Berean Study Bible Manasseh’s Western InheritanceManasseh received an inheritance both east and west of the Jordan, reflecting the tribe’s growth and the earlier conquests under Moses. Joshua 17 chiefly records the western portion, while acknowledging the territory already secured east of the river. Jos 13:29-31 This is what Moses had given to the clans… as Joseph’s firstborn son, Joseph received a double inheritance in Israel through his sons Ephraim and Manasseh, whom Jacob counted among his own sons. Although Manasseh was Joseph’s firstborn, Jacob gave the greater tribal prominence to Ephraim, yet both sons shared fully in the covenant inheritance. 1Ch 5:1-2 These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel.… namely for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh Machir was Manasseh’s firstborn son and the leading ancestral line within the tribe. His descendants became a powerful clan whose inheritance was connected with their courage in Israel’s conquest. Num 26:29-34 These were the descendants of Manasseh:… and father of the Gileadites, The Gileadites descended from Machir and settled in the hill country of Gilead east of the Jordan. Their name became associated with the fertile and strategic region they possessed. 1Ch 2:21-23 Later, Hezron slept with the daughter of Machir… who had received Gilead and Bashan Moses had assigned Gilead and Bashan to the descendants of Machir after Israel defeated Sihon and Og (Numbers 32:39–40; Deuteronomy 3:13–15). The territory provided rich pastureland and formed Israel’s eastern frontier. Deu 3:13-15 To the half-tribe of Manasseh I gave the rest of Gilead… because Machir was a man of war. Machir’s household had distinguished itself in battle and had taken possession of the land allotted to it. Their inheritance testified that God’s promises were fulfilled through faithful obedience and the strength He supplied for Israel’s conquest. 1Ch 5:18-22 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh… So this allotment was for the rest of the descendants of Manasseh— Manasseh’s eastern half-tribe had already received Gilead and Bashan through Machir, Manasseh’s firstborn (Joshua 17:1). The remaining clans received their inheritance west of the Jordan, demonstrating that God’s promise of land extended to every branch of Joseph’s family. Jos 13:29-31 This is what Moses had given to the clans… the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These clan leaders descended from Manasseh through Gilead and were counted among Israel in the wilderness census (Numbers 26:29–32). Abiezer later became the clan of Gideon, whom the Lord raised up to deliver Israel from Midianite oppression (Judges 6:11). Hepher’s line included Zelophehad, whose daughters would receive an inheritance when no sons remained in their father’s household (Joshua 17:3–6). Num 26:29-34 These were the descendants of Manasseh:… These are the other male descendants of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. Joseph’s inheritance was preserved through both Ephraim and Manasseh, fulfilling Jacob’s adoption and blessing of Joseph’s sons (Genesis 48:5–6). The careful naming of clans shows that Israel’s inheritance rested upon God’s covenant faithfulness, reaching households and generations according to His appointed order. Gen 48:5-6 And now your two sons born to you in Egypt… But Zelophehad son of Hepher (the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh) Zelophehad belonged to the clan of Gilead within the tribe of Manasseh, tracing his line through Joseph. His family therefore shared fully in the covenant inheritance promised to Israel. Although branches of Manasseh had settled east of the Jordan, Joshua 17 concerns the tribal inheritance in Canaan, where Zelophehad’s household was entitled to a lasting portion among its people. Num 26:29-34 These were the descendants of Manasseh:… had no sons but only daughters. Zelophehad died without a male heir, a circumstance that could have caused his name and property to disappear from the tribal records. His daughters brought their case before Moses, Eleazar, the leaders, and the whole congregation. The Lord ruled that they were right to receive their father’s inheritance, preserving both Zelophehad’s name and his family’s place within Manasseh (Numbers 27:1–11). 1Ch 2:34-35 Sheshan had no sons, but only daughters.… These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah acted together in faith and obedience, seeking the inheritance God had allotted to their family. Their names are preserved in Scripture because the Lord established their appeal as a matter of justice in Israel. Later, they married within the tribe of Manasseh so that their inheritance would remain connected to their father’s clan and would not pass to another tribe (Numbers 36:1–12). Num 27:1-11 Now the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher… They approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, The daughters of Zelophehad came before Israel’s recognized spiritual, national, and tribal authorities. Eleazar represented priestly oversight under the law of God, while Joshua administered the division of the land as Moses’ appointed successor. Their orderly appeal honored the structure God had established for governing His covenant people. Num 27:2 the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, stood before Moses,… and said, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah appealed to the ruling God had given through Moses after their father died without sons (Numbers 27:1–11). Their request rested not upon personal preference but upon the Lord’s command. God preserved Zelophehad’s family name and granted his daughters a rightful share within Manasseh’s inheritance. Num 27:7 “The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly.”