CHAPTER XVII _The lot of the half tribe of Manasseh_, 1, 2. _Case of the daughters of Zelophehad_, 3-6. _The borders of Manasseh described_, 7-11. _The Canaanites dwell among them, but are laid under tribute_, 12, 13. _The children of Joseph complain of the scantiness of their lot_, 14-16. _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 17:2. _THE REST OF THE CHILDREN OF MANASSEH_] That is, his _grandchildren_; for it is contended that Manasseh had no other son than _Machir_; and these were very probably the children of Gilead, the son of Machir.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 17:3. _ZELOPHEHAD - HAD NO SONS, BUT DAUGHTERS_] See this case considered at large in the notes on Numbers 27:1; Numbers 36:1, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 17:5. _THERE FELL TEN PORTIONS TO MANASSEH_] The Hebrew word חבלי _chabley_, which we translate _portions_, signifies literally _cords_ or _cables_, and intimates that by means of a _cord, cable_, or what we call a _chain_, the land was divided. We have but little account of the arts a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 17:9. _UNTO THE RIVER KANAH_] Literally, the _river_ or _valley of_ _the reeds_, translated by the Vulgate, _vallis arundintei_. The tribe of Manasseh appears to have been bounded on the north by this _torrent_ or _valley_, and on the south by the Mediterranean Sea.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 17:10. _THEY MET TOGETHER IN ASHER ON THE NORTH_] The tribe of Asher extended from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Carmel, Joshua 19:26, and the tribe of Manasseh extended to _Dor_ and her towns, (see the following verse Joshua 17:11), which were in the vicinity of Carmel; and thus it a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 17:11. _BETH-SHEAN_] Called afterwards _Scythopolis_; the city of the _Scythians_ or _Cuthites_, those who were sent into the different Samaritan cities by the kings of Assyria. _DOR_] On the Mediterranean Sea, about eight miles from Caesarea, on the road to Tyre. _EN-DOR_] The _well_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 17:12. _COULD NOT DRIVE OUT, C._] They had neither _grace_ nor _courage_ to go against their enemies, and chose rather to share their territories with those whom the justice of God had proscribed, than exert themselves to expel them. But some commentators give a different turn to this e... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 17:15. _IF THOU BE A GREAT PEOPLE_] Joshua takes them at their own word; they said, Joshua 17:14, that they were a great people; then said he, _If thou be a great people_ or _seeing thou art a great_ _people, go to the wood country, and clear away for thyself_. Joshua would not reverse... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 17:16. _THE HILL IS NOT ENOUGH FOR US_] The mountain of Gilboa being that which had fallen to them by lot. _CHARIOTS OF IRON_] We cannot possess the plain country, because that is occupied by the Canaanites; and we cannot conquer them, because they have _chariots of iron_, that is, ver... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 17:18. _THE OUTGOINGS OF IT SHALL BE THINE_] Clear away the wood, occupy the mountain, and you shall soon be able to command all the valleys; and, possessing all the defiles of the country, you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron: your situation will be adv... [ Continue Reading ]