Bible Commentaries

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.

And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our ^b brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.

(b) Among them of our tribe.

And there fell ten portions to ^c Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which [were] on the other side Jordan;

(c) In the land of canaan: five to the males: and other five to the daughters of Zelophehad.

[Now] Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but ^d Tappuah on the border of Manasseh [belonged] to the children of Ephraim;

(d) Meaning, the city itself.

And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim [are] among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also [was] on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the ^e sea:

(e) That is, toward the main sea.

Southward [it was] Ephraim's, and northward [it was] Manasseh's, and the sea is his border; and they met together in ^f Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.

(f) In the tribe of Asher, and tribe of Issachar.

Yet the children of Manasseh ^g could not drive out [the inhabitants of] those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

(g) For at first they lacked courage, and later agreed with them on condition, contrary to God's commandment.

And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me [but] one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I [am] a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath ^h blessed me hitherto?

(h) According to my father Jacob's prophecy, (Genesis 48:19).

And Joshua answered them, If thou [be] a great people, [then] get thee up to the wood [country], and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, ⁱ if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.

(i) If this mount is not large enough, why do you not get more by destroying God's enemies, as he has commanded.

But the mountain shall be thine; for it [is] a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: ^k for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, [and] though they [be] strong.

(k) So that you shall enlarge your portion by it.