18: Manasseh’s Land: Faith and courage to get the land (Josh 17:1 – 18)

One-half of the tribe received land on the east side of the Jordan, while the other half settled on the west side, to the north of Ephraim's territory.

👉 Read Joshua 17:1 - 18

Q1. The descendants of (             ) received land, for they were (          ). They were assigned (            ) and (            ).

The descendants of ( Makir ) received land, for they were ( warriors ). They were assigned ( Gilead ) and ( Bashan ).

Q2. Five daughters of (              ) got their lands among their uncles. Therefore, the western tribe of Manasseh received (      ) share of land. 

Zelophehad, ten

Zelophehad’s daughters boldly claimed their inheritance because their father had no sons. In Numbers 27:1-11, they boldly requested their right to receive the inheritance to preserve their father’s name in Israel, and the Lord granted their request and amended the inheritance law to ensure that daughters could inherit the land if their father had no sons.

As a result, they received more than their cousins. This meant they needed to conquer more land, leading to more acquisitions.

Q3. (7 – 13) Their southern border was the territory of (             ) and the western border was the sea. They bordered (             ) on the north and (            ) on the east. They were assigned several towns and their (           ) in the territoy of (           ) and (             ).

Their southern border was the territory of ( Ephraim ) and the western border was the sea. They bordered ( Asher  ) on the north and ( Issachar ) on the east. They were assigned several towns and their ( residents ) in the territory of ( Asher ) and ( Issachar ).

Verses 7  - 10 describe the borderlines.

Interestingly, Manasseh was assigned six (or nine) towns in Asher’s and Issachar’s territory. It was because they didn't have enough towns to live. See the map below. More than half of the assigned territory had not been conquered yet. Although Shechem belonged to Ephraim. Furthermore, those towns donated by Asher and Issachar were located in the unconquered region, which means there lived the original residents. They were Dor, Megiddo, Taanach, Ibleam, Endor, Beth-Shan.

Q4. How did the Canaanites come to live together with the Manassehites? (11-12)

They were not able to drive out the Canaanites from the allotted towns. 

Verse 11 especially addresses ‘residents.’

Q5. What was the complaint of Joseph’s descendants (the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh)? What was Joshua’s answer? 

They said, “We are many, give us more land that were cleared of the Canaanites” Joshua answered, “for you are many, go and conquer the land assigned to you.” 

Note. Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim.

The Bible emphasizes the bold request of Zelophehad's daughters and the warrior spirit of the Eastern Manasseh that they were qualified to get the land and contrasts them with the complaints of the rest (14). The author challenges us to stand firm in faith, engage in the spiritual battle, and conquer our enemies. “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matt 11:12).