Josué 16

BLIVRE · Chapter 16/24

1E a porção dos filhos de José saiu desde o Jordão de Jericó até as águas de Jericó até o oriente, ao deserto que sobe de Jericó ao monte de Betel:

2E de Betel sai a Luz, e passa ao termo dos arquitas em Atarote;

3E torna a descer até o mar ao termo dos jafletitas, até o termo de Bete-Horom a de abaixo, e até Gezer; e sai ao mar.

4Receberam, pois, herança os filhos de José, Manassés e Efraim.

5E foi o termo dos filhos de Efraim por suas famílias, foi o termo de sua herança à parte oriental, desde Atarote-Adar até Bete-Horom a de acima:

6E sai este termo ao mar, e a Micmetá ao norte, e dá volta este termo até o oriente a Taanate-Siló, e daqui passa ao oriente a Janoa:

7E de Janoa desce a Atarote, e a Naarate, e cabe em Jericó, e sai ao Jordão.

8E de Tapua torna este termo até o mar ao ribeiro de Caná, e sai ao mar. Esta é a herança da tribo dos filhos de Efraim por suas famílias.

9houve também cidades que se apartaram para os filhos de Efraim em meio da herança dos filhos de Manassés, todas cidades com suas aldeias.

10E não expulsaram aos cananeus que habitavam em Gezer; antes restaram os cananeus em meio de Efraim, até hoje, e foram tributários.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

A description of the territory given to the sons of Joseph: the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, with a note that the Canaanites of Gezer were not driven out.

Explanation

Ephraim and Manasseh were the two sons of Joseph, and so 'the tribe of Joseph' received a double portion of land - reflecting the special blessing Jacob gave Joseph in Genesis 48. The note that the Canaanites remained in Gezer, though subjected as forced laborers, is a small but significant warning sign: the conquest was not total, and these remaining communities would later become a source of idolatrous influence in the book of Judges. It is a reminder that leaving 'small' acts of disobedience or incomplete commitments tends to grow over time.

Fun facts

  • Ephraim would become so influential that its name came to be used as a synonym for the northern kingdom of Israel in later prophetic texts, such as in Hosea.
  • Gezer, the city not conquered here, would only be taken centuries later by Pharaoh of Egypt, who gave it as a dowry to his daughter when she married Solomon (1 Kings 9:16).

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Josué 16:1The border of the tribe of Joseph begins at the Jordan and points like the wilderness of Jericho and the hill country of Bethel — again natural landmarks that served as a living reference for those who lived there, with no need for drawn maps.
  2. Josué 16:2The border of Ephraim goes out from Bethel toward Luz, passing through the territory of the Archites to Ataroth.
  3. Josué 16:3On the west side, the line goes down to the territory of the Japhletites, passes by Lower Beth-horon and Gezer, and ends at the sea.
  4. Josué 16:4So the descendants of Joseph, divided into Manasseh and Ephraim, receive their share of the promised land.
  5. Josué 16:5The specific description of Ephraim's territory begins here, with the eastern border running from Ataroth-addar to Upper Beth-horon.
  6. Josué 16:6The border continues west near Michmethah, then turns back east to Taanath-shiloh and Janohah.
  7. Josué 16:7From Janohah the line goes down to Ataroth and Naarath, touches Jericho, and ends at the Jordan.
  8. Josué 16:8From Tappuah the border runs west to the river Kanah, ending at the sea — this closes the outline of Ephraim.
  9. Josué 16:9Ephraim also receives some cities that lay physically within Manasseh's territory, a common arrangement in this division.
  10. Josué 16:10The Canaanites living in Gezer were not driven out, but became forced labor, paying tribute to the Ephraimites. It's another example of how holding land by lot didn't necessarily mean total expulsion of the previous residents.

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