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Joshua 17:5-11

Ten parts fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan; because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh. 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. The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh; but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim. 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. 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. 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.

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Joshua 17:5-11 sits inside this longer paragraph.

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. 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. 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. They came to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the princes, saying, “Yahweh commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” Therefore according to the commandment of Yahweh he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father. Ten parts fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan; because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh. 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. The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh; but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim. 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. 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. 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. Yet the children of Manasseh couldn’t drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Ten parts fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;

    because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.

    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.

    The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh; but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim.

    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.

    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.

    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.

  • KJV King James Version

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

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

    And 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.

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

    And 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:

    Southward 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.

    And 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.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    And there fell ten parts to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;

    because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons; and the land of Gilead belonged unto the rest of the sons of Manasseh.

    And the border of Manasseh was, beginning from Asher, Michmethath, which is before Shechem; and the border went along to the right hand, unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah. —

    The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh; but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim. —

    And the border went down unto the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook, by cities which belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh; but the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook; and the goings out thereof were at the sea:

    southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh's, and the sea was his border; and they reached to Asher on the north, and to Issachar on the east.

    And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and its towns, and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of En-dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, even the three regions.

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Cross-references (41)

  • Joshua 16:8 (v8) From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the…
  • 1 Chronicles 7:29 (v11) and by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Beth Shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns, and Dor and its…
  • Joshua 12:23 (v11) the king of Dor in the height of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
  • Judges 1:27 (v11) Manasseh didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its towns, nor Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns,…
  • Judges 5:19 (v11) “The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.
Show all 41 cross-references
  • 2 Kings 9:27 (v11) But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. Jehu followed after him, and said, “Strike him also in…
  • Joshua 11:2 (v11) and to the kings who were on the north, in the hill country, in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor…
  • Joshua 21:21 (v7) They gave them Shechem with its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Gezer with its…
  • 1 Samuel 28:7 (v11) Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her.” His servants…
  • 1 Samuel 31:10 (v11) They put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.
  • 1 Kings 4:11-12 (v11) Ben Abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had Taphath, Solomon’s daughter, as wife); Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and…
  • 1 Kings 9:15 (v11) This is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised, to build Yahweh’s house, his own house, Millo, Jerusalem’s wall, Hazor, Megiddo,…
  • Psalms 83:10 (v11) who perished at Endor, who became as dung for the earth.
  • Genesis 34:2 (v7) Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her. He took her, lay with her, and humbled her.
  • Genesis 37:12 (v7) His brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.
  • Genesis 37:14 (v7) He said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word again.” So he sent him out…
  • Numbers 32:30-42 (v5) but if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.” The children of Gad and the…
  • Joshua 12:17 (v8) the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
  • Joshua 12:21 (v11) the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
  • Joshua 13:29-31 (v5) Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was for the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families.…
  • Joshua 15:34 (v8) Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
  • Joshua 15:53 (v8) Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,
  • Joshua 16:3 (v9) and it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, to the border of Beth Horon the lower, and on to Gezer; and ended at the sea.
  • Joshua 16:6-8 (v7) The border went out westward at Michmethath on the north. The border turned about eastward to Taanath Shiloh, and passed along it on the…
  • Joshua 16:8-9 (v9) From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the…
  • Joshua 16:9 (v11) together with the cities which were set apart for the children of Ephraim in the middle of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all…
  • Joshua 17:2-3 (v5) 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,…
  • Joshua 17:14 (v5) 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…
  • Joshua 19:29 (v9) The border turned to Ramah, to the fortified city of Tyre; and the border turned to Hosah. It ended at the sea by the region of Achzib;
  • Joshua 20:7 (v7) They set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (also called…
  • Joshua 24:1 (v7) Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their…
  • Joshua 24:32 (v7) They buried the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob…
  • Judges 9:1 (v7) Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his…
  • 1 Samuel 31:12 (v11) all the valiant men arose, went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came…
  • 1 Kings 12:1 (v7) Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.
  • 1 Kings 12:25 (v7) Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived in it; and he went out from there, and built Penuel.
  • 2 Kings 23:29-30 (v11) In his days Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates; and king Josiah went against him; and…
  • 1 Chronicles 6:67 (v7) They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its pasture lands, and Gezer with its pasture lands,
  • 1 Chronicles 6:70 (v11) and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its pasture lands, and Bileam with its pasture lands, for the rest of the family of the…
  • 2 Chronicles 35:22 (v11) Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and didn’t listen to the words…
  • Zechariah 12:11 (v11) In that day there will be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (17 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv5, 11 5. And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, etc…

5. And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, etc The children of Manasseh are in this passage classed under seven stems. Machir, the first-born, is placed apart; the other six follow. Here the question arises, How was the inheritance divided into ten parts? Some expositors cunningly disguise the difficulty; others, because they are unable to solve it, indulge in the merest trifling. It is certainly very absurd that four portions should be given to five daughters; and it is not a whit more congruous that their share should be doubled because their father was the first-born. It is beyond all controversy, that Gilead, son of Machir, and great-grandfather of the females of whom we are now speaking, chose his settlement in mount Gilead and Bashan. Therefore, seeing he had already obtained an inheritance by privilege without lot, he ought not to have obtained one by lot in the land of Canaan, unless perhaps he settled only a part of his family beyond the Jordan. For Hepher was one of his sons, but not the only one; and likewise the offspring of five other brothers might be distinguished into several heads according to the number of which the allocation by lot might be made. For it is not known in what degree families whose portion fell in the land of Canaan were taken. And all we read here is, that ten lots were east among the sons of Manasseh in addition to the country which they had formerly acquired for themselves beyond the Jordan. It is thus vain to dispute concerning the number, which cannot be ascertained with certainty from the present narrative, because the first thing necessary to be known is the exact number of families to whom the division was common. Nay, it is not impossible that the daughters of Selophead obtained their patrimony there. They are said, indeed, to have dwelt among the brethren of their father; but the place is not given. Be this as it may, I have no doubt that mutual equity was observed, and that after provision was made for others, the land which had been submitted to lot was distributed among ten families whose names are here omitted.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv5, 8, 9, 10 In the land of Canaan: five to the males:…
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv5–11 Jos 17:5 And there fell ten portions to Manasseh,…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv5, 6, 9, 10, 11 Ten portions; either,
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v7 We have here a short account of the lot…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv5–11 And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv5, 6, 9, 10, 11 Ten portions - Five for the sons, and five…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv5, 9, 10, 11 Verse 5. There fell ten portions to Manasseh] The…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv9–11 Jos 17:9. The coast of Manasseh was on the…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv5, 7, 9, 10, 11 Ten portions - i. e. five for the five…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv5, 7, 8, 10, 11 Jordan. Some of the families, which had possessions there…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv7, 9, 11 THIS COAST. (Jos 17:7-11)
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv5, 7, 9, 10, 11 [5. Ten portions — Or, ten measurements, alluding to…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv5–11 5. And there fell] The inheritance they claimed was…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 And there fell ten portions. Literally, and the measured…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv5, 7, 9, 11 Ten parcels of land were assigned
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv7, 8, 11 17:7-13 As with the tribe of Ephraim, Manasseh’s territory…
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