1There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph; for Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead; because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.
2There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by 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 sons of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, by their families.
3But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters; and these are their names: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
4And they approached Eleazar, the priest, Joshua, the son of Nun, and the princes, and said, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren”. And so, according to the commandment of the LORD, he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
5And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side of the Jordan,
6Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons; and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.
7And the border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lies before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand to the inhabitants of En-tappuah.
8Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah; but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim;
9And the border descended to the river Kanah, south of the river. These cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the end of it was at the sea.
10Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh's, and the sea is its border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.
11And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher, Beth-shean and its towns, Ibleam and its towns, the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, the inhabitants of En-dor and its towns, the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, three countries.
12Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
13But when the children of Israel had become strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor; but did not completely drive them out.
14And the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, “Why have you given me only one lot and one portion to inherit, since I am a great people (numerous tribe), inasmuch as the LORD has blessed us abundantly?”
15And Joshua answered, “If you are a great people, then get you up to the forest area, and clear for yourself in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants there, if Mount Ephraim is not large enough for you”.
16And the children of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites that dwell in the plain (non hill country) in the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth-shean and its towns, and those who are of the valley of Jezreel”.
17And Joshua said to those of Joseph - to Ephraim and Manasseh, “You are a great people, and have great power; you shall not have only one lot,
18But the forested hill country shall be yours; and you shall clear it, and the borders of it shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, even if they have iron chariots, and they are strong”. Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |
    |