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Joshua Chapter
Seventeen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 17
This
chapter gives an account of the lot that fell to the half tribe of Manasseh, to
the male children of Manasseh, and to the daughters of Zelophehad, Joshua 17:1; and
describes the coast of that lot, Joshua 17:7; and
relates the request of the sons of Joseph, to have their lot enlarged, which
was granted, Joshua 17:14.
Joshua 17:1 There
was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of
Joseph: namely for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of
Gilead, because he was a man of war; therefore he was given Gilead and Bashan.
YLT
1And the lot is for the
tribe of Manasseh (for he [is] first-born of Joseph), for Machir first-born of
Manasseh, father of Gilead, for he hath been a man of war, and his are Gilead
and Bashan.
There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh,.... As well
as for the tribe of Ephraim:
for he was the firstborn of Joseph; and therefore
ought to have his part and share in the lot of the children of Joseph, though
Ephraim was preferred before him in the blessing of Jacob. Some think this is
given as a reason why he had a double portion, one on the other side Jordan,
and another in the land of Canaan:
to wit, for Machir,
the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead; who was the only son of
Manasseh, and so through him, and by his son Gilead, the whole tribe sprung
from that patriarch: and
because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan; which were
given to his posterity by Moses, and lay on the other side Jordan, see Deuteronomy 3:13.
This Machir very likely had shown his warlike disposition and courage in Egypt,
and had fought under the kings there against the common enemy of that country;
for it is highly probable he was dead before the children of Israel came out
from thence, but the same warlike spirit continued in his posterity; they had their
part assigned them on the other side Jordan, to defend that country, while the
tribes of Reuben and Gad attended to the care of their flocks and herds.
Joshua 17:2 2 And there was a lot
for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the
children of Abiezer,[a] the
children of Helek, the children of Asriel, the children of Shechem, the
children of Hepher, and the children of Shemida; these were the male
children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families.
YLT
2And there is for the sons
of Manasseh who are left, for their families; for the sons of Abiezer, and for
the sons of Helek, and for the sons of Asriel, and for the sons of Shechem, and
for the sons of Hepher, and for the sons of Shemida; these [are] the children
of Manasseh son of Joseph -- the males -- by their families.
There was also a lot for the rest of the children of
Manasseh by their families,.... For such that had no part in Gilead and
Bashan on the other side Jordan, even for the other half tribe, whose families
are particularly mentioned, as follows:
for the children of Abiezer; who is called Jeezer in Numbers 26:30; and
was a son of Gilead, the son of Machir, as the rest that follow were:
and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and
for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the
children of Shemida; hence the families of the Jeezerites, Helekites, Asrielites,
Shechemites, Hepherites, and Shemidaites, mentioned in Numbers 26:30; and
for which families was the lot here spoken of:
these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph
by their families; which is observed for the sake of, and to lead unto what
follows, otherwise in common none but males inherited; but the following is an
excepted and remarkable case.
Joshua 17:3 3 But Zelophehad the son of
Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons,
but only daughters. And these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah,
Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
YLT
3As to Zelophehad, son of
Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, he hath no children
except daughters, and these [are] the names of his daughters: Mahlah, and Noah,
Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah,
But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of
Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters,.... The
descent of this man is particularly given, to show the truth and reality of it,
upon which his daughters made their request, and that granted and now claimed:
and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah,
Hoglah,
Milcah, and Tirzah; by the same names, and in the same order
they are called in Numbers 26:33; the
order is a little different in Numbers 36:11.
Joshua 17:4 4 And they came near before
Eleazar the priest, before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the rulers,
saying, “The Lord
commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” Therefore,
according to the commandment of the Lord, he gave them an
inheritance among their father’s brothers.
YLT 4and they draw near before
Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua son of Nun, and before the princes,
saying, `Jehovah commanded Moses to give to us an inheritance in the midst of
our brethren;' and he giveth to them, at the command of Jehovah, an inheritance
in the midst of the brethren of their father.
