Joshua 17

KJV · Chapter 17/24

1There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.

2There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for the children of Abiezer, 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: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families.

3But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

4And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.

5And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan;

6Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead.

7And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of En–tappuah.

8Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim;

9And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:

10Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.

11And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth–shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.

12Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

13Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.

14And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?

15And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.

16And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth–shean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

17And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:

18But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

The daughters of Zelophehad receive an inheritance in Manasseh, fulfilling an earlier promise. The sons of Joseph complain of having too little territory, and Joshua challenges them to clear the forest.

Explanation

The case of the daughters of Zelophehad, who had no brothers, resolved here as promised in Numbers 27, shows legal continuity and God's care for families in unusual situations within the patriarchal inheritance system. When the tribe of Joseph complains that their territory is too small, Joshua does not simply hand over more ready-made land - he challenges them to clear the wooded hill country and face the Canaanites with their iron chariots, teaching that part of God's provision comes through the people's own effort and courage, not passive handouts alone.

Fun facts

  • The case of the daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27 and here) is one of the earliest biblical legal precedents for inheritance rights for women without brothers, something unusual for the context of the time.
  • The 'iron chariots' feared by the sons of Joseph were war chariots fitted with iron parts, an advanced military technology for the period that gave the Canaanites a tactical advantage on the plains.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Joshua 17:1The tribe of Manasseh receives land as Joseph's firstborn; Machir, a warrior leader of that line, had already conquered Gilead and Bashan before this.
  2. Joshua 17:2The rest of the tribe of Manasseh also receives land, divided among the families descended from six different sons.
  3. Joshua 17:3An important detail: Zelophehad, of that lineage, had no sons, only five daughters, whose names are listed here.
  4. Joshua 17:4The daughters of Zelophehad claim their inheritance of land even without brothers, citing a ruling that already appears in Numbers 27. Joshua confirms their right — a rare case in the Old Testament of women inheriting land directly, without needing a husband as go-between.
  5. Joshua 17:5Because of the daughters of Zelophehad's request, Manasseh ends up receiving ten portions of land, not counting Gilead and Bashan on the other side of the Jordan.
  6. Joshua 17:6This happens because the daughters of Zelophehad also inherit land, a rare case in that culture, alongside the other male descendants of Manasseh.
  7. Joshua 17:7Manasseh's border runs from Asher to Michmethah, near Shechem, then turns toward the inhabitants of En-tappuah.
  8. Joshua 17:8Interestingly, the region of Tappuah belongs to Manasseh, but the city of Tappuah itself belongs to Ephraim — an example of how borders could get complicated.
  9. Joshua 17:9The border goes down to the river Kanah; cities of Ephraim are scattered within Manasseh's territory, but the general border runs north of the river.
  10. Joshua 17:10In summary: Ephraim lies to the south, Manasseh to the north, the sea is their common border to the west, and to the north and east they border Asher and Issachar.
  11. Joshua 17:11Within the territory of Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also controls important cities like Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor, Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo.
  12. Joshua 17:12Despite having the right to these cities, the descendants of Manasseh cannot drive out the Canaanites already living there.
  13. Joshua 17:13Later, once Israel grows stronger, they turn these Canaanites into forced laborers, but never actually drive them out.
  14. Joshua 17:14The descendants of Joseph complain to Joshua, feeling it unfair to receive only one portion of land when they are such a large and blessed people.
  15. Joshua 17:15Joshua answers practically: if they are so many, let them go up to the forest and clear space there, in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too small.
  16. Joshua 17:16The descendants of Joseph argue that the hill country isn't enough, and that the Canaanites of the valley have chariots of iron, something the Israelites feared at the time.
  17. Joshua 17:17Joshua acknowledges that Ephraim and Manasseh form a large and strong people, and promises they won't be limited to just one small portion.
  18. Joshua 17:18Joshua's solution is practical: they must clear the forest in the hill country and drive out the Canaanites, iron chariots and all, because they have the strength for it.

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