Jos 17:1-13 | NET2full | STEP | 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 .

Joshua 17:1-13

1 The tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn son, was also allotted land. ^{▼▼tn Heb “and the lot belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph.”} The descendants of Makir, Manasseh’s firstborn and the father of Gilead, received land, for they were warriors. ^{▼▼tn Heb “to Makir, the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, for he was a man of war.”} They were assigned Gilead and Bashan. ^{▼▼tn Heb “Gilead and Bashan belonged to him.”} ^{▼▼sn On the assignment of Manasseh’s territory in Gilead and Bashan, see Josh 13:31.} 2 The rest of Manasseh’s descendants were also assigned land ^{▼▼tn Heb “and it belonged to the sons of Manasseh who remained.”} 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.

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. 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.” ^{▼▼tn Heb “The Lord commanded Moses to assign to us an inheritance in the midst of our brothers.” Since Zelophehad had no sons, “brothers” must refer to their uncles, as the next sentence makes clear.} So Joshua ^{▼▼tn Heb “he.” The referent is probably Joshua, although Eleazar is mentioned first in the preceding list.} assigned them land among their uncles, as the Lord had commanded. ^{▼▼tn Heb “and he assigned to them in accordance with the mouth [i.e., command] of the Lord an inheritance in the midst of the brothers of their father.”} 5 Manasseh was allotted 10 shares of land, ^{▼▼tn Heb “and the allotted portions of Manasseh fell out ten.”} in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan, 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.

7 The border of Manasseh went ^{▼▼tn Heb “was.”} from Asher to Micmethath, which is near ^{▼▼tn Heb “in front of”; perhaps “east of.”} Shechem. It then went south toward those who live by En Tappuah. ^{▼▼tn Or “the spring of Tappuah.”} 8 (The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah, located on the border of Manasseh, belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.) 9 The border then descended southward to the Valley of Kanah. Ephraim was assigned cities there among the cities of Manasseh, ^{▼▼tn Heb “these cities belonged to Ephraim in the midst of the cities of Manasseh.”} but the border of Manasseh was north of the valley and ended at the sea. 10 Ephraim’s territory was to the south, and Manasseh’s to the north. The sea was Manasseh’s ^{▼▼tn Heb “his”; the referent (Manasseh) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} western border, and their territory ^{▼▼tn Heb “they”; the referent (their territory) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} touched Asher on the north and Issachar on the east. 11 Within Issachar’s and Asher’s territories Manasseh was assigned Beth Shean, Ibleam, the residents of Dor, the residents of Endor, the residents of Taanach, the residents of Megiddo, the three of Napheth, ^{▼▼tn Or “the third [is] Napheth”; or “Napheth-dor.” The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain.} and the towns surrounding all these cities. ^{▼▼tn Heb “Beth Shean and its surrounding towns, Ibleam and its surrounding towns, the residents of Dor and its surrounding towns, the residents of Endor and its surrounding towns, the residents of Taanach and its surrounding towns, the residents of Megiddo and its surrounding towns, three of Nepheth.”} 12 But the men ^{▼▼tn Heb “sons”; “men” has been used in the translation because the context involves the conquest of cities; therefore, warriors (hence males) would be in view here.} of Manasseh were unable to conquer these cities; the Canaanites managed ^{▼▼tn Or “were determined.”} to remain in those areas. 13 Whenever the Israelites were strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them. ^{▼▼sn On the Israelites’ failure to conquer the Canaanites completely, see Judg 1:27-28.}