixed in some places. v. 9: Some cities that were counted as part of Ephraim were actually inside the borders of Manasseh (ch. xvi. 9 i). This happened in several places and helped keep the two tribes connected. v. 10: Manasseh’s land touched Asher to the northwest and Issachar to the northeast. Ephraim’s land did not reach these tribes, but together, the tribes of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) met Asher and Issachar at their borders. v. 11: Manasseh also had cities and villages within the territories of Issachar and Asher. God arranged it this way so that the tribes would be mixed together in some areas. This helped the Israelites stay connected, work together, and remember that even though they were from different tribes, they were all part of one nation and should love one another as brothers. v. 12-13: Manasseh did not drive out the Canaanites from their land as God had commanded. Instead, they let the Canaanites stay and made them pay tribute (ch. xvi. 10 j). Ephraim had done the same before, and Manasseh probably copied their example and tried to excuse their actions. However, this was not what God wanted and would bring problems later.General Note: One of the most famous leaders from this tribe was Gideon. He was from the family of Abiezer, which belonged to Manasseh. Important places in this area included Cesarea and Antipatris, which became well-known in later Jewish history. – Joshua 17:14 – The Complaint of Joseph’s Children This passage describes how the tribes of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) were not satisfied with the land given to them. They felt their portion was too small for their large population, and they also worried about the strong Canaanites who still lived in parts of their land. Even though Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim, he showed fairness and did not give special treatment to his own tribe. Instead, he encouraged them to make the best use of what they had and trust God to help them overcome the Canaanites.v. 14: The people of Joseph complained that their land was not enough because they were a great and blessed people. They seemed to expect Joshua to give them extra land, maybe because he was from their tribe. But Joshua did not show them any special favor. He reminded them that their lot was enough for them, as much as they could handle. He set an example of being fair and impartial, which is important for anyone in leadership (Jude 16 k). v. 15: Joshua told them that if their land seemed too small, they should go up into the forests in their own territory, clear the trees, and make more space for themselves. He encouraged them to work hard and use what they already had instead of complaining. Many people want more blessings, but do not use the opportunities they already have. Joshua’s answer was practical: improve your own land and you will have enough. v. 16: The people answered that much of the land was still controlled by the Canaanites, who had iron chariots, making them seem impossible to defeat. They wanted land that was already safe and easy to take, not land that required hard work and fighting. They thought their lot was not good enough because of the strong enemies that lived there (v. 16 l). v. 17-18: Joshua replied that since they were a great people, they should use their strength to clear the forests and fight the Canaanites. He told them not to fear, because if they worked hard and trusted God, they would be able to drive out the Canaanites, even if they had iron chariots. Joshua reminded them that faith and determination could overcome any obstacle (v. 17, 18 m).
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