Joshua 17

¹ The portion of the tribe of Manasseh, who was in fact Joseph's first-born -- went to Machir, Manasseh'sfirst-born, father of Gilead, for he was a warrior; he had Gilead and Bashan.

² The other sons of Manasseh had theirs, by clans: for the sons of Abiezer, for the sons of Helek, for thesons of Asriel, for the sons of Shechem, for the sons of Hepher, and for the sons of Shemida: these were themale children of Manasseh son of Joseph, by clans.

³ Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons but onlydaughters, whose names were these: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.

⁴ These approached the priest Eleazar, Joshua son of Nun and the leaders, and said, 'Yahweh orderedMoses to give us a heritage among our brothers.' In compliance with Yahweh's order, therefore, they were given a heritage among their father's brothers.

⁵ In this way ten portions fel to Manasseh, apart from Gilead and Bashan lying on the further side of theJordan,

⁶ since Manasseh's daughters received a heritage as well as his sons. Gilead itself belonged toManasseh's other sons.

⁷ On the side of Asher, the frontier of Manasseh was the Michmethath, which is opposite Shechem, andthence continued to the right to Jashib, which is at the spring of Tappuah.

⁸ The territory of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah on Manasseh's border belonged to thesons of Ephraim.

⁹ The boundary went down to the Torrent of Kanah; south of the Torrent were the towns of Ephraim,excluding those owned by Ephraim among the towns of Manasseh; the boundary of Manasseh was north of theTorrent and reached as far as the sea.

¹⁰ The south belonged to Ephraim and the north to Manasseh and reached as far as the sea; theytouched Asher to the north and Issachar to the east.

¹¹ With Issachar and Asher, Manasseh shared Beth-Shean and its dependent towns, Ibleam and itsdependent towns, the inhabitants of Dor and of its dependent towns, the inhabitants of Taanach and Megiddoand of their dependent towns: the Three of the Slopes.

¹² But because the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of these towns, the Canaanitesmanaged to live on in that territory.

¹³ When, however, the Israelites became stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labour,though they never dispossessed them.

¹⁴ The sons of Joseph spoke as follows to Joshua, 'Why have you given me only one share, only oneportion, as heritage, when I am a numerous people, since Yahweh has so blessed me?'

¹⁵ Joshua replied, 'If your people are so many, go up to the wooded area and clear space for yourselvesin the area belonging to the Perizzites and Rephaim, since the highlands of Ephraim are too small for you.'

¹⁶ The sons of Joseph replied, 'The highlands are not enough for us, and what is more, al theCanaanites living on the land of the plain have iron chariots, so do those in Beth-Shean and its dependenttowns, and those in the plain of Jezreel.'

¹⁷ Joshua said to the House of Joseph, to Ephraim and to Manasseh, 'You are a numerous people andyour strength is great; you wil not only have one share,

¹⁸ but a mountain wil be yours as well; even if it is a forest, you can clear it and its territories will beyours. And you will dispossess the Canaanites, although they have iron chariots and although they are strong.'