And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua
the son of Nun, and before the princes,.... The ten princes,
who, with Eleazar and Joshua, were appointed to divide the land, Numbers 34:17; and
were now met together for that purpose, Joshua 14:1,
saying, the Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among
our brethren; those of the same tribe with them; for upon their application to
Moses he inquired of the Lord, who ordered him to grant their request, Numbers 27:1,
therefore according to the commandment of the Lord he gave them an
inheritance among the brethren of their fathers; that is, to the half
tribe of Manasseh.
Joshua 17:5 5 Ten shares fell to Manasseh,
besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side of
the Jordan,
YLT
5And ten portions fall [to]
Manasseh, apart from the land of Gilead and Bashan, which [are] beyond the
Jordan;
And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead
and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan,.... The lot
which fell to the half tribe of Manasseh was divided into ten parts: according
to the Jewish writers, the six families before mentioned had six parts, and the
daughters of Zelophehad had four parts; one on the account of Zelophehad their
father, two on the account of their grandfather Hepher, who they say was the
firstborn, and one on account of their uncle, their father's brother, who died
in the wilderness without children; so Jarchi and Kimchi relate from the TalmudF11T.
Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 118. 2. & 119. 1. ; but the true case seems to be
this, there were six portions for the six families, but there being no sons in
Hepher's family, his part was divided into five, and given to the five
daughters of Zelophehad:
beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the
other side Jordan: which were given to the other half tribe, as before observed, Joshua 13:29.
Joshua 17:6 6 because the daughters of
Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons; and the rest of Manasseh’s
sons had the land of Gilead.
YLT
6for the daughters of
Manasseh have inherited an inheritance in the midst of his sons, and the land
of Gilead hath been to the sons of Manasseh who are left.
Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his
sons,.... Which occasioned such a number of portions; the daughters of
Zelophehad are meant, who descended from Manasseh:
and the rest of Manasseh, some had the land of Gilead; that is,
those besides the six families before expressed, namely, the two families of
the Machirites and Gileadites, Numbers 26:29.
Joshua 17:7 7 And the territory of
Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, that lies east of Shechem; and
the border went along south to the inhabitants of En Tappuah.
YLT
7And the border of Manasseh
is from Asher to Michmethah, which [is] on the front of Shechem, and the border
hath gone on unto the right, unto the inhabitants of En-Tappuah.
And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher,.... Not from
the border of the tribe of Asher, as Kimchi, in which he is followed by
Vatablus; for that was at too great a distance; but a city of the tribe of
Manasseh; and in Jerom'sF12De loc. Heb. fol. 88. G. time a village
of this name was shown fifteen miles from Neapolis or Shechem, as you go from
thence to Scythopolis, near the public road:
to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; the same
place mentioned in the description of the border of Ephraim; see Gill on Joshua 16:6,
and the border went along on the right hand, unto the inhabitants
of Entappuah; that is, leaving this place, and its inhabitants to the right,
which was a place in the land of that name, next mentioned; and seems to be so
called from a fountain in it, or near it, as well as from a multitude of apples
growing there, and with which perhaps the country abounded, of which in Joshua 17:8.
Joshua 17:8 8 Manasseh had the land of
Tappuah, but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children
of Ephraim.
YLT
8To Manasseh hath been the
land of Tappuah, and Tappuah unto the border of Manasseh is to the sons of
Ephraim.
Now Manasseh had the land of
Tappuah,.... The whole territory that went by that name, from a city of
note in it, next mentioned; all the fields and villages in it belonged to the
tribe of Manasseh:
but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the
children of Ephraim; and was one of those separate cities they had among the
inheritance of the children of Manasseh; though it seems they had only the
city, not the territory adjacent to it, and which was named from it.
Joshua 17:9 9 And the border descended
to the Brook Kanah, southward to the brook. These cities of Ephraim are
among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh was on the north
side of the brook; and it ended at the sea.
YLT
9And the border hath come
down [to] the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook; these cities of Ephraim
[are] in the midst of the cities of Manasseh, and the border of Manasseh [is]
on the north of the brook, and its outgoings are at the sea.
