Joshua 17:2

There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by 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 by their families.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Joshua 17:2. A lot — A distinct inheritance. The rest — Namely, those of them which had not received their possessions beyond Jordan. Male children —

This expression is used to bring in what follows, concerning his female children.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

17:1-6 Manasseh was but half of the tribe of Joseph, yet it was divided into two parts. The daughters of Zelophehad now reaped the benefit of their pious zeal and prudent forecast. Those who take care in the wilderness of this world, to make sure to themselves a place in the inheritance of the saints in light, will have the comfort of it in the other world; while those who neglect it now, will lose it for ever. Lord, teach us here to believe and obey, and give us an inheritance among thy saints, in glory everlasting.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For the rest ... - i. e. for those who were not settled on the east of Jordan.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 17

Jos 17:1-6. Lot of Manasseh.

1-6. There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh—Ephraim was mentioned, as the more numerous and powerful branch of the family of Joseph (Ge 48:19, 20); but Manasseh still retained the right of primogeniture and had a separate inheritance assigned.

Machir—his descendants.

the father of Gilead—Though he had a son of that name (Nu 26:29; 27:1), yet, as is evident from the use of the Hebrew article, reference is made, not to the person, but the province of Gilead. "Father" here means lord or possessor of Gilead. This view is confirmed by the fact that it was not Machir, but his descendants, who subdued Gilead and Bashan (Nu 32:41; De 3:13-15). These Machirites had their portion on the east side of Jordan. The western portion of land, allotted to the tribe of Manasseh, was divided into ten portions because the male descendants who had sons consisted of five families, to which, consequently, five shares were given; and the sixth family, namely, the posterity of Hepher, being all women, the five daughters of Zelophehad were, on application to the valuators, endowed each with an inheritance in land (see on [197]Nu 27:4).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

A lot, or, a portion, or distinct inheritance.

The rest of the children of Manasseh, to wit, those of them which had not received their possessions beyond Jordan, Numbers 26:29, &c.

These were the male children: this expression is used to bring in what follows, concerning his female children.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families,.... For such that had no part in Gilead and Bashan on the other side Jordan, even for the other half tribe, whose families are particularly mentioned, as follows:

for the children of Abiezer; who is called Jeezer in Numbers 26:30; and was a son of Gilead, the son of Machir, as the rest that follow were:

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; hence the families of the Jeezerites, Helekites, Asrielites, Shechemites, Hepherites, and Shemidaites, mentioned in Numbers 26:30; and for which families was the lot here spoken of:

these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families; which is observed for the sake of, and to lead unto what follows, otherwise in common none but males inherited; but the following is an excepted and remarkable case.

Geneva Study Bible

There was also a lot for the {a} rest of the children of Manasseh by 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 by their families.

(a) For the other half tribe had their portion beyond Jordan.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. for the rest of the children of Manasseh] The descendants of Machir received their inheritance on the east of the Jordan, the descendants of Gilead on the west side, along with Ephraim. These—the rest of the children of Manasseh—were divided into six families.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - There was also a lot. Or, and (the lot) was (or fell). Abiezer (see Judges 6:11; Judges 8:2). Gideon, therefore, was of the tribe of Manasseh. He is called Jeezer in Numbers 26:30. The male children. Rather, the male descendants. None of the persons here mentioned were (Numbers 26:30, 31; 1 Chronicles 7:18) the sons of Manasseh. Joshua 17:2

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Before proceeding to the more detailed description of the inheritance, the historian thinks it necessary to observe that the Manassites received a double inheritance. This remark is introduced with the words "for he was the first-born of Joseph." On this account, in addition to the territory already given to him in Gilead and Bashan, he received a second allotment of territory in Canaan proper. With the word למכיר (for Machir) the more minute account of the division of the Manassites commences. וגו למכיר is first of all written absolutely at the beginning of the sentence, and then resumed in לו ויהי: "to Machir, the first-born of Manasseh ... to him were Gilead and Bashan assigned, because he was a man of war," i.e., a warlike man, and had earned for himself a claim to the inheritance of Gilead and Bashan through the peculiar bravery which he had displayed in the conquest of those lands. By Machir, however, we are not to understand the actual son of Manasseh, but his family; and הגּלעד אבי does not mean "father of Gilead," but lord (possessor) of Gilead, for Machir's son Gilead is always called גלעד without the article (vid., Joshua 17:3; Numbers 26:29-30; Numbers 27:1; Numbers 36:1; 1 Chronicles 7:17), whereas the country of that name is just as constantly called הגּלעד (see Joshua 17:1, the last clause, Joshua 17:5; Joshua 13:11, Joshua 13:31; Numbers 32:40; Deuteronomy 3:10.). "And there came, i.e., the lot fell (the lot is to be repeated from Joshua 17:1), to the other descendants of Manasseh according to their families," which are then enumerated as in Numbers 26:30-32. "These are the male descendants of Manasseh." הזּכרים must not be altered, notwithstanding the fact that it is preceded and followed by הגּותרים; it is evidently used deliberately as an antithesis to the female descendants of Manasseh mentioned in Joshua 17:3.