Joshua 17

1 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.

Now this was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as Joseph’s firstborn son, namely for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh and father of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead and Bashan because Machir was a man of war.

2 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.

So this allotment was for the rest of the descendants of Manasseh—the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph.

3 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:

But Zelophehad son of Hepher (the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh) had no sons but only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

4 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.

They approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, and said, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers, in keeping with the command of the LORD.

5 And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side Iorden,

Thus ten shares fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan beyond the Jordan,

6 Because the daughters of Manasseh did inherite among his sonnes: and Manassehs other sonnes had the land of Gilead.

because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. And the land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.

7 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.

Now the border of Manasseh went from Asher to Michmethath near Shechem, then southward to include the inhabitants of En-tappuah.

8 The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah beside the border of Manasseh belongeth to the sonnes of Ephraim.

The region of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah itself, on the border of Manasseh, belonged to Ephraim.

9 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,

From there the border continued southward to the Brook of Kanah. There were cities belonging to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh, but the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook and ended at the Sea.

10 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.

Ephraim’s territory was to the south, and Manasseh’s was to the north, having the Sea as its border and adjoining Asher on the north and Issachar on the east.

11 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.

Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphath), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements.

12 Yet the children of Manasseh coulde not destroy those cities, but the Canaanites dwelled still in that land.

But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these cities, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land.

13 Neuerthelesse, when the children of Israel were strong, they put the Canaanites vnder tribute, but cast them not out wholy.

However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they put the Canaanites to forced labor; but they failed to drive them out completely.

14 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?

Then the sons of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one portion as an inheritance? We have many people, because the LORD has blessed us abundantly.”

15 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.

Joshua answered them, “If you have so many people that the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go to the forest and clear for yourself an area in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim.”

16 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.

“The hill country is not enough for us,” they replied, “and all the Canaanites who live in the valley have iron chariots, both in Beth-shean with its towns and in the Valley of Jezreel.”

17 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.

So Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You have many people and great strength. You shall not have just one allotment,

18 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.

because the hill country will be yours as well. It is a forest; clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours. Although the Canaanites have iron chariots and although they are strong, you can drive them out.”