… So Joshua gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers, Joshua fulfilled the earlier ruling by assigning the daughters land among the clans descended from Manasseh. Their inheritance demonstrated that the Lord’s justice extended to households that might otherwise have been left without property or remembrance in Israel. The grant also upheld the covenant promise that every Israelite family would have a place in the land God gave His people. Num 27:8 Furthermore, you shall say to the Israelites,… in keeping with the command of the LORD. Israel’s leaders acted under God’s authority rather than their own discretion. Joshua’s obedience confirmed the continuity of God’s word from Moses’ leadership into the settlement of Canaan. The Lord faithfully provided an earthly inheritance for His people, anticipating the secure and unfading inheritance He gives to all who belong to Christ. Jos 11:15 As the LORD had commanded His servant Moses,… Thus ten shares fell to Manasseh, The allotment included the inheritance granted to Zelophehad’s five daughters alongside the portions assigned through the male clan lines. Their inheritance fulfilled the Lord’s command given through Moses, preserving their father’s name and property within Manasseh (Numbers 27:1–11). God’s ordering of the land demonstrated that every household mattered within His covenant people. Num 26:54-56 Increase the inheritance for a large tribe… in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan The half-tribe of Manasseh had already received these fertile territories east of the Jordan after helping conquer them under Moses (Numbers 32:39–42). Gilead and Bashan provided pastureland and strong cities, displaying the abundance of God’s provision for Joseph’s descendants. Deu 3:13-15 To the half-tribe of Manasseh I gave the rest of Gilead… beyond the Jordan, Manasseh’s inheritance on both sides of the river joined the Transjordan tribes to the tribes settled in Canaan. Though separated by the Jordan, they remained one people under the Lord, sharing in the same covenant, worship, and calling. Deu 3:20 until the LORD gives rest to your brothers… because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. Zelophehad’s five daughters—Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah—received the inheritance their father would have held, according to the command God gave through Moses (Numbers 27:1–11). Their faith-filled appeal preserved their father’s name and portion within Manasseh. God’s ruling established that a family without sons was not to lose its inheritance, while later instructions safeguarded tribal boundaries by requiring heiresses to marry within their tribe (Numbers 36:1–12). Their inclusion among the sons of Manasseh demonstrates that the Lord’s covenant justice protected families who might otherwise have been overlooked. Num 27:7 “The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly.”… And the land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh. The remaining Manassite clans possessed Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan, land granted to the half-tribe of Manasseh before Israel crossed into Canaan (Numbers 32:33, 39–42). Thus Manasseh received an inheritance on both sides of the Jordan: Gilead for the eastern half-tribe and territory in central Canaan for the western half. Gilead later figured prominently in Israel’s history as the homeland of Jephthah and Elijah. The division of Manasseh’s inheritance shows the Lord’s faithfulness to assign a secure portion to every clan according to His promise. Jos 13:29-31 This is what Moses had given to the clans… Now the border of Manasseh went from Asher Asher marked a boundary point within or near Manasseh’s allotted inheritance, not the territory of the tribe of Asher in the north. Manasseh received a large and significant portion of central Canaan as Joseph’s firstborn son, though Joseph’s inheritance was divided between Manasseh and Ephraim. The carefully defined borders demonstrated that the land was given by the Lord according to His covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jos 16:1-4 The allotment for the descendants of Joseph extended… to Michmethath near Shechem, Michmethath lay near Shechem, an important city in the central hill country. Shechem was associated with Abraham’s first altar in Canaan, Jacob’s return to the land, and Israel’s later renewal of covenant commitments