The Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh

Joshua 16

1 And the lot of the sons of Joseph fell from the Jordan of Jericho unto the water of Jericho towards the east to the wilderness that goes up from Jericho to Mount Bethel, 2 and from Bethel going to Luz and passing the border of Archi in Ataroth, 3 and turns to descend to the westward sea to the border of Japhleti until the border of Bethhoron the lower, and to Gezer, and comes out at the sea.

4 So the sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.

5 And this was the border of the sons of Ephraim according to their families; this was the border of their inheritance on the east side from Atarothaddar unto Bethhoron the upper; 6 and this border comes out to the sea and to Michmethah on the north side; and this border goes around eastward unto Taanathshiloh and from here passes on the east to Janohah; 7 and from Janohah it goes down to Ataroth and to Naarath, and touches in Jericho and comes out at the Jordan. 8 And from Tappuah this border turns towards the westward sea at the river Kanah and comes out at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim by their families. 9 There were also cities separated for the sons of Ephraim among the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages. 10 And they did not drive out the Canaanite that dwelt in Gezer, but the Canaanite remained in the midst of Ephraim unto this day and served under tribute.

Joshua 17

1 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph. Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh and father of Gilead, who was a man of war, had Gilead and Bashan. 2 There was also a lot for the rest of the sons of Manasseh by their families: for the sons of Abiezer and for the sons of Helek and for the sons of Asriel and for the sons of Shechem, and for the sons of Hepher and for the sons of Shemida: these were the male sons of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, by 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, and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest and before Joshua, the son of Nun, and before the princes and said, 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. 5 And there fell ten portions to Manasseh besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side of the Jordan, 6 because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons; and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead.

7 And the border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, which is before Shechem; and this border goes along on the right hand to the inhabitants of Entappuah. 8 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah; but the Tappuah next to the border of Manasseh belongs to the sons of Ephraim; 9 And this border descends to the river Kanah towards the Negev of the river. These cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh; and the border of Manasseh is from the north side of the same river, and it comes out at the sea. 10 Ephraim towards the Negev and Manasseh to the north and the sea is his border; and they meet with Asher on the side of the north and with Issachar to the east. 11 And Manasseh also had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean 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, three provinces. 12 But the sons of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; to the contrary the Canaanite desired to dwell in that land. 13 Yet it came to pass when the sons of Israel waxed strong that they put the Canaanite under tribute, but did not utterly drive them out.

14 And the sons of Joseph spoke unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people and that the LORD has blessed me as such until now? 15 And Joshua answered them, If thou art such a great people, then go up to the forest and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzite and of the giants, if mountain of Ephraim is too narrow for thee. 16 And the sons of Joseph said, This mountain is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Bethshean and her towns, and those who are in the valley of Jezreel. 17 Then Joshua replied unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people and hast great strength; thou shalt not have only one lot; 18 but that mountain shall be thine, for it is a forest, and thou shalt cut it down, and the borders of it shall be thine; for thou shalt drive out the Canaanite, though he has iron chariots and though he is strong.

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