Joshua 17

17 ¹ This was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was Joseph's firstborn. To Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh and the father of Gilead, were given Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war. ² The rest of the sons of Manasseh also received an allotment by their clans: the sons of Abiezer, the sons of Helek, the sons of Asriel, the sons of Shechem, the sons of Hepher, and the sons of Shemida. These were the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, by their clans. ³ But Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ⁴ They came before Eleazar the priest, before Joshua son of Nun, and before the leaders, and said, "Our Father commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers." So at the command of our Father, Joshua gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father. ⁵ Ten portions fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan beyond the Jordan, ⁶ because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh. ⁷ The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Michmethath, which is east of Shechem; then the boundary ran southward to the inhabitants of En-tappuah. ⁸ The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah itself, on the border of Manasseh, belonged to the sons of Ephraim. ⁹ Then the boundary went down to the Kanah Ravine. South of the ravine these cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh, while the boundary of Manasseh ran along the north side of the ravine and ended at the sea. ¹⁰ The land to the south belonged to Ephraim and the land to the north to Manasseh, with the sea as its boundary. On the north they reached Asher, and on the east, Issachar. ¹¹ Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also held Beth-shean and its villages, Ibleam and its villages, the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, the inhabitants of En-dor and its villages, the inhabitants of Taanach and its villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages—the three regions of the heights. ¹² Yet the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of these cities, and the Canaanites kept on living in that land. ¹³ When the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely. ¹⁴ The sons of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one lot and one portion as an inheritance? We are a numerous people, for our Father has blessed us until now."

¹⁵ Joshua answered them, "If you are such a numerous people, go up into the forest and clear ground for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you."

¹⁶ The sons of Joseph replied, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley have iron chariots—both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel."

¹⁷ Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—"You are a numerous people with great power. You will not have just one lot, ¹⁸ for the hill country will be yours as well. It is forest, but you will clear it, and its farthest reaches will be yours. You will drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and are strong."