under Joshua. Its presence near Manasseh’s boundary linked the tribal inheritance with places that bore witness to God’s faithfulness across generations. Jos 16:6 and out toward the Sea. From Michmethath on the north… then southward to include the inhabitants of En-tappuah. En-tappuah, meaning the spring of Tappuah, marked another settled point along the boundary. The border’s movement southward distinguished Manasseh’s territory from that of Ephraim, while both tribes shared the inheritance of Joseph. God’s provision included not only broad regions but also towns, springs, fields, and people dwelling within the land He had promised to give Israel. Jos 16:8 From Tappuah the border went westward to the Brook of Kanah… The region of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, This phrase indicates the allocation of land to the tribe of Manasseh, one of the sons of Joseph. The division of land among the tribes of Israel was a fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham regarding the inheritance of the land of Canaan. Tappuah, meaning “apple” in Hebrew, was a region that held agricultural significance, which aligns with the blessings pronounced over Joseph’s descendants in Genesis 49:22. The allocation of land to Manasseh reflects the tribe’s significant size and importance, as Manasseh was one of the larger tribes, receiving a substantial inheritance on both sides of the Jordan River. 1Ch 7:28-29 Their holdings and settlements included Bethel and… but Tappuah itself, on the border of Manasseh, belonged to Ephraim. The city was assigned to Ephraim even though the surrounding territory belonged to Manasseh, preserving the distinct inheritances of Joseph’s two tribes. Such boundary arrangements required peaceful cooperation among brethren who shared a common father, covenant, and calling. Ephraim’s possession also accords with Jacob’s blessing, which placed the younger Ephraim before Manasseh and foretold his greater prominence among Israel. Jos 16:8 From Tappuah the border went westward to the Brook of Kanah… From there the border continued southward to the Brook of Kanah. The Brook of Kanah formed part of the boundary between Ephraim and Manasseh in the central hill country of Canaan. Its course provided a recognizable landmark for preserving the inheritance assigned by the Lord. Israel’s tribal boundaries testified that the land was God’s gift, distributed according to His command rather than seized as a merely human possession. Jos 16:8 From Tappuah the border went westward to the Brook of Kanah… There were cities belonging to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim possessed designated cities within Manasseh’s territory, reflecting the close bond between the two tribes descended from Joseph. Their shared ancestry did not erase the distinct inheritance of each tribe, but it encouraged cooperation and mutual responsibility. The arrangement also fulfilled the prominence promised to Joseph’s sons through Jacob’s blessing. Jos 16:9 along with all the cities and villages set apart… but the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook Manasseh’s territory lay north of the Brook of Kanah, while Ephraim’s inheritance extended southward. Clear boundaries guarded each tribe’s allotted possession and prevented future disputes. Manasseh’s inheritance was especially extensive, including land on both sides of the Jordan River. 1Ch 7:29 And along the borders of Manasseh were Beth-shean, Taanach,… and ended at the Sea. The boundary reached the Mediterranean Sea, the western limit of the land promised to Israel. The sea marked the completion of Manasseh’s western border and demonstrated the tangible fulfillment of God’s covenant promise to give Abraham’s descendants the land of Canaan. Jos 15:12 And the western border was the coastline of the Great Sea.… Ephraim’s territory was to the south, Ephraim received the southern portion of Joseph’s inheritance, adjoining Benjamin and lying near the central hill country. Jacob had given Ephraim the greater blessing over Manasseh, and the tribe later became prominent in Israel’s leadership. Joshua himself was an Ephraimite, and Shiloh, where the tabernacle stood for many years, lay within Ephraim’s territory. Ezk 48:5-6 Ephraim will have one portion bordering the territory… and Manasseh’s was to the north, The western half of Manasseh occupied the land north of Ephraim, while the other half had already received territory east of the Jordan. Though Manasseh was Joseph’s firstborn, the two tribes shared a common inheritance and were expected to live as brothers under the covenant God had given their fathers. Ezk 48:3-5 Naphtali will have one portion bordering the territory… having the Sea as its border The Mediterranean Sea formed the western boundary of the Joseph tribes’ allotment. Its presence gave the land access to major trade routes, yet the coastal plain also brought Israel into conflict with the Philistines and other peoples who resisted Israel’s possession of the land. Num 34:6 Your western border will be the coastline of the Great Sea;… and adjoining Asher on the