Joshua 17

1The lot fell to the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph: to Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, there belonged Gilead and Bashan.

2And it was for the remaining sons of Manasseh according to their clans: for the sons of Abiezer, and for the sons of Helek, and for the sons of Asriel, and for the sons of Shechem, and for the sons of Hepher, and for the sons of Shemida. These were the male sons of Manasseh son of Joseph, according to their clans.

3Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

4So they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua son of Nun, and before the leaders, saying, “Yahweh commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So he gave them, according to the command of Yahweh, an inheritance among their father's brothers.

5Ten portions fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan.

6For the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons, and the land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.

7And the border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is opposite Shechem; then the border went southward, toward the inhabitants of En-tappuah.

8The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the sons of Ephraim.

9Then the border went down to the Brook of Kanah, south of the brook. These cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh, and the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and its end was at the sea.

10Southward it belonged to Ephraim, and northward to Manasseh, and the sea was its border; on the north they reached Asher, and on the east Issachar.

11And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and its daughter villages, and Ibleam and its daughter villages, and the inhabitants of Dor and its daughter villages, and the inhabitants of En-dor and its daughter villages, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its daughter villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its daughter villages—the three regions.

12But the sons of Manasseh were not able to dispossess these cities, and the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in this land.

13And it happened that when the sons of Israel became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not completely drive them out.

14Then the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me one lot and one portion as an inheritance, though I am a numerous people, since Yahweh has blessed me until now?”

15Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”

16And the sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shean and its daughter towns and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”

17Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—saying, “You are a numerous people, and you have great strength; you shall not have only one allotment.”

18But the hill country will be yours; for it is a forest, and you shall clear it, and its farthest borders shall be yours. For you shall dispossess the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and though they are strong.