And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the
river,.... The same mentioned in the account of the coast of Ephraim, Joshua 16:8; which
was north of that river, as Manasseh was to the south of it:
these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh; that is, the cities
before mentioned, Asher, Michmethah, Entappuah, and Tappuah; though they were
in the tribe of Manasseh, yet they were inhabited by the Ephraimites:
the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the
river; of the river Kanah, as well as on the south of it; it had cities
there, though possessed by the tribe of Ephraim:
and the outgoings of it were at the sea; the
Mediterranean sea.
Joshua 17:10 10 Southward it was
Ephraim’s, northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea was its border.
Manasseh’s territory was adjoining Asher on the north and Issachar on the east.
YLT
10Southward [is] to Ephraim
and northward to Manasseh, and the sea is his border, and in Asher they meet on
the north, and in Issachar on the east.
Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was
Manasseh's,.... As Ephraim lay to the south of Manasseh, Manasseh lay to the
north of Ephraim:
and the sea is his border; the Mediterranean sea
was their boundary on the west:
and they met together in Asher on the north; that is, on
the northwest towards the Mediterranean sea, as, at Mount Carmel:
and in Issachar on the east; towards Jordan.
Joshua 17:11 11 And in Issachar and in
Asher, Manasseh had Beth Shean and its towns, Ibleam and its towns, the
inhabitants of Dor and its towns, the inhabitants of En Dor and its towns, the
inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its
towns—three hilly regions.
YLT
11And Manasseh hath in
Issachar and in Asher, Beth-Shean and its towns, and Ibleam and its towns, and
the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of En-Dor and its
towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of
Megiddo and its towns, three counties.
And Manasseh had in Issachar, and in Asher, Bethshean, and her
towns,.... As Ephraim had cities in Manasseh, so had Manasseh cities in
these two tribes, which in some parts bordered on it, before described, even
the cities following, and the first that is named is Bethshean: this lay in the
tribe of Issachar, and was the uttermost border of Manasseh that way; it was,
as JosephusF13Antiqu l. 12. c. 8. sect. 5. says, called Scythopolis;
but not from the Scythians, as PlinyF14Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 18.
suggests, but from Succoth, a place where Jacob resided, and which was not far
from it, Genesis 33:17; it
lay before the great plain of Jezreel, and was at the entrance into
it,"After this went they over Jordan into the great plain before Bethsan.'
(1 Maccabees 5:52)and was
six hundred furlongs, or seventy five miles, from Jerusalem, according
to:"From thence they departed to Scythopolis, which lieth six hundred
furlongs from Jerusalem,' (2 Maccabees 12:29)and was
one of the cities of Decapolis, from whence our Lord had hearers, Matthew 4:25. It
was such a pleasant place, that it is said in the TalmudF15T. Bab.
Eruvin, fol. 19. 1. , that if the garden of Eden was in the land of Israel,
Bethshean was the gate of it; on which the gloss says, that its fruits were the
sweetest in the land of Israel:
and Ibleam and her towns; it seems to be the same
with Bileam, by a transposition of the two first letters, 1 Chronicles 6:70;
and was a place not far from Megiddo, after mentioned, as appears from 2 Kings 9:27,
and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns; this had been
a royal city; see Gill on Joshua 11:2 and See
Gill on Joshua 12:23,
and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns; this place
became famous for a witch there in the times of Saul, 1 Samuel 28:7; in
the times of JeromF16De loc. Heb. fol. 88. L. it was a large village
near Mount Tabor, four miles to the south, which he calls Aeudor, of or in
Jezreel; and elsewhereF17lbid. fol. 91. E. he speaks of Endor, as
near the town of Nain, where our Lord raised the widow's son the dead, and is
about: Scythopolis:
and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns; this had been
a royal city; see Gill on Joshua 12:22,
and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: this was
another royal city mentioned with the former; See Gill on Joshua 12:21; there
even three
countries; the three last cities, with their towns, that are mentioned,
Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo; all which perhaps belonged to Dor, and may be the
Naphothdor spoken of Joshua 11:2; where
the same word is used as here; so Jarchi interprets it.
Joshua 17:12 12 Yet the children of
Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the
Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.