north Manasseh’s northern boundary reached toward Asher, whose inheritance extended along the northern coast. The placement of these tribes joined Israel’s central highlands with the fertile northern regions and called them to guard the land entrusted to them. Jos 19:24-31 The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher:… and Issachar on the east. Issachar bordered Manasseh on the east in and around the productive Jezreel Valley. The orderly arrangement of these tribal territories displayed God’s faithfulness in giving Israel the land He had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jos 19:17-23 The fourth lot came out for the clans… Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Manasseh received designated cities within the broader territories of Issachar and Asher, showing that Israel’s tribal inheritance included enclaves and shared boundary regions. The western half-tribe of Manasseh occupied land west of the Jordan in fulfillment of Jacob’s blessing upon Joseph’s sons and God’s covenant promise to Israel. Jos 19:17-23 The fourth lot came out for the clans… Beth-shean, Beth-shean stood at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley near the Jordan Valley, making it a vital military and commercial center. Its later association with Saul’s death reveals the continuing Canaanite and Philistine presence in a city Israel was called to possess. 1Sa 31:10 They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths… Ibleam, Ibleam lay along important routes through the Jezreel Valley and helped control movement between the coastal plain and the Jordan region. King Ahaziah was wounded near Ibleam during Jehu’s judgment upon the house of Ahab. 2Ki 9:27 When King Ahaziah of Judah saw this, he fled up the road…… Dor (that is, Naphath), Dor was a prominent coastal city whose harbor supported trade and foreign influence. Naphath appears to identify the surrounding district connected with Dor, extending Manasseh’s assigned influence toward the Mediterranean coast. Jos 12:23 the king of Dor in Naphath-dor, one; the king of Goiim… Endor, Endor lay near Mount Tabor and became notorious as the place where Saul sought a medium on the eve of his death. Saul’s disobedience there stands in sharp contrast to the covenant faithfulness God required from Israel’s kings. 1Sa 28:7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman”… Taanach, Taanach guarded a strategic approach through the Jezreel Valley. Deborah’s song recalls the defeat of Canaanite kings near Taanach, displaying God’s power to deliver His people against stronger enemies. Jdg 5:19 Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan… and Megiddo, Megiddo commanded one of the chief international highways connecting Egypt and Mesopotamia. Its many battles made it an enduring symbol of conflict, later reflected in the name Armageddon, derived from the hill of Megiddo. 2Ki 23:29 During Josiah’s reign, Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt… each with their surrounding settlements. The villages belonging to these cities provided farmland, labor, defenses, and access to regional trade. Manasseh’s inheritance carried both privilege and responsibility: God had granted the land, but His people were required to drive out Canaanite idolatry and live faithfully within it. Jos 21:42 Each of these cities had its own surrounding pasturelands;… But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these cities, Manasseh’s inheritance included important Canaanite strongholds within the territories of Issachar and Asher, including Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor, Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo. Control of these cities would have secured major trade routes and strategic valleys. Yet Manasseh did not take full possession of what God had assigned. Their failure left Canaanite populations and pagan centers within Israel’s midst, contrary to the command to drive out the inhabitants of the land. Jdg 1:27 At that time Manasseh failed to drive out… because the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land. The Canaanites’ resistance was real, but their continued presence also exposed Israel’s incomplete faith and obedience. God had promised His help in the conquest, but Israel was not to make peace with the nations whose idolatry would draw them away from the Lord. Later, Manasseh subjected some Canaanites to forced labor rather than removing them completely, preserving a source of wealth while tolerating a spiritual danger. The unfinished conquest became a lasting weakness, contributing to the compromises and conflicts that marked the period of the judges. Jdg 1:28 When Israel became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites… However, when the Israelites grew stronger, Israel’s increased strength displayed God’s faithfulness in establishing His people in the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Growing population, secured territory, and military stability gave the tribes of Manasseh the ability to act decisively within their inheritance. Jdg 1:35 And the Amorites were determined