Albert Barnes Commentary Joshua 17
Albert Barnes Commentary
Joshua 17
Albert Barnes Commentary
Joshua 17
"And [this] was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the first-born of Joseph. As for Machir the first-born of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan." — Joshua 17:1 (ASV)
Manasseh, as the “first-born,” was to receive not only the territory on the east of Jordan won by the valor of the Machirites, but also a portion with the other tribes on the west of Jordan, the holy land of promise strictly so called. Thus, though Ephraim took precedence of Manasseh, according to the prediction of Joseph (Genesis 48:20), yet Manasseh received “the double portion” which was the special privilege of the first-born (Deuteronomy 21:17).
"So [the lot] was for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to 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 according to their families." — Joshua 17:2 (ASV)
For the rest ... - that is, for those who were not settled on the east of Jordan.
"And there fell ten parts to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;" — Joshua 17:5 (ASV)
Ten portions – that is, five for the five families descended from the male children of Gilead, and five others for the five daughters of Zelophehad, who represented the sixth family, the Hepherites.
"And the border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is before Shechem; and the border went along to the right hand, unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah." — Joshua 17:7 (ASV)
Asher - Not the tribe so called, but a place somewhere toward the eastern end of the boundary line here drawn: perhaps “Teyasir,” on the road from Sichem to Beth-shean.
"And the border went down unto the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook: these cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh: and the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and the goings out thereof were at the sea:" — Joshua 17:9 (ASV)
These cities ... - The text is possibly corrupt. The intention seems to be to state that the cities lying south of the river, though within the limits of Manasseh, were in fact made over to Ephraim, and were among the separate cities (Joshua 16:9). On the contrary, the north bank of the river, both land and towns, belonged to Manasseh exclusively.
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