New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Joshua 17
1
Land was given to the tribe of Manasseh. It was given to Makir. Manasseh was Joseph's oldest son. Makir was Manasseh's oldest son. The people of Gilead came from the family line of Makir. The people of Gilead had received the lands of Gilead and Bashan. That's because the people of Makir were great soldiers.
Reference
2
So land was given to the rest of the people of Manasseh. It was given to the family groups of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida. They were the other men in the family line of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. Those were their names by their family groups.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Chronicles 7:18
3
Makir was the son of Manasseh. Gilead was the son of Makir. Hepher was the son of Gilead. And Zelophehad was the son of Hepher. Zelophehad didn't have any sons. He only had daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.
Reference
4
The daughters of Zelophehad went to the priest Eleazar and to Joshua, the son of Nun. They also went to the other leaders. They said, "The Lord commanded Moses to give us our share of land among our male relatives." So Joshua gave them land along with their male relatives. That was in keeping with what the Lord had commanded.
Reference
5
Manasseh's share was made up of ten pieces of land. That land was in addition to Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan River.
6
So the five granddaughters of Hepher in the family line of Manasseh received land, just as the other five sons of Manasseh did. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the family line of Manasseh.
7
The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Micmethath. Micmethath was east of Shechem. The border ran south from Micmethath. The people who were living at En Tappuah were inside the border.
Reference
📍 En-tappuah
Parallel theme
Joshua 21:21
8
Manasseh had the land around Tappuah. But the town of Tappuah itself was on the border of Manasseh's land. It belonged to the people of Ephraim.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 16:8
9
The border continued south to the Kanah Valley. Some of the towns that belonged to Ephraim were located among the towns of Manasseh. But the border of Manasseh was the north side of the valley. The border came to an end at the Mediterranean Sea.
10
The land on the south belonged to Ephraim. The land on the north belonged to Manasseh. The territory of Manasseh reached the Mediterranean Sea. The tribe of Asher was the border on the north. The tribe of Issachar was the border on the east.
11
Inside the land that was given to Issachar and Asher, the towns of Beth Shan and Ibleam belonged to Manasseh. The towns of Dor, Endor, Taanach and Megiddo and their people also belonged to Manasseh. Manasseh was given all of those towns and the settlements that were around them. The third town in the list was also called Naphoth Dor.
Reference
📍 Locations
12
But the people of Manasseh weren't able to take over those towns. That's because the people of Canaan had made up their minds to live in that area.
13
The people of Israel grew stronger. Then they forced the people of Canaan to work hard for them. But they didn't drive them out completely.
Reference
14
The people in the family line of Joseph spoke to Joshua. They said, "Why have you given us only one share of the land to have as our own? There are large numbers of us. The Lord has blessed us greatly."
Reference
15
"That's true," Joshua said. "There are large numbers of you. And the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you. So go up into the forest. Clear out some land for yourselves in the territory of the Perizzites and Rephaites."
16
The people in Joseph's family line replied. They said, "The hill country isn't big enough for us. And all of the people of Canaan who live in the flatlands use chariots that have iron parts. They include the people of Beth Shan and its settlements. They also include the people who live in the Valley of Jezreel."
Reference
📍 Locations
17
Joshua spoke again to the people in Joseph's family line. He said to the people of Ephraim and Manasseh, "There are large numbers of you. And you are very powerful. You will have more than one piece of land.
Summary of Joshua 17
Joshua chapter 17 continues the division of the Promised Land between the tribes of Israel. It deals with the western half of the tribe of Manasseh, then goes back to the larger family of Joseph, and then talks about the daughters of Zelophehad and Joshua's conversation with the descendants of Joseph about needing more land.
It begins with an account of the Manassites, the firstborn son of Joseph. Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh and the father of Gilead, had received Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan because he was a man of war. His descendants had already received territory in his time.
The western half of Manasseh also received an inheritance in Canaan. The land was divided up amongst the families that had descended from Manasseh, including Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida.
