Joshua 17

The Land Given to West Manasseh

17The next allotment of land was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph's older son. Makir, the firstborn son of Manasseh, was the father of Gilead. Because his descendants were experienced soldiers, the regions of Gilead and Bashan on the east side of the Jordan had already been given to them.H1486H4294H4519H1060H3130H4353H1060H4519H1H1568H376H4421H1568H13162So the allotment on the west side of the Jordan was for the remaining families within the clans of the tribe of Manasseh: Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These clans represent the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph.H3498H1121H4519H4940H1121H44H1121H2507H1121H844H1121H7928H1121H2660H1121H8061H2145H1121H4519H1121H3130H49403However, Zelophehad, a descendant of Hepher son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons. He had only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.H6765H1121H2660H1121H1568H1121H4353H1121H4519H1121H1323H8034H1323H4244H5270H2295H4435H86564These women came to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite leaders and said, "The LORD commanded Moses to give us a grant of land along with the men of our tribe." So Joshua gave them a grant of land along with their uncles, as the LORD had commanded.H7126H6440H499H3548H6440H3091H1121H5126H6440H5387H559H3068H6680H4872H5414H5159H8432H251H6310H3068H5414H5159H8432H251H15As a result, Manasseh's total allocation came to ten parcels of land, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan across the Jordan River,H5307H6235H2256H4519H776H1568H1316H5676H33836because the female descendants of Manasseh received a grant of land along with the male descendants. (The land of Gilead was given to the rest of the male descendants of Manasseh.)H1323H4519H5157H5159H8432H1121H3498H4519H1121H776H15687The boundary of the tribe of Manasseh extended from the border of Asher to Micmethath, near Shechem. Then the boundary went south from Micmethath to the settlement near the spring of Tappuah.H1366H4519H836H4366H6440H7927H1366H1980H3225H3427H58878The land surrounding Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah itself, on the border of Manasseh's territory, belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.H4519H776H8599H8599H1366H4519H1121H6699From the spring of Tappuah, the boundary of Manasseh followed the Kanah Ravine to the Mediterranean Sea

. Several towns south of the ravine were inside Manasseh's territory, but they actually belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.H1366H3381H5158H7071H5045H5158H5892H669H8432H5892H4519H1366H4519H6828H5158H8444H322010In general, however, the land south of the ravine belonged to Ephraim, and the land north of the ravine belonged to Manasseh. Manasseh's boundary ran along the northern side of the ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. North of Manasseh was the territory of Asher, and to the east was the territory of Issachar.H5045H669H6828H4519H3220H1366H6293H836H6828H3485H421711The following towns within the territory of Issachar and Asher, however, were given to Manasseh: Beth-shan

, Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphoth-dor), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements.H4519H3485H836H1052H1323H2991H1323H3427H1756H1323H3427H5874H1323H3427H8590H1323H3427H4023H1323H7969H531612But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these towns. They could not drive out the Canaanites who continued to live there.H1121H4519H3201H3423H5892H3669H2974H3427H77613Later, however, when the Israelites became strong enough, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves. But they did not drive them out of the land.H1121H3478H2388H5414H3669H4522H3423H342314The descendants of Joseph came to Joshua and asked, "Why have you given us only one portion of land as our homeland when the LORD has blessed us with so many people?"H1121H3130H1696H3091H559H5414H259H1486H259H2256H5159H7227H5971H5704H3068H1288H354115Joshua replied, "If there are so many of you, and if the hill country of Ephraim is not large enough for you, clear out land for yourselves in the forest where the Perizzites and Rephaites live."H3091H559H7227H5971H5927H3293H1254H776H6522H7497H2022H669H21316The descendants of Joseph responded, "It's true that the hill country is not large enough for us. But all the Canaanites in the lowlands have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shan and its surrounding settlements and those in the valley of Jezreel. They are too strong for us."H1121H3130H559H2022H4672H3669H3427H776H6010H7393H1270H1052H1323H6010H315717Then Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, "Since you are so large and strong, you will be given more than one portion.H3091H559H1004H3130H669H4519H559H7227H5971H1419H3581H259H148618The forests of the hill country will be yours as well. Clear as much of the land as you wish, and take possession of its farthest corners. And you will drive out the Canaanites from the valleys, too, even though they are strong and have iron chariots."H2022H3293H1254H8444H3423H3669H1270H7393H2389