King James Version
Joshua 16
10 verses with commentary
Ephraim's Territory
And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Bethel, fell: Heb. went forth
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Beth-el</strong>—this verse introduces the territorial allotment for Joseph's descendants (Ephraim and Manasseh), fulfilling Jacob's prophetic blessing that made Joseph a double tribe (Genesis 48:5). The phrase <strong>child...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
**XVI.
INHERITANCE OF JOSEPH**—*i.e., *of Ephraim and Manasseh (Joshua 16:1 to Joshua 18:1, inclusive).
(1) **The lot of the children of Joseph.**—The order of precedence among the tribes of Israel was always Judah first and the sons of Joseph second. In the words of 1Chronicles 5:2, “Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s.” Accordingly...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**18-27. the children of Israel smote them not--**The moral character of the Gibeonites' stratagem was bad. The princes of the congregation did not vindicate either the expediency or the lawfulness of the connection they had formed; but they felt the solemn obligations of their oath; and, although the popular clamor was loud against them, caused either by disappointment at losing the spoils of Gib...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise 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, whe...
Read full commentary →And goeth out from Bethel to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And goeth out from Beth-el to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth</strong>—this verse continues tracing the southern boundary of Joseph's territory with meticulous geographical precision. The mention of both <strong>Beth-el</strong> and <strong>Luz</strong> may indicate the city's dual name, as Genesis 28:19 records Jacob renaming Luz to Beth-el. Alternatively, thes...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**18-27. the children of Israel smote them not--**The moral character of the Gibeonites' stratagem was bad. The princes of the congregation did not vindicate either the expediency or the lawfulness of the connection they had formed; but they felt the solemn obligations of their oath; and, although the popular clamor was loud against them, caused either by disappointment at losing the spoils of Gib...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise 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, whe...
Read full commentary →And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Beth-horon the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea</strong>—the boundary now turns westward, descending from the central mountain ridge toward the Mediterranean coastal plain. The phrase <strong>goeth down westward</strong> accurately describes the topography, as the terrain descends from the hi...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**18-27. the children of Israel smote them not--**The moral character of the Gibeonites' stratagem was bad. The princes of the congregation did not vindicate either the expediency or the lawfulness of the connection they had formed; but they felt the solemn obligations of their oath; and, although the popular clamor was loud against them, caused either by disappointment at losing the spoils of Gib...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise 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, whe...
Read full commentary →So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance</strong>—this summary statement concludes the general description of Joseph's tribal territory before focusing specifically on Ephraim's boundaries (vv. 5-9) and Manasseh's (ch. 17). The phrase <strong>children of Joseph</strong> emphasizes unity between the two tribes descended from Joseph's sons, Manasseh (firstborn)...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise 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, whe...
Read full commentary →And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the upper;
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth-addar, unto Beth-horon the upper</strong>—now the text focuses specifically on Ephraim's boundaries, distinct from Manasseh. The phrase <strong>according to their families</strong> (<em>lemishpechotam</em>, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם) indicates subdivisions...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5-8*)* **The border** (of Ephraim’s inheritance) **on the east side.**—The words “on the east side” are not easy to understand. If Ataroth-addar is rightly identified as *Ed-Dârieh, *and Mickmethah as the plain of *Mukhnah, *then the line from Ataroth-addar and Beth-horon to Michmethah is a line running due north, and separating the territory of Ephraim on the east from that of Dan on the west. T...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 10 Jos 10:1-5. Five Kings War against Gibeon.
**1. Adoni-zedek--**"lord of righteousness"--nearly synonymous with Melchizedek, "king of righteousness." These names were common titles of the Jebusite kings.
**Jerusalem--**The original name, "Salem" (Ge 14:18; Psa 76:2), was superseded by that here given, which signifies "a peaceful possession," or "a vision of peace," in allusion, as som...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise 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, whe...
Read full commentary →And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanathshiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah</strong>—this verse traces Ephraim's northern boundary, which separated it from Manasseh. The border's complex path <strong>toward the sea</strong> (westward) and then turning <strong>eastward</strong> reflects the irregular...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2. they feared greatly--**The dread inspired by the rapid conquests of the Israelites had been immensely increased by the fact of a state so populous and so strong as Gibeon having found it expedient to submit to the power and the terms of the invaders.
**as one of the royal cities--**Although itself a republic (Jos 9:3), it was large and well-fortified, like those places in which the chiefs o...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise 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, whe...
Read full commentary →And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan</strong>—the boundary description now traces the eastern border, descending from the hill country back to the Jordan Valley. The phrase <strong>went down</strong> (<em>yarad</em>, יָרַד) accurately describes the dramatic descent from highlands (2,000+ feet elevation) to the Jordan Valley (...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3-4. Wherefore Adoni-zedek ... sent, ... saying, Come up unto me, and help me--**A combined attack was meditated on Gibeon, with a view not only to punish its people for their desertion of the native cause, but by its overthrow to interpose a barrier to the farther inroads of the Israelites. This confederacy among the mountaineers of Southern Palestine was formed and headed by the king of Jerusa...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise 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, whe...
Read full commentary →The border went out 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.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The border went out 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</strong>—this verse completes the boundary description by detailing the western border. <strong>Tappuah</strong> ("apple" or "height," תַּפּוּחַ) was located in the hill country, while <strong>the river...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3-4. Wherefore Adoni-zedek ... sent, ... saying, Come up unto me, and help me--**A combined attack was meditated on Gibeon, with a view not only to punish its people for their desertion of the native cause, but by its overthrow to interpose a barrier to the farther inroads of the Israelites. This confederacy among the mountaineers of Southern Palestine was formed and headed by the king of Jerusa...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise 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, whe...
Read full commentary →And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages</strong>—this verse reveals an important exception to tribal boundaries: Ephraim received <strong>separate cities</strong> (<em>he'arim hamivdalot</em>, הֶעָרִים הַמִּבְדָּלוֹת, "the set apart cities") within Manasseh's territory. The term <strong>s...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(9) **The separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh;** and Joshua 17:10-11 : *“*Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher, Beth-shean,” &c. This fact would manifestly tend to produce a *solidarity *among the several tribes, and to prevent disunion by creating common interests. The interest of the stronger tribes would be served by completing the...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5. the five kings of the Amorites--**The settlement of this powerful and warlike tribe lay within the confines of Moab; but having also acquired extensive possessions on the southwest of the Jordan, their name, as the ruling power, seems to have been given to the region generally (2Sa 21:2), although Hebron was inhabited by Hittites or Hivites (Jos 11:19), and Jerusalem by Jebusites (Jos 15:63).
Matthew Henry’s Concise 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, whe...
Read full commentary →And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
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KJV Study Commentary
This verse records Ephraim's failure to complete God's command, introducing the pattern of partial obedience dominating Judges. The phrase 'they drave not out' (<em>lo horishu</em>, לֹא הוֹרִישׁוּ) indicates willful failure—they could have but didn't expel the Canaanites. Gezer remained Canaanite until Solomon's time (1 Kings 9:16). The compromise 'serve under tribute' (<em>mas-oved</em>, מַס־עֹבֵ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **They drave not out.**—The failure of Ephraim here is noticed, as was the failure of Judah above (Joshua 15:63).
**Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Jos 10:6-9. Joshua Rescues It.
**6-8. the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua--**Their appeal was urgent and their claim to protection irresistible, on the ground, not only of kindness and sympathy, but of justice. In attacking the Canaanites, Joshua had received from God a general assurance of success (Jos 1:5). But the intelligence of so formidable a combination among the native princes seems to hav...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise 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, whe...
Read full commentary →