It then goes on to describe the line of Hepher, whose son was Zelophehad, who had no sons. He had five daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
These daughters had once come to Moses in order to receive an inheritance from their father. Moses had brought their request before the Lord, who had decreed that daughters should be able to receive their father's inheritance.
Joshua therefore gave them an inheritance from the sons of Manasseh, fulfilling the request made earlier.
The five daughters are specifically named in this part of the chapter again. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. Their inheritance was located within the land that had been allocated to the Manassites.
This part of the chapter then goes on to describe the boundaries of the Manassite western inheritance. It included areas around Michmethah, Tappuah, the river Kanah, and other towns. Part of this territory was shared or bordered the territory of the Ephraimites, another tribe that had descended from Joseph.
It mentions a detail about Tappuah. The land round about belonged to Manasseh, but the town itself belonged to the descendants of Ephraim. It shows how carefully the land was divided up, even to the point of separating a single city from the surrounding countryside.
It also mentions that Manasseh had received several towns in the territories of Issachar and Asher. This included Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor, Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, and their surrounding settlements.
However, the descendants of Manasseh were unable to drive out the inhabitants of these cities. The Canaanites continued to live in the land, and it was not until later when the Israelites had become strong enough that they could put them under forced labor rather than driving them out.
This is similar to what had been mentioned in the previous chapter, regarding Gezer. It showed how Israel had received the land, but was unable to get rid of the Canaanites that lived there.
The second half of this chapter is concerned with the descendants of Joseph, specifically Ephraim and Manasseh. They came to Joshua with a complaint, saying that they were a large and numerous people, and were asking what was the reason why they had only been given one portion of land.
Joshua told them that if they were such a large people, they could go into the forest country and clear it for themselves. He told them to mention the hill country of Ephraim to him.
The descendants of Joseph said that the hill country was not enough for them. They also pointed out that the Canaanites that lived in the valley possessed iron chariots. The people of Beth-shean and the valley around it were still strong, and the Canaanites in the land of the valley were difficult to remove.
Joshua did not give them another territory; instead, he told them that they were a large and powerful people and that they would be able to clear the forest and take possession of the land. Even though the Canaanites had iron chariots and were strong, Joshua said to them that they could drive them out.
It shows how in the settling of Canaan, those that had come down to inherit the land were beginning to have their share questioned. The descendants of Joseph said that theirs was too small to cope with the large number of people in their family, and that there was a problem because the people of the valley possessed iron chariots. However, Joshua told them that they could clear the land and possess it despite this.
The mention of the Canaanites possessing chariots shows the threat that they saw as a problem. Chariots were an important military advantage, and especially in flat areas, they could be a threat. The descendants of Joseph's family saw their presence as a problem, but Joshua told them that they could drive them out.
Joshua 17 therefore concerns itself with questions of inheritance, family rights, large populations, and military power. Manasseh receives a large territory, and the daughters of Zelophehad receive their inheritance. At the same time, those that had descended from Joseph's family found that their share of land was not enough for their large numbers.
It also shows that it was not just conquest that mattered in Canaan, but also settling the land and taking possession of it. Some tribes had difficulty driving out the Canaanites, and others found that their share of land was not enough to cope with their numbers.
It is the story of the daughters of Zelophehad that is most particularly important, as it shows that the daughters were able to receive their father's inheritance. It was not just something that applied to sons, which had already been established in Israel, and Joshua made sure of it when dividing up the land.
At the end of the chapter, it shows the descendants of Joseph being reminded of their responsibility, and that if their share of land seemed too small, then they had the opportunity to clear more of it. The concern they had about the Canaanites and their iron chariots does not absolve them of this responsibility.
Joshua chapter 17 continues the movement from conquering to settling. The great battles had taken place, but the tribes now had to turn their attention to living in the land, determining their boundaries, and taking possession of the land that remained. The chapter also shows that the problems Israel faced were not just military ones. Issues of inheritance, of population, and of family rights were becoming just as important.
It begins with an account of the Manassites, the firstborn son of Joseph. Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh and the father of Gilead, had received Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan because he was a man of war. His descendants had already received territory in his time.
