Joshua Chapter 17

At a Glance

  • Joshua 17 centers on the inheritance of Manasseh, particularly the descendants who remain after the main allocation to Joseph’s tribes.
  • The practical tone remains steadfast—lines on a chart, names carved in memory, and cities assigned—yet the unnamed drama of inheritance, family, and law gives the chapter ethical depth.
  • Historical & Literary Context.
  • Joshua 17 sits in the middle of the land allotment segment of Joshua (chapters 13–19), a section characterized by meticulous territorial divisions.
  • - Integrity of inheritance and law: The allocation and legal settlement reflect how divine commands shape civil life.

CHAPTER REFERENCE

Joshua 17

Chapter Overview

Joshua 17 centers on the inheritance of Manasseh, particularly the descendants who remain after the main allocation to Joseph’s tribes. It begins with the clan divisions and the distribution of land to the male descendants, emphasizing both the wealth of territory and the complexities of lineage. A striking feature is the legal case of Zelophehad’s daughters—Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah—who petition to receive an inheritance since their father had no sons. Their appeal, backed by a warrant from the LORD, leads to a divine and communal decision that secures them an inheritance among the brethren of their father. This moment demonstrates an early, transformative step in Israel’s legal and social evolution: women can be recipients of property within the covenant community, signaling an ethic of justice and inclusion rooted in divine command. The chapter then proceeds to describe Manasseh’s extensive geographic reach, noting how the land’s borders intersect with Ephraim, Asher, and other tribes, revealing a delicate map of intertribal relations and shared frontiers.

The practical tone remains steadfast—lines on a chart, names carved in memory, and cities assigned—yet the unnamed drama of inheritance, family, and law gives the chapter ethical depth. The narrative invites readers to see how social and legal reforms progress within God’s people, often beginning with a tangible case in the land. Theologically, it underscores that God’s covenant community learns and expands its understanding of justice as it encounters new circumstances.

Historical & Literary Context

Joshua 17 sits in the middle of the land allotment segment of Joshua (chapters 13–19), a section characterized by meticulous territorial divisions. The chapter blends genealogical detail with legal precedent, illustrating how Israel’s law and social structure are shaped in the land under God’s sovereignty. The Zelophehad episode is a pivotal moment in Israelite social history, illustrating a shift in gender norms under divine mandate and establishing a precedent for property rights within the covenant community. The wider literary framework shows a community wrestling with the implications of inhabiting promised space: the land is given, but its management requires wisdom, legal frameworks, and communal consensus.

Key Themes

- Integrity of inheritance and law: The allocation and legal settlement reflect how divine commands shape civil life.

- Justice and inclusion: The daughters’ case marks a watershed moment for gender-inclusive inheritance within the covenant community.

- Intertribal borders and diplomacy: The geography of Manasseh shows how tribes navigate shared frontiers and relationships.

- Memory and identity: Names, territories, and lineage reinforce communal memory and faithfulness.

Modern Application

Joshua 17 challenges modern readers to reimagine justice and inclusion within community life. The Zelophehad daughters model a principle that access and rights in civic life should be grounded in fairness and moral courage, not tradition alone. Contemporary readers can apply this by advocating for equitable practices in family governance, property rights, and leadership opportunities across genders. The chapter’s emphasis on borders and overlap among tribes can translate into peacemaking and collaboration in today’s diverse communities—recognizing shared spaces, resolving conflicts, and stewarding common resources wisely. It also invites reflection on how laws evolve to protect vulnerable voices and how communities navigate complex boundaries, whether in land, policy, or social norms. The ongoing task is to show fidelity to God’s purposes while pursuing justice and inclusion in every sphere of life.

Cross-References: Exodus 15:20–21 (Miriam’s leadership and law), Numbers 27:1–11 (Zelophehad’s daughters), Acts 4:32–37 (shared resources and community generosity), Deuteronomy 21:15–17 (inheritance laws), Luke 8:1–3 (women’s role in ministry)

Recommended Personas: Moses (lawgiver and steward of justice), Jesus (fulfillment of inclusive grace), Ruth (care in family and lineage, though not a direct biblical parallel here), Paul (theology of inclusion in the body of Christ), Deborah (leadership and justice).

Chapter Text

1

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.

2

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.

3

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.

4

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.

5

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

6

Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead.

7

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.

8

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

9

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:

10

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.

11

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.

12

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

13

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.

14

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?

15

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.

16

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.

17

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:

18

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.

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