Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 39
17:3-15
J osh u a
27
However, Zelophehad, a descendant of Hepher son of Gilead, son of
Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons. He had only daughters, whose
names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. These women
came to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite leaders
and said, “The Lord commanded M
oses to give us a grant of land along
with the men of our tribe.”
So Joshua gave them a grant of land along with their uncles, as the Lord
had commanded. As a result, Manasseh’s total allocation came to ten parcels of land, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan across the Jordan
River, because the female descendants of Manasseh received a grant of
land along with the male descendants. (The land of Gilead was given to
the rest of the male descendants of Manasseh.)
The boundary of the tribe of Manasseh extended from the border
of Asher to Micmethath, near Shechem. Then the boundary went
south from Micmethath to the settlement near the spring of Tappuah.
The land surrounding Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town
of Tappuah itself, on the border of Manasseh’s territory, belonged
to the tribe of Ephraim. From the spring of Tappuah, the boundary
of Manasseh followed the Kanah Ravine to the Mediterranean Sea.
Several towns south of the ravine were inside Manasseh’s territory, but
they actually belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. In general, however,
the land south of the ravine belonged to Ephraim, and the land north
of the ravine belonged to Manasseh. Manasseh’s boundary ran along
the northern side of the ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.
North of Manasseh was the territory of Asher, and to the east was the
territory of Issachar.
The following towns within the territory of Issachar and Asher,
however, were given to Manasseh: Beth-shan, Ibleam, Dor (that
is, Naphoth-dor), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their
surrounding settlements.
But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these towns
because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region. Later,
however, when the Israelites became strong enough, they forced the Ca
naanites to work as slaves. But they did not drive them out of the land.
The descendants of Joseph came to Joshua and asked, “Why have you
given us only one portion of land as our homeland when the Lord has
blessed us with so many people?”
Joshua replied, “If there are so many of you, and if the hill country of
Ephraim is not large enough for you, clear out land for yourselves in the
forest where the Perizzites and Rephaites live.”