to dwell in Mount Heres… they put the Canaanites to forced labor; Manasseh chose economic advantage over full obedience by retaining the Canaanite population as a source of labor. God had commanded Israel to remove the Canaanite peoples so that their idolatry and corrupt practices would not become a snare to His covenant people (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 20:16–18). Jdg 1:28 When Israel became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites… but they failed to drive them out completely. Partial obedience left enduring centers of Canaanite influence within Israel’s inheritance. The failure prepared the way for later compromise, idolatry, and oppression recorded in Judges. Strength without wholehearted obedience could not secure the spiritual purity God required of His people. Jos 15:63 But the descendants of Judah could not drive out… Then the sons of Joseph said to Joshua, Ephraim and Manasseh spoke together as Joseph’s descendants, who had received a double inheritance through Jacob’s adoption of Joseph’s two sons as his own (Genesis 48:5). Joshua belonged to Ephraim, yet he governed Israel under the LORD’s authority and was not to favor his own tribe. Jos 16:1-4 The allotment for the descendants of Joseph extended… “Why have you given us only one portion as an inheritance? The house of Joseph regarded its allotted territory as inadequate, though Manasseh had already received land on both sides of the Jordan and Ephraim held a substantial central inheritance. Their complaint revealed the practical pressures created by their growing numbers, but it also anticipated Joshua’s call for them to act in faith and take possession of land not yet cleared or subdued. Gen 48:22 And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give… We have many people, Joseph’s descendants had become one of Israel’s strongest tribal groupings, in keeping with Jacob’s blessing that Ephraim and Manasseh would become a multitude among the nations (Genesis 48:16). Their strength brought responsibility as well as privilege; a large people required them to cultivate difficult ground and drive out remaining Canaanite resistance. Gen 48:19 But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!”… because the LORD has blessed us abundantly.” Their increase was rightly attributed to the LORD, who had fulfilled His covenant promises to multiply Abraham’s descendants and had especially blessed Joseph’s line (Genesis 49:22–26). Yet the blessing they claimed required a faithful response. God’s gifts were not grounds for dissatisfaction but for courageous obedience in receiving all that He had provided. Deu 33:13-17 Concerning Joseph he said: “May his land be blessed… Joshua answered them, Joshua responded to Ephraim and the western half-tribe of Manasseh after they complained that their allotted territory was insufficient. As Israel’s covenant leader, Joshua upheld the inheritance assigned by the Lord while directing the tribes to act faithfully within it. Jos 18:3-4 So Joshua said to the Israelites, “How long will you put off… “If you have so many people Joseph’s descendants had become a strong and populous house in Israel, in keeping with Jacob’s blessing upon Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:19–20). Their numbers were not merely grounds for complaint but evidence of God’s faithfulness and a reason to undertake greater responsibility. Deu 1:10-11 The LORD your God has multiplied you, so that you are… that the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, The central highlands provided Ephraim with an important homeland, but the tribe sought additional settled land. Joshua did not deny their need; he challenged them to possess territory that remained undeveloped and contested. 2Ki 6:1 Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha,… go to the forest and clear for yourself an area The wooded regions required labor before they could support farms, homes, and towns. God’s gift of inheritance did not remove the need for courage, effort, and obedience. Israel was to cultivate what the Lord had given and press forward rather than surrendering to difficulty. Psa 80:8-9 You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations… in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim.” The Perizzites and Rephaim represented established Canaanite peoples whose presence made expansion dangerous. The Rephaim were remembered as formidable warriors of unusual stature. Joshua called Joseph’s tribes to confront these obstacles in reliance on the Lord, whose promise was greater than the strength of the inhabitants. Gen 15:20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, “The hill country is not enough for us,” Ephraim and the western half-tribe of Manasseh considered their inheritance inadequate for their large clans. Their allotted territory included fertile but forested and rugged highlands, requiring labor, courage, and continued conquest before its full potential could be realized. Jdg 1:34 The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country… they replied, The descendants of Joseph brought