Joshua 17

1 And the lot for the tribe of Manasseh was, for, he, was the firstborn of Joseph, —as for Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because, he, was a man of war, therefore had he Gilead and Bashan.

This was the assignment of land for the tribe of Manasseh (who was the firstborn of Joseph)—that is, for Makir, who was Manasseh's firstborn and who himself was the father of Gilead. Makir's descendants were assigned the land of Gilead and Bashan, because Makir had been a man of war.

2 So the lot pertained to the rest of the sons of Manasseh, by their families, to the sons of Abiezer, and to the sons of Helek, and to the sons of Asriel, and to the sons of Shechem, and to the sons of Hepher, and to the sons of Shemida, —these, were the sons of Manasseh, son of Joseph, even the male descendants, by their families.

Land was assigned to the rest of the tribe of Manasseh, given to their clans—Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These were the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, presented by their clans.

3 But, Zelophehad, 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 and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

Now Zelophehad son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Makir son of Manasseh had no sons, but only daughters. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah.

4 And they had come near, before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, Yahweh, commanded Moses, to give us an inheritance in the midst of our brethren, —And he had given them, according to the bidding of Yahweh, an inheritance, in the midst of the brethren of their father.

They approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, and they said, “Yahweh commanded Moses to give to us an inheritance along with our brothers.” So, following the commandment of Yahweh, he gave those women an inheritance among the brothers of their father.

5 Thus there fell ten portions to Manasseh, —besides the land of Gilead, and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;

Ten parcels of land were assigned to Manasseh in Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of the Jordan,

6 because, the daughters of Manasseh, received an inheritance in the midst of his sons, —and, the land of Gilead, became the possession of the sons of Manasseh that remained.

because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead was assigned to the rest of the tribe of Manasseh.

7 So then the boundary of Manasseh was from Asher, Michmethath, which faceth Shechem, —and the boundary goeth along unto the right hand, unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah.

The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Mikmethath, which is east of Shechem. Then the border went southward to those living near the spring of Tappuah.

8 Manasseh, had the land of Tappuah, —but, Tappuah itself, towards the boundary of Manasseh, pertained unto the sons of Ephraim;

(The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.)

9 and the boundary goeth down to the ravine of Kanah, southward of the ravine, these cities, belong to Ephraim, in the midst of the cities of Manasseh, —but, the boundary of Manasseh, was on the north side of the ravine, and the extensions thereof were to the sea;

The border went down to the brook of Kanah. These cities south of the brook among the towns of Manasseh belonged to Ephraim. The border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and it ended at the sea.

10 southward, pertaineth to Ephraim, and, northward, to Manasseh, and the sea was the boundary thereof, —and they touch, Asher, on the north, and Issachar on the east.

The land to the south belonged to Ephraim, and the land to the north was Manasseh's; the sea was the border. On the north side Asher can be reached, and to the east, Issachar.

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 En-dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo, and her towns—the three heights,

Also in Issachar and in Asher, Manasseh possessed Beth Shan and its villages, Ibleam and its villages, the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, the inhabitants of Endor and its villages, the inhabitants of Taanach and its villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages (and the third city is Napheth).

12 The sons of Manasseh, however, could not dispossess these cities, —but the Canaanites were determined to remain in this land;

Yet the tribe of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, for the Canaanites continued to live in this land.

13 but, when the sons of Israel had waxed strong, they put the Canaanites under tribute, —though they, dispossessed, them not.

When the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not completely drive them out.

14 Then spake the sons of Joseph unto Joshua, saying, —Why hast thou given me, as an inheritance, but one lot and one portion, seeing that, I, am a numerous people, because hitherto hath Yahweh blessed me.

Then the descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given us only one assignment of land and one portion for an inheritance, since we are a people great in number, and all along Yahweh has blessed us?”

15 And Joshua said unto them: If, a numerous people, thou art, get thee up to the forest, and cut down for thyself there, in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim, —seeing that, too narrow for thee, is the hill country of Ephraim.

Joshua said to them, “If you are a people great in number, go up by yourselves to the forest and there clear the ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim. Do this, since the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you.”

16 And the sons of Joseph said, The hill country is not enough for us, —and there are, chariots of iron, among all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley, belonging both to them in Bethshean, and her towns, and to them in the valley of Jezreel.

The descendants of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. But all the Canaanites who live in the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth Shan and its villages, and those who are in the Valley of Jezreel.”

17 And Joshua made answer unto the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, —A numerous people, thou art, and, great vigour, thou hast, thou shalt not have one lot only;

Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh, “You are a people great in number, and you have great power. You must not have only one piece of land assigned to you.

18 for, the hill country, shall be thine, in that, a forest, it is, therefore canst thou cut it down, and thine shall be the extensions thereof, —for thou shalt dispossess the Canaanites, though, chariots of iron, they have, and though, strong, they are.

The hill country will also be yours. Though it is a forest, you will clear it and take possession of it to its farthest borders. You will drive out the Canaanites, even though they have chariots of iron, and even though they are strong.”