Joshua 16

AND the lot of the children of Joseph i. e. Of Ephraim, and the half Tribe of Manasseh, which are here put together in one; not because they had but one Lot, for Ephraim had one here, v. 5. and Manasseh another, Ios. 17. 1. but because in these first Verses he speaks of them in common, and of the South border, which seems to be the same, either wholly or in a great part: and then he comes to the particular description of their several portions. It is here farther remarkable, that God so disposed of these Lots, that they came forth in decent and due order; Iudah's first, to whom the Sovereignty was promised; and then Ioseph's, who succeeded Reuben in the other Priviledg of the Birth-right, the double-portion, 1 Chron. 5. 1, 2. * fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the † water of Jericho Of which see 2 King. 2. 19, 20, 21, 22. on the east, to the wilderness The Wilderness of Beth-aven, as appears by comparing Ios. 18. 12. which speaks of the very same border which was on the South of Ephraim, and on the North of Benjamin. that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Peth-el;

And goeth out from Beth-el to Luz Or, from Bethel-luzah, as the LXX. here join the words; for Bethel was anciently called Luz, Gen. 28. 19. and 48. 3. Though some think this was another Luz, spoken of Iudg. 1. 26. Others make Bethel and Luz two neighbouring Towns, which afterwards being more built and inhabited, became one, as oft has happened., and passeth along unto the borders of Archi, to Ataroth,

And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Beth-horon the nether Of the two Beth-horons, see Jos. 10. 10, 11. and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.

So the children of Joseph, Manasseh i. e. Half Manasseh, by a Synecdoche., and Ephraim, took their inheritance i. e. Their several Portions which here follow. Some think that they had but one Lot between them, and therefore they are now said to take their inheritance, to wit, by dividing it between them according to the direction of Ioshua and Eleazar, &c. For that Phrase being used of them, and not, to my remembrance, of any other Tribes, may seem to have some peculiar signification, which does not agree to the other Tribes. But there being mention of a peculiar Lot taken out for Manasseh, Josh. 17. 1. shows that their several inheritances fell to them, as the rest did to the other Tribes, even by several Lots: and it is said of them, that they took their inheritance, which also Iudah had done before them, because the Tribes of Iudah and Ioseph did take their Inheritances before the rest; and it was fit they should do so, for the security of the main Camp, and the body of the people which were at Gilgal. See Ios. 18. 5.. i. e. The North-east side. It is no wonder, if some of these Descriptions are dark and doubtful to us at this distance of time and place; there having been so many alterations made in places, and so many circumstances, being now altogether undiscoverable. But this is evident to every man of common sense, that this and all the descriptions here mentioned, were then certain and evident to the Israelites, because these were the foundation of their present practice, and of all the Possessions which then they took, and peaceably possessed in succeeding Ages.

¶ And the border of the children of Ephraim, according to their families, was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east-side h, was from Ataroth-addar unto Beth-horon the upper.

And the border went out toward the sea The Mid-land sea, towards the West., to Mickmethah on the north-side, and the border went about eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah:

And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho Not to the City of Iericho, which belonged to Benjamin's Lot, Ios. 18. 21. but to its Territory., and went out at Jordan.

The border went up from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.

And the separate cities i. e. Besides those Cities which were within Ephraim's bounds, he had some other Cities, to which also their Territories were annexed, out of Manasseh's Portion, because his Tribe was all here, and was larger than Manasseh's. for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.

And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer Nor were they driven out till Solomon's time, 1 King 9. 16.: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serveth under tribute As Ios. 17. 13. 1 King. 9. 16..