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Chapter 16

The Joseph Tribes.[a] The lot that fell to the Josephites extended from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho east of the wilderness; then the boundary went up from Jericho to the heights at Bethel.[b] Leaving Bethel for Luz, it crossed the ridge to the border of the Archites at Ataroth, and descended westward to the border of the Japhletites, to that of the Lower Beth-horon, and to Gezer, and from there to the sea.(A)

Ephraim. Within the heritage of Manasseh and Ephraim, sons of Joseph, the dividing line[c] for the heritage of the Ephraimites by their clans ran from east of Ataroth-addar to Upper Beth-horon(B) and thence to the sea. From Michmethath(C) on the north, their boundary curved eastward around Taanath-shiloh, and continued east of it to Janoah; from there it descended to Ataroth and Naarah, and reaching Jericho, it ended at the Jordan. From Tappuah the boundary ran westward to the Wadi Kanah and ended at the sea. This was the heritage of the Ephraimites by their clans, including the villages that belonged to each city set aside for the Ephraimites within the heritage of the Manassites. 10 But they did not dispossess the Canaanites living in Gezer;(D) they live within Ephraim to the present day, though they have been put to forced labor.

Footnotes

  1. 16:1–17:18 After the boundaries and cities of Judah, the most important tribe, are given, the land of the next most important group, the two Joseph tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, is described, though it was separated from Judah by the territories of Benjamin (18:11–20) and Dan (19:40–48).
  2. 16:1–3 This line formed the southern boundary of Ephraim and the northern boundaries of Benjamin and of Dan.
  3. 16:5 The dividing line: separating Ephraim from Manasseh. Ephraim’s northern border (v. 5) is given in an east-to-west direction; its eastern border (vv. 6–7) in a north-to-south direction.

Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh

16 The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan, east of the springs of Jericho, and went up from there through the desert(A) into the hill country of Bethel.(B) It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz(C)),[a] crossed over to the territory of the Arkites(D) in Ataroth,(E) descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon(F) and on to Gezer,(G) ending at the Mediterranean Sea.

So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.(H)

This was the territory of Ephraim, according to its clans:

The boundary of their inheritance went from Ataroth Addar(I) in the east to Upper Beth Horon(J) and continued to the Mediterranean Sea. From Mikmethath(K) on the north it curved eastward to Taanath Shiloh, passing by it to Janoah(L) on the east. Then it went down from Janoah(M) to Ataroth(N) and Naarah, touched Jericho and came out at the Jordan. From Tappuah(O) the border went west to the Kanah Ravine(P) and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites, according to its clans. It also included all the towns and their villages that were set aside for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites.(Q)

10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.(R)

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 16:2 Septuagint; Hebrew Bethel to Luz