Joshua 16

1 cecidit quoque sors filiorum Ioseph ab Iordane contra Hiericho et aquas eius ab oriente solitudo quae ascendit de Hiericho ad montana Bethel

2 et egreditur de Bethel Luzam transitque terminum Archiatharoth

3 et descendit ad occidentem iuxta terminum Ieflethi usque ad terminos Bethoron inferioris et Gazer finiunturque regiones eius mari Magno

4 possederuntque filii Ioseph Manasse et Ephraim

5 et factus est terminus filiorum Ephraim per cognationes suas et possessio eorum contra orientem Atharothaddar usque Bethoron superiorem

6 egrediunturque confinia in mare Machmethath vero aquilonem respicit et circuit terminus contra orientem in Thanathselo et pertransit ab oriente Ianoe

7 descenditque de Ianoe in Atharoth et Noaratha et pervenit in Hiericho et egreditur ad Iordanem

8 de Taffua pertransitque contra mare in valle Harundineti suntque egressus eius in mare Salsissimum haec est possessio tribus filiorum Ephraim per familias suas

9 urbesque quae separatae sunt filiis Ephraim in medio possessionis filiorum Manasse et villae earum

10 et non interfecerunt filii Ephraim Chananeum qui habitabat in Gazer habitavitque Chananeus in medio Ephraim usque in diem hanc tributarius

Joshua 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

The sons of Joseph.

- This and the following chapter should not be separated. They give the lots of Ephraim and Manasseh, the children of Joseph, who, next to Judah, were to have the post of honour, and therefore had the first and best portion in the northern part of Canaan, as Judah in the southern part. God's people now, as of old, suffer his enemies to remain. Blessed Lord, when will all ( 1 Corinthians. 15:26 ) thou alone canst do it. These settled boundaries may remind us, that our situation and provision in this life, as well as our future inheritance, are appointed by the only wise and righteous God, and we should be content with our portion, since he knows what is best for us, and all we have is more than we deserve.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 16

This chapter gives us an account of the lot of the children of Joseph, Ephraim, and the half tribe of Manasseh, one half having settled on the other side Jordan; and first the borders of the whole lot in general are given, Jos 16:1-4; and then the borders of the tribe of Ephraim in particular, Jos 16:4-8; and it is observed, that this tribe had besides separate cities among the children of Manasseh, and that there were some Canaanites, particularly in Gezer, not driven out by the Ephraimites, Jos 16:9,10.