their concern directly to Joshua, who belonged to Ephraim. Their appeal exposed a tension between possessing an assigned inheritance and taking practical responsibility to occupy it in faith. Num 13:31 But the men who had gone up with him replied,… “and all the Canaanites who live in the valley have iron chariots, The broad valleys offered ideal terrain for chariots, and the Canaanite forces possessed a military advantage that Israel could not overcome by human strength alone. Iron-reinforced chariots appeared formidable, but they could not nullify God’s promise or excuse Israel from obeying His command to drive out the inhabitants. Jdg 1:19 The LORD was with Judah; they took possession… both in Beth-shean with its towns Beth-shean stood near the Jordan Valley and controlled important routes connecting the Jezreel Valley with the region east of the Jordan. Its surrounding settlements strengthened Canaanite control of the lowland approaches. 1Ch 7:29 And along the borders of Manasseh were Beth-shean, Taanach,… and in the Valley of Jezreel.” The Valley of Jezreel was a fertile and strategic plain that later became the setting for major battles in Israel’s history. Joseph’s tribes saw the strength of their enemies, but Joshua directed them to clear the forested hill country and promised that they would drive out the Canaanites despite their chariots, because the Lord had given them the land. Jdg 6:33 Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people… So Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh— Joshua spoke to the two tribes descended from Joseph, whom Jacob had adopted as his own sons and granted a double inheritance among Israel (Genesis 48:5, 22). Ephraim and Manasseh held a prominent place in the nation, and Joshua himself belonged to Ephraim. Their request for additional territory reflected both their growing numbers and the responsibility to establish their families securely in the land God had given them. Jos 14:4 The descendants of Joseph became two tribes… “You have many people and great strength. Joshua affirmed their population and military capacity rather than dismissing their concern. Joseph’s descendants had received rich blessings through Jacob, who described Joseph as fruitful and enduring through the strength supplied by the God of Jacob (Genesis 49:22–24). Their strength was not merely a privilege to claim greater land; it was a calling to take possession of territory still occupied by Canaanites. Gen 48:19 But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!”… You shall not have just one allotment, The inheritance of Joseph would extend beyond the boundaries they first considered sufficient. Joshua directed them toward the forested hill country and charged them to clear it and drive out the Canaanites, even though those enemies possessed iron chariots (Joshua 17:18). God’s provision did not excuse Israel from courageous obedience. The tribes were to act in faith, using the strength God had already given them to receive the fullness of their inheritance. Gen 48:22 And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give… because the hill country will be yours as well. Joshua assured the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh that their inheritance was not limited to the territory already assigned. The mountainous central region of Canaan belonged to Joseph’s descendants by God’s appointment. Its elevation offered protection and strategic strength, while its valleys and slopes could sustain a growing population. Jos 14:12 Now therefore give me this hill country… It is a forest; clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours. Much of the allotted land required labor before it could be fully occupied and cultivated. Israel was not to treat God’s promise as a substitute for obedience, courage, and diligent stewardship. By clearing the wooded land and establishing homes, fields, and towns, Joseph’s tribes would take possession of all God had given them. Deu 7:22 The LORD your God will drive out these nations… Although the Canaanites have iron chariots and although they are strong, The Canaanites possessed military resources that inspired fear, especially in the plains where chariots could be deployed effectively. Their strength did not cancel God’s covenant gift or place the land beyond Israel’s reach. Israel’s future depended upon trusting the Lord rather than measuring victory by the apparent superiority of its enemies. Jos 11:4-6 So these kings came out with all their armies,… you can drive them out.” Joshua’s confidence rested on the Lord, who had promised to give Canaan to Abraham’s descendants and to remove its idolatrous inhabitants in His judgment. The tribes of Joseph were called to act in faith and carry out the conquest entrusted to them. God’s people still face opposition beyond their natural ability, yet His promises summon them to faithful obedience rather than retreat. Deu 9:3-4 But understand that today the LORD your God goes across… This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com. Bible Hub |
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