17
1 This
was the lot
for the tribe
of Manasseh, for
he was the
firstborn of
Joseph. As for
Machir the
firstborn of
Manasseh, the father
of Gilead, because
he was a man
of war, therefore
he had Gilead
and Bashan.
2 So
this was for
the rest of
the children of
Manasseh according to
their families:
for the children
of Abiezer, for
the children of
Helek, for the
children of Asriel,
for the children
of Shechem, for
the children of
Hepher, and for
the children of
Shemida. These were
the male children
of Manasseh the
son of
Joseph according to
their families.
3 But
Zelophehad, the
son of Hepher,
the son of
Gilead, the son
of Machir, the
son of Manasseh,
had no sons,
but daughters. These
are the names
of his daughters:
Mahlah, Noah,
Hoglah, Milcah,
and Tirzah.
4 They
came to Eleazar
the priest, and
to Joshua the
son of Nun,
and to the
princes, saying, “The
LORD commanded
Moses to give
us an inheritance
among our
brothers.” Therefore
according to the
commandment of the
LORD he gave
them an
inheritance among
the brothers of
their father.
5 Ten parts
fell to Manasseh,
in addition to the
land of Gilead
and Bashan, which
is beyond the
Jordan;
6 because
the daughters of
Manasseh had an
inheritance among
his sons. The
land of Gilead
belonged to the
rest of the
sons of Manasseh.
7 The
border of Manasseh
was from Asher to
Michmethath, which
is before Shechem.
The border went
along to the
right hand, to
the inhabitants
of En Tappuah.
8 The
land of Tappuah
belonged to
Manasseh; but
Tappuah on the
border of Manasseh
belonged to the
children of Ephraim.
9 The
border went down
to the brook
of Kanah,
southward of the
brook. These cities
belonged to Ephraim
among the cities
of Manasseh. The
border of Manasseh
was on the
north side of
the brook, and
ended at the
sea.
10 Southward
it was Ephraim’s,
and northward it
was Manasseh’s,
and the sea
was his border.
They reached to Asher
on the north,
and to Issachar
on the east.
11 Manasseh
had three heights
in Issachar,
in Asher Beth Shean and
its towns, and
Ibleam and its
towns, and the
inhabitants of Dor
and its towns,
and the
inhabitants of
Endor and its
towns, and the
inhabitants of
Taanach and its
towns, and the
inhabitants of
Megiddo and its
towns.
12 Yet
the children of
Manasseh couldn’t drive
out the
inhabitants of
those cities; but
the Canaanites
would dwell in
that land.
13 When
the children of
Israel had grown
strong, they put
the Canaanites to
forced labor,
and didn’t utterly
drive them out.
14 The
children of Joseph
spoke to Joshua,
saying, “Why have
you given me
just one lot
and one part for
an inheritance,
since we are
a numerous people,
because the LORD
has blessed us
so far?”
15 Joshua said
to them, “If
you are a
numerous people,
go up to
the forest, and
clear land for
yourself there in
the land of the
Perizzites and of
the Rephaim, since
the hill country
of Ephraim is
too narrow for
you.”
16 The
children of
Joseph said, “The
hill country is
not enough for
us. All the
Canaanites who
dwell in the land
of the valley
have chariots of
iron, both those
who are in Beth
Shean and its
towns, and those
who are in
the valley of
Jezreel.”
17 Joshua spoke
to the house
of Joseph, that
is, to Ephraim and
to Manasseh, saying, “You
are a numerous
people, and have
great power. You
shall not have
one lot only;
18 but
the hill country
shall be yours.
Although it is
a forest, you
shall cut it
down, and it’s
farthest extent shall
be yours; for you
shall drive out
the Canaanites,
though they have
chariots of iron,
and though they
are strong.”