Add parallel Print Page Options

Ephraim and Manasseh

16 The allotment for the descendants of Joseph starts from the Jordan of Jericho and from the waters of Jericho on the east and extends up through the wilderness, ascending from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel. Then it goes out from Bethel to Luz[a] and crosses over to the border of the Arkites at Ataroth. It descends westward to the border of the Japhletites as far as the border of Lower Beth Horon and as far as Gezer, and it ends at the sea.

So the descendants of Joseph—the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim—received their inheritance.

Ephraim

The border of the descendants of Ephraim was arranged according to their clans.

The southern border of their inheritance, starting from the east end, extends from Ataroth Addar up to Upper Beth Horon.

Then the border goes out to the sea.[b]

Starting at Mikmethath on the northeast, the border curves around toward the southeast, toward Ta’anath Shiloh, and it crosses over on the east of Janoah.

Then it descends from Janoah to Ataroth and to Na’arath. It touches Jericho and goes out to the Jordan.[c]

From Tappuah the border goes west to the streambed of the Kanah. It ends at the sea.[d]

This is the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Ephraim according to their clans. It also includes the cities that were set apart for the descendants of Ephraim in the middle of the inheritance of the descendants of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.

10 But the Ephraimites did not drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer. So the Canaanites have lived within Ephraim to this day, but they have become a labor force of slaves.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 16:2 Or that is Luz. The translation follows the Hebrew text, but elsewhere Luz is the old name of Bethel.
  2. Joshua 16:6 This description includes both the southern and the western borders.
  3. Joshua 16:7 This seems to describe the eastern part of the northern border as well as the eastern border, but the whole description of the border is difficult.
  4. Joshua 16:8 This seems to describe the western half of the northern border.