YLT
12And the sons of Manasseh
have not been able to occupy these cities, and the Canaanite is desirous to
dwell in this land,
Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the
inhabitants of these cities,.... Mentioned in Joshua 17:11; they
had not strength at first to do it, or either were negligent and slothful, and
suffered them to dwell among them, and did not take the advantage they might
have done; and afterwards it was too late, they became too strong and numerous
for them, at least for a time:
but the Canaanites would dwell in the land; whether they
would or not.
Joshua 17:13 13 And it happened, when the
children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor,
but did not utterly drive them out.
YLT
13and it cometh to pass when
the sons of Israel have been strong, that they put the Canaanite to tribute,
and have not utterly dispossessed him.
Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxed strong,.... Increased
in numbers, and became superior to the Canaanites, not only those of the tribe
of Manasseh, but of the other tribes also:
that they put the Canaanites to tribute; they did not
take away their lives, as they were commanded to do, but made them tributaries
to them, which seems to arise from a covetous disposition, and done for the
sake of gain:
but did not utterly drive them out; which they were ordered
to do, and could now have done; for if they were able to make them pay tribute
to them, they had power sufficient to drive them out, or destroy them, and
therefore broke the commandment of God, Deuteronomy 7:1.
Joshua 17:14 14 Then the children of
Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given us only one lot and
one share to inherit, since we are a great people, inasmuch as the Lord has blessed us
until now?”
YLT
14And the sons of Joseph
speak with Joshua, saying, `Wherefore hast thou given to me an inheritance --
one lot and one portion, and I a numerous people? hitherto hath Jehovah blessed
me.'
And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua,.... Which
some understand of the children of Manasseh only; and, indeed, the complaint
and arguments used, as well as some circumstances in the account, best agree
with them; yet certain it is, that the children of Ephraim accompanied the
children of Manasseh, and were present at this interview, as appears from Joshua 17:17; and
if they did not join with them in the request and complaint expressly, they
countenanced and encouraged the same by their presence:
saying, why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to
inherit: this seems to suit better with one than both; for there was a
lot for the tribe of Manasseh also, as well as for Ephraim, Joshua 17:1; by
which it should seem that there were two, and if both made this expostulation,
it was not fact; but it may be, that the inheritance which came to them by lot
was not as yet divided, and so they called it one lot and one portion, and then
it might with propriety be said by them both; and their sense be, that the lot
or portion assigned them was only sufficient for one of them, and not for both:
seeing I am a great people; as especially both
tribes put together were:
forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto? this best
agrees with the tribe of Manasseh, which, since their coming out of Egypt, was
increased twenty thousand five hundred, whereas the tribe of Ephraim was
decreased; compare Numbers 1:33 with Numbers 26:34. Now
it might have been expected by them, that as Joshua was of the tribe of
Ephraim, that he would have favoured their cause on that account, and that they
should have obtained the grant of an addition by that means; but Joshua was
impartial in his administration, and showed no favour and affection on that
score, as appears by what follows.
Joshua 17:15 15 So Joshua answered them,
“If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country
and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the
giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you.”
YLT
15And Joshua saith unto them,
`If thou [art] a numerous people, go up for thee to the forest, then thou hast
prepared for thee there, in the land of the Perizzite, and of the Rephaim, when
mount Ephraim hath been narrow for thee.'
And Joshua answered them,.... By retorting their
own argument upon them:
if thou be a great people; which he does not deny,
as they were for numbers and power:
then get thee up to
the wood country; which was near them, and within their borders, and lay on hills
and mountains, perhaps the mountains of Gilboa, and therefore are bid to go up:
and cut down for thyself there; cut down the trees of
the wood, clear the ground of them, and so make it habitable, and by that means
enlarge the places of their habitation:
in the land of the Perizzites, and of the giants; or Rephaim;
the former of these were one of the seven nations of the Canaanites, who from
their name seem to have dwelt not in the cities, and walled towns, but in
villages, and scattered houses, in desert places, and among the woods, where
also the giants had retired and dwelt after Joshua had driven them out of the
cities; and by driving these out of their present habitations, they would gain
more room to dwell in, and would find their lot sufficient for them:
if Mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee; either
meaning all Ephraim, and even the whole lot of the sons of Joseph, or rattler
the mount particularly so called; for the words may be rendered, "for
Mount Ephraim hastens for thee"F17Vid Gusset. Ebr. Comment, p.