The western half of Manasseh also received an inheritance in Canaan. The land was divided up amongst the families that had descended from Manasseh, including Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida.
It then goes on to describe the line of Hepher, whose son was Zelophehad, who had no sons. He had five daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
These daughters had once come to Moses in order to receive an inheritance from their father. Moses had brought their request before the Lord, who had decreed that daughters should be able to receive their father's inheritance.
Joshua therefore gave them an inheritance from the sons of Manasseh, fulfilling the request made earlier.
The five daughters are specifically named in this part of the chapter again. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. Their inheritance was located within the land that had been allocated to the Manassites.
This part of the chapter then goes on to describe the boundaries of the Manassite western inheritance. It included areas around Michmethah, Tappuah, the river Kanah, and other towns. Part of this territory was shared or bordered the territory of the Ephraimites, another tribe that had descended from Joseph.
It mentions a detail about Tappuah. The land round about belonged to Manasseh, but the town itself belonged to the descendants of Ephraim. It shows how carefully the land was divided up, even to the point of separating a single city from the surrounding countryside.
It also mentions that Manasseh had received several towns in the territories of Issachar and Asher. This included Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor, Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, and their surrounding settlements.
However, the descendants of Manasseh were unable to drive out the inhabitants of these cities. The Canaanites continued to live in the land, and it was not until later when the Israelites had become strong enough that they could put them under forced labor rather than driving them out.
This is similar to what had been mentioned in the previous chapter, regarding Gezer. It showed how Israel had received the land, but was unable to get rid of the Canaanites that lived there.
The second half of this chapter is concerned with the descendants of Joseph, specifically Ephraim and Manasseh. They came to Joshua with a complaint, saying that they were a large and numerous people, and were asking what was the reason why they had only been given one portion of land.
Joshua told them that if they were such a large people, they could go into the forest country and clear it for themselves. He told them to mention the hill country of Ephraim to him.
The descendants of Joseph said that the hill country was not enough for them. They also pointed out that the Canaanites that lived in the valley possessed iron chariots. The people of Beth-shean and the valley around it were still strong, and the Canaanites in the land of the valley were difficult to remove.
Joshua did not give them another territory; instead, he told them that they were a large and powerful people and that they would be able to clear the forest and take possession of the land. Even though the Canaanites had iron chariots and were strong, Joshua said to them that they could drive them out.
It shows how in the settling of Canaan, those that had come down to inherit the land were beginning to have their share questioned. The descendants of Joseph said that theirs was too small to cope with the large number of people in their family, and that there was a problem because the people of the valley possessed iron chariots. However, Joshua told them that they could clear the land and possess it despite this.
The mention of the Canaanites possessing chariots shows the threat that they saw as a problem. Chariots were an important military advantage, and especially in flat areas, they could be a threat. The descendants of Joseph's family saw their presence as a problem, but Joshua told them that they could drive them out.
Joshua 17 therefore concerns itself with questions of inheritance, family rights, large populations, and military power. Manasseh receives a large territory, and the daughters of Zelophehad receive their inheritance. At the same time, those that had descended from Joseph's family found that their share of land was not enough for their large numbers.
It also shows that it was not just conquest that mattered in Canaan, but also settling the land and taking possession of it. Some tribes had difficulty driving out the Canaanites, and others found that their share of land was not enough to cope with their numbers.
It is the story of the daughters of Zelophehad that is most particularly important, as it shows that the daughters were able to receive their father's inheritance. It was not just something that applied to sons, which had already been established in Israel, and Joshua made sure of it when dividing up the land.
At the end of the chapter, it shows the descendants of Joseph being reminded of their responsibility, and that if their share of land seemed too small, then they had the opportunity to clear more of it. The concern they had about the Canaanites and their iron chariots does not absolve them of this responsibility.
Joshua chapter 17 continues the movement from conquering to settling. The great battles had taken place, but the tribes now had to turn their attention to living in the land, determining their boundaries, and taking possession of the land that remained. The chapter also shows that the problems Israel faced were not just military ones. Issues of inheritance, of population, and of family rights were becoming just as important.