< Joshua 17 >

1 This was the allocation to the tribe of Manasseh, Joseph's firstborn son. Machir was Manasseh's firstborn son who was the father of Gilead. Because Machir had been an excellent fighter, Gilead and Bashan had already been allocated to him.
This was also the lot of the tribe of Manasseh: for he was the first borne of Ioseph, to wit, of Machir the first borne of Manasseh, and the father of Gilead: nowe because he was a man of warre, he had Gilead and Bashan.
2 The allocation was for the rest of the tribe of Manasseh, to the families of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These were the male descendants of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, by families.
And also of the rest of the sonnes of Manasseh by their families, euen of the sonnes of Abiezer, and of the sonnes of Helek, and of ye sonnes of Azriel, and of the sonnes of Shechem, and of the sonnes of Hepher, and of the sonnes of Shemida: these were the males of Manasseh, the sonne of Ioseph according to their families.
3 But Zelophehad, son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons. He only had daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
But Zelophehad the sonne of Hephir, the sonne of Gilead, the sonne of Machir, ye sonne of Manasseh, had no sonnes, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah:
4 They approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the leaders, and told them, “The Lord ordered Moses to give us an allocation of land along with our brothers.” So Joshua allotted land to them along with their brothers, as the Lord had ordered.
Which came before Eleazar the Priest, and before Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The Lord commanded Moses to giue vs an inheritance among our brethren: therefore according to the commandement of the Lord he gaue them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
5 Consequently Manasseh received ten shares of land beside the land of Gilead and Bashan on the other side of the Jordan,
And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side Iorden,
6 because the daughters of the tribe of Manasseh received an allocation along with the sons. (The land of Gilead had been allotted to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh).
Because the daughters of Manasseh did inherite among his sonnes: and Manassehs other sonnes had the land of Gilead.
7 The boundary of the tribe of Manasseh ran from Asher to Michmethath, near Shechem, then south to the spring of Tappuah.
So the borders of Manasseh were from Asher to Michmethah that lieth before Shechem, and this border goeth on the right hand, euen vnto the inhabitants of En-tappuah.
8 The land around Tappuah was allocated to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah, which was on the border of Manasseh's land, was allocated to Ephraim.
The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah beside the border of Manasseh belongeth to the sonnes of Ephraim.
9 From there the boundary ran down to the valley of Kenah. South of the valley some of the towns belonged to Ephraim among the towns of Manasseh. The boundary ran along the north side of the valley and ended at the sea.
Also this border goeth downe vnto the riuer Kanah Southward to the riuer: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: and the border of Manasseh is on the Northside of the riuer, and the endes of it are at the Sea,
10 To the south the land belonged to Ephraim, and to the north, to Manasseh. The sea is the boundary. The boundary to the north was with Asher, and with Issachar to the east.
The South perteyneth to Ephraim, and the North to Manasseh, and the Sea is his border: and they met together in Asher Northwarde, and in Issachar Eastward.
11 The following towns with their associated villages were allocated to Manasseh but lay within the land of Issachar and Asher: Beth-shan, Ibleam, Dor (on the coast), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo.
And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher, Beth-shean, and her townes, and Ibleam, and her townes, and the inhabitants of Dor with ye townes thereof, and the inhabitants of En-dor with the townes thereof, and the inhabitants of Thaanach with her townes, and the inhabitants of Megiddo with the townes of the same, euen three countreis.
12 But the descendants of Manasseh could not take possession of these towns because the Canaanites were determined to go on occupying the land.
Yet the children of Manasseh coulde not destroy those cities, but the Canaanites dwelled still in that land.
13 However, later on, when the Israelites grew strong enough, they made the Canaanites do forced labor—but they did not drive them out.
Neuerthelesse, when the children of Israel were strong, they put the Canaanites vnder tribute, but cast them not out wholy.
14 Then the descendants of Joseph came to Joshua and asked him, “Why have you given us only one allocation—only one share of the land—when there's so many of us because the Lord has blessed us so much?”
Then the children of Ioseph spake vnto Ioshua, saying, Why hast thou giuen me but one lot, and one portion to inherite, seeing I am a great people, for as much as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?
15 Joshua told them, “If there's so many of you, if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, then go and clear ground for yourselves from the forest in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim.”
Ioshua then answered them, If thou be much people, get thee vp to the wood, and cut trees for thy selfe there in the lande of the Perizzites, and of the gyants, if mount Ephraim be too narowe for thee.
16 The descendants of Joseph replied, “The hill country isn't big enough for us, but the Canaanites living in the lowlands have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shan and its villages, and those in the valley of Jezreel.”
Then the children of Ioseph saide, The mountaine will not be ynough for vs: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the lowe countrey haue charets of yron, aswell they in Beth-shean, and in the townes of the same, as they in the valley of Izreel.
17 Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, “Since you are so many, and you are so strong, you will be given more than just one share.
And Ioshua spake vnto the house of Ioseph, to Ephraim, and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power, and shalt not haue one lot.
18 You will be allocated the hill country in addition. Though it is forest, you will clear it and own it, from one end to the other. You will drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots, and even though they are strong.”
Therefore the mountaine shall be thine: for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it downe: and the endes of it shall be thine, and thou shalt cast out the Canaanites, though they haue yron charets, and though they be strong.

< Joshua 17 >