Joshua Chapter 17
Showing all 18 verses for Joshua Chapter 17.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan. "
"The tribe of Manasseh also received its own share of land, since Manasseh was Joseph's eldest son. Within that tribe, Machir - Manasseh's firstborn and the ancestor of the Gilead clan - was a proven fighter, so his family was granted the regions of Gilead and Bashan."
Machir's descendants received Gilead and Bashan because he was a man of war - courage and effort were honoured, but so was heritage as Joseph's firstborn line. Whatever gifts and hard work you bring to life, know that they matter to me and are never wasted, even when the reward looks different from what others receive.
"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. "
"The rest of Manasseh's descendants also received land, family by family: the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida. These were all the male lines descended from Manasseh, son of Joseph."
A long list of family clans receives their share - every single household named and counted, not lost in a crowd. You are never just a face in the multitude to me; I know your family, your name, and your particular portion.
"But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. "
"But Zelophehad - son of Hepher, grandson of Gilead, great-grandson of Machir, great-great-grandson of Manasseh - had no sons, only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah."
Zelophehad's five daughters - Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah - are named individually because their courage in asking for an inheritance mattered enough to be remembered by name. When you stand up for what is right and fair, even against custom, I remember your name too.
"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 brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father. "
"They went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua, and the tribal leaders and said, 'The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our male relatives.' So, in keeping with the LORD's instruction, they were given land among their father's brothers."
These daughters came boldly before the leaders and reminded them of a command from the LORD, and their claim was honoured in full. Do not be afraid to speak up for what God has promised you; a humble, respectful request rooted in truth will be heard.
"And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan; "
"So Manasseh received ten portions of land, not counting Gilead and Bashan on the other side of the Jordan."
Ten portions fell to Manasseh besides Gilead and Bashan - a generous, overflowing inheritance. God's provision is rarely stingy; when you trust him with your future, expect abundance rather than the bare minimum.
"Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead. "
"The daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons, while the rest of Manasseh's male line received the region of Gilead."
The daughters received an inheritance among the sons - a striking picture of fairness breaking through an unequal custom. I care about justice for those who are usually overlooked, and I ask you to care about it too.
"And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of Entappuah. "
"Manasseh's border ran from Asher to Michmethah, near Shechem, then continued south to the people living at Entappuah."
The border runs by Shechem, a city already rich with history from Abraham and Jacob's day. Your present inheritance often stands on ground your ancestors in faith already walked; you are part of a much longer story than you realise.
"Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim; "
"The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah itself, right on Manasseh's border, belonged to the tribe of Ephraim."
Tappuah belonged to Manasseh's territory, yet the city itself went to Ephraim - a small but telling example of boundaries requiring careful, generous sharing between brothers. Living peaceably with others sometimes means holding loosely to what is technically yours for the sake of harmony.
"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 sea: "
"The border went down to the Kanah ravine, south of the stream. Some towns there technically belonged to Ephraim even though they were among Manasseh's territory; Manasseh's border ran along the north side of the stream and ended at the sea."
The boundary follows the river Kanah, with cities of Ephraim tucked inside Manasseh's wider territory. Even when your life overlaps closely with someone else's, God still knows precisely what belongs to whom - he is not confused by shared spaces.
"Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east. "
"Ephraim held the land to the south, Manasseh the land to the north, with the sea as the western border. They shared a boundary with Asher to the north and with Issachar to the east."
Ephraim to the south, Manasseh to the north, meeting their neighbours Asher and Issachar - a picture of tribes standing side by side rather than in isolation. You are meant to live in community, bordered by others, not walled off alone.
"And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries. "
"Within the territory of Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also held Bethshean and its surrounding towns, Ibleam, Dor, Endor, Taanach and Megiddo, with their towns - covering three regions in total."
Manasseh held towns even inside Issachar and Asher's territory - inheritance that reached beyond the tribe's main borders. God's blessing on your life is not always confined to the obvious boundaries; it can show up in unexpected corners of your circumstances too.
"Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. "
"But the people of Manasseh were not able to drive out the residents of those towns; the Canaanites went on living there."
Manasseh could not drive out every inhabitant of these cities, and the Canaanites held on. Even strong, blessed people face resistance and unfinished battles; struggling with something does not mean you have lost God's favour.
"Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out. "
"Later, once the Israelites had grown stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work for them, but still never fully drove them out."
When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to tribute rather than driving them out fully - settling for control instead of complete obedience. Partial obedience can feel like progress, but I want your whole heart, not just enough compliance to get by.
"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 blessed me hitherto? "
"The tribes descended from Joseph said to Joshua, 'Why have you given us only one allotment, one portion of land, when we are such a large people, seeing how the LORD has blessed us?'"
The children of Joseph complain that one lot is not enough for so great a people - an honest, if slightly grumbling, expression of feeling shortchanged. I welcome your honest questions and frustrations; bringing them to me, as Joseph's children did to Joshua, is far better than silent resentment.
"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, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee. "
"Joshua answered them, 'If you're such a large people, then go up into the forest country and clear ground for yourselves there, in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, if the hill country of Ephraim is too cramped for you.'"
Joshua does not simply hand Joseph's children more land; he challenges them to go and clear the forest themselves. Sometimes the answer to feeling you have too little is not more given to you, but the courage to go and work for what is already within reach.
"And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel. "
"The tribes of Joseph replied, 'The hill country isn't enough for us - and besides, all the Canaanites living in the valley have iron chariots, both those in Bethshean and its towns and those in the Valley of Jezreel.'"
Joseph's children protest that the Canaanites have iron chariots, seeing only the obstacle rather than the opportunity. Fear of an enemy's strength can blind you to the resources and calling you already have; do not let what frightens you have the final word.
"And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: "
"Joshua said to the house of Joseph - Ephraim and Manasseh - 'You are a large and powerful people; you will not have only one allotment.'"
Joshua affirms them warmly - you are a great people with great power - before giving them a challenge. I lead the same way: I speak identity and strength into you before I ever ask you to step out in faith.
"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: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong. "
"'The hill country will be yours as well - it's forested, so clear it, and its full extent will belong to you. And you will drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and are strong.'"
Joshua promises the mountain and the forest will be theirs, and that they will drive out the Canaanites despite the iron chariots - a call to trust and effort together. I will give you what you need to overcome what frightens you, but I still ask you to pick up the axe and start clearing.