Joshua 17:1-6. The Inheritance of Western Manasseh 1. _There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh_ Although the tribe of Manasseh had already, as we have seen, obtained an extensive inheritance east of the Jordan, where a portion of the warlike descendants of Machir had left their families, the... [ Continue Reading ]
_for the rest of the children of Manasseh_ The descendants of Machir received their inheritance on the east of the Jordan, the descendants of Gilead on the west side, along with Ephraim. These _the rest of the children of Manasseh_were divided into six families.... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Zelophehad_ He seems to have been the second son of his father, Hepher. He had been born during the bondage in Egypt, and came out thence with Moses, but died in the wilderness, as did the whole of that generation (Numbers 14:35; Numbers 27:3). He died without male heirs.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they came_ In place of sons, Zelophehad had five daughters, and they, anxious that their father's name should not perish, present themselves before Eleazar and Joshua, with a request for an inheritance. _The Lord commanded Moses_ They remind the high-priest, Joshua, and the princes, of the com... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there fell_ The inheritance they claimed was now allotted them. _ten portions_ The land allotted to the Manassites had to be divided into ten portions. The male descendants consisted of five families, and these five received five shares. The sixth family, that of Hepher, was again subdivided i... [ Continue Reading ]
_the rest of Manasseh's sons_ i.e. the descendants of Machir.... [ Continue Reading ]
Boundaries of Western Manasseh 7. _And the coast_ We now have a description of the boundaries of Manasseh. And first (_a_), Joshua 17:7, of the _southern_boundary towards Ephraim; and (_b_), second, Joshua 17:10, of the _northern_and _eastern_boundaries. _was from Asher_ The description of the sou... [ Continue Reading ]
_the land of Tappuah_ The "land" of Tappuah fell to the lot of Manasseh, the "city" to Ephraim.... [ Continue Reading ]
_unto the river Kanah_ From Tappuah the border descended to the river of Kanah, or "the Brook of Reeds" (see above, Joshua 16:8), southward of the watercourse. _these cities of Ephraim_ See above, Joshua 16:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
_southward_ Southward of the brook the land belonged to Ephraim, northward of the same it belonged to Manasseh, and the sea constituted the western border. _they met_ or "struck upon" Asher in the north and on Issachar in the east. Thus the two tribes were bounded (_a_) on the _east_by Issachar; (_... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Manasseh had_ Six cities are now enumerated, which Manasseh received beyond the borders of his own country in Issachar and Asher, but from which he failed to expel the Canaanites. _Beth-shean_ or _Beth-shan_(1 Samuel 31:10) lies in the _ghôr_, or Jordan valley, about 12 miles south of the Sea o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yet the children of Manasseh_ Comp. Judges 1:27-28.... [ Continue Reading ]
_put the Canaanites to tribute_ Comp. above, Joshua 16:10. They made them _tributary servants_, but could not drive them out.... [ Continue Reading ]
Complaint of the Children of Joseph 14. _And the children of Joseph_ The descendants of Joseph, i.e. the patriarchs of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, were not satisfied with the portion which Joshua had assigned them. The preponderating tribe from the earliest times, and since the Egyptian per... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Joshua answered them_ They expected of their fellow-tribesman a better guardianship of their interests. _If thou be a great people_ There is a kind of delicate irony in Joshua's reply. "Yes, it is true that thou art a numerous people, and hast great strength, and oughtest to have more than one... [ Continue Reading ]
_have chariots of iron_ The iron chariots of the Canaanites were objects of terror to the Israelites, see above, ch. Joshua 11:6-9. They were the main reason why the Israelites could not establish themselves in the plain, on which Beth-shean, Taanach, and Megiddo were situated. The forest they could... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Joshua spake_ The reply of the descendants of Joseph betrayed a spirit of discontent mingled with cowardice and unbelief. Joshua therefore contents himself, "with no less wisdom than patriotism," by telling them that what more they won must be by their own exertions.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the mountain_ i.e. "the mountain of Ephraim," shall be thine, for it is a forest. It should fall to their lot because the house of Joseph was strong and able, and could clear the woodland. _the outgoings of it_ i.e. the fields and plains bordering upon the wood. _though they have_ Though they have... [ Continue Reading ]