Joshua 17
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.
Half of the tribe of Manasseh received land on the wrong side of the Jordan. The other half of the tribe of Mannasseh received land on the west side of the Jordan.
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.
Notice that the Bible elevates the status of women, giving them equal status with men. Since Zelophehad had no sons, Joshua assigned equal land opportunities to his daughters. This was a very advanced women’s right issue for this day and time. Modern women feminists seem to ignore this verse when bashing the Bible.
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.
Joshua gave the details of Manasseh’s borders.
17:11 Within Issachar’s and Asher’s territory Manasseh was assigned Beth Shean, Ibleam, the residents of Dor, En Dor, the residents of Taanach, the residents of Megiddo, the three of Napheth, and the towns surrounding all these cities. 17:12 But the men of Manasseh were unable to conquer these cities; the Canaanites managed to remain in those areas. 17:13 Whenever the Israelites were strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.
Some of the cities in the territory of Asher were given to Manasseh so that they could keep a strong military presence in the land. However, Manasseh made the same mistake as her brother tribe. Instead of exterminating the Canaanites in the land, Manasseh forced them to pay tribute so that they could grow wealthier. This was a violation of God’s genocide policy.
17:14 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.”
The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh complained to Joshua that their territory was too small for their large populations.
17:15 Joshua replied to them, “Since you have so many people, 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.”
Joshua told them to clear the hill country and live there. This was not what the tribes of Joseph wanted to hear.
17:16 The descendants of Joseph said, “The whole hill country 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.”
The tribes of Joseph complained that the Canaanites had chariots and that they would be too powerful for them to defeat. These two tribes were not trusting in God.
17:17 Joshua said to the family of Joseph – to both Ephraim and Manasseh: “You have many people and great military strength. You will not have just one tribal allotment.
Joshua told the two tribes to combine and take the land. This command was not what these two tribes wanted to hear.
17:18 The whole hill country will be yours; though it is a forest, you can clear it and it will be entirely yours. You can conquer the Canaanites, though they have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels and are strong.”
Caleb and Joseph had different attitudes about conquering the land. Caleb had so much faith in God, that he removed giants. Joseph did not have faith in God. They thought that Canaanite chariots could not be defeated. Joseph was one of the leader tribes of Israel, but they were beginning to lose faith and show cowardice and hesitation.