21. ; was clear or open for thee; ready to be delivered to thee, and thou
mayest possess it at once.
Joshua 17:16 16 But the children of Joseph
said, “The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who
dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are
of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of
Jezreel.”
YLT
16And the sons of Joseph say,
`The hill is not found to us, and a chariot of iron [is] with every Canaanite
who is dwelling in the land of the valley -- to him who [is] in Beth-Shean and
its towns, and to him who [is] in the valley of Jezreel.'
And the children of Joseph said, the hill is not enough for us,.... Meaning
either Mount Ephraim, and all included in it; or it may be rather the wood
country on the hills and mountains they were bid to go up to; signifying, that
if they could gain that out of the hands of the Perizzites and giants, and
clear it of the wood, and make it habitable, even that would not be sufficient
for them; or that hill and mountain cannot be "found by us"F18לא ימצא לנו
"non invenietur nobis", Montanus; "non possumus montem istum
assequi", Tigurine version; "non obtinebitur a nobis", Masius.
or obtained and possessed by us; we are not able to get it into our hands;
there being a valley between us and that:
and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have
chariots of iron; not chariots made of iron, but chariots with iron scythes
fastened to the sides, or axle trees of them, which when driven with great
force and fury, would cut down the infantry in battle, as grass is cut down
with scythes, see Judges 4:2,
both they who are
of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of
Jezreel; both which belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, or were on the
borders of it, though as yet they had not got possession, see Joshua 17:11; and
this circumstance seems to favour the notion, that tribe of Manasseh were at
least chiefly concerned in this address.
Joshua 17:17 17 And Joshua spoke to the
house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—saying, “You are a great people
and have great power; you shall not have only one lot,
YLT
17And Joshua speaketh unto
the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, `Thou [art] a numerous
people, and hast great power; thou hast not one lot [only],
And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim
and to Manasseh,.... From whence it is clear that some of both were present; and
they being brethren, and their interests united, and their cities intermixed,
it would be to their mutual advantage to have an enlargement; which the tribe
of Manasseh wanted more especially, more of their cities that fell to their lot
being in the hands of the Canaanites, than of any other:
saying, thou art a great people, and hast great power; were very
numerous, and so able to contend with the Canaanites, and make themselves more
room:
thou shalt not have one lot only; or only have
what they were possessed of, but should have more; and, as they wanted more,
they were able enough to get more; and if they exerted their power, relying on
the providence of God, through his blessing on their endeavours, they would
certainly have an increase of their portion.
Joshua 17:18 18 but the mountain country
shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its
farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though
they have iron chariots and are strong.”
YLT
18because the mountain is
thine; because it [is] a forest -- thou hast prepared it, and its outgoings
have been thine; because thou dost dispossess the Canaanite, though it hath
chariots of iron -- though it [is] strong.'
But the mountains shall be thine,.... Or "for"F19כי "quia", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius &
Tremellius, Gussetius, p. 378. it shall be thine; thou shalt get the possession
of it, though attended with difficulties that seem insuperable:
for, or "if, though"F20כי
"si", Junius & Tremellius, "licet", Ar. vers. Lat. .
it is a wood; the habitation of the
Perizzites, and giants, and so dangerous to go un to it, and full of trees, and
so seems unprofitable and useless:
and thou shalt cut it down; both the inhabitants of
it, and the trees of it, and clear it of both, and make it both safe and
commodious to dwell in, which would be a fine enlargement for them:
and the outgoings of it shall be thine; all it
produces when cultivated, and all the parts adjacent to it:
for thou shall drive out the Canaanites; this Joshua
assures them of, to encourage them to attempt it:
though they have iron chariots, and though they be
strong; be not afraid of their chariots, though terrible, nor of their
giants and mighty men, God will be on your side, and you have nothing to fear
from them, see Joshua 11:4;
whether the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh took this advice of Joshua is not
said.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)