Joshua 17
AOSNJoshua 17:1
See 13:29–33 and study note.
Joshua 17:3-6
In ancient Israel, inheritance usually passed from a father to his sons. Without sons, a man’s name could pass into oblivion. However, Zelophehad’s daughters had petitioned Moses, Moses had inquired of God, and God had ruled that they should inherit their father’s portion (see Numbers 27:1–11). God’s ruling established a general principle, declaring that no family would be excluded from a portion of God’s material blessings.
Joshua 17:7-13
As with the tribe of Ephraim, Manasseh’s territory was defined by a general description of its borders.
Joshua 17:7
Asher was north-northwest of Manasseh, across the Jezreel Valley.
Joshua 17:8-10
This general description of Manasseh’s southern border with the land given to the tribe of Ephraim provides more detail than the description of Ephraim’s northern border in 16:8.
Joshua 17:11-13
All the towns mentioned here except Endor were important, but the military strength of the Canaanites prevented the tribe of Manasseh from inhabiting them for a time.
Joshua 17:13
Throughout the period of the judges and beyond, the Israelites gradually grew stronger and the Canaanite people weaker. After the time of Joshua, the Israelites forced the Canaanites to work as slaves.
Eventually, the Canaanites became part of the nation of Israel, contributing to Israel worshiping their false gods. This idolatry ultimately led to the Israelites losing the land.
Joshua 17:14
Joshua 16:1–4 describes Joseph’s portion. Those descended from Ephraim and Manasseh received portions. When combined, these were larger than any other tribe's allotment.
Joshua 17:15
The Perizzites lived in Canaan when Israel's conquest started.
Rephaim: See study note on 12:4; see also Deuteronomy 2:10–11, 20–21; 3:11.
Joshua 17:16
As a result of the Canaanites’ iron chariots, Ephraim and Manasseh were restricted to the hill country in the early part of the settlement period (see study note on 11:4).
the Valley of Jezreel: This was a break in the hill country, separating Lower Galilee in the north from Manasseh's hill country in the south. The Canaanites living in and near this valley and the valley of Beth-shan limited Manasseh's and likely Ephraim's expansion. Most towns named in 17:11 were at the edges of these valleys.
Joshua 17:17-18
Rather than rebuking the people for their fear, Joshua repeated his instructions to clear forest land for settlement. He promised that the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh would eventually drive out the Canaanites. This promise gave them hope. It also helped them grow in faith and overcome their fear.
Much of the hill country was covered with forests, and only a few Canaanites lived there. If Ephraim and Manasseh had settled only on land that was already cleared, they would have had little room to grow. Around this time, people began to use iron tools, including iron axe heads. With these tools, the tribes could cut down the forests and prepare new land for settlement.
Joshua may have set an example by doing this himself. He settled at Timnath-serah, which was in a forested area of the hill country of Ephraim (19:50).
Aquifer Open Study Notes © 2026 Mission Mutual, an adaptation of the Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.