Key Verse Spotlight
Joshua 16:1 - Meaning and Application
Understand how this verse speaks to what you're facing and how to apply it today
Translation: King James Version
" 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, "
Joshua 16:1
Verse in Context
Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:
1 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,
2 And goeth out from Bethel to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,
3 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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Though Joseph was one of Jacob’s younger sons, he was still Jacob’s first son by Rachel, his most loved wife. Joseph was also Jacob’s best-loved son, and he became the greatest honor and support of the family. He had helped save the family from dying during the famine, and he had been the shepherd and stone of Israel, their protector and strong support. Because of this, his descendants were greatly favored in the land division.
Their land lay in the very center of Canaan. It stretched from the Jordan River on the east (Joshua 16:1) to the Mediterranean Sea on the west. So their territory reached across the full width of Canaan. And surely the rich land matched the blessings spoken over them by Jacob and Moses (Genesis 49:25-26; Deuteronomy 33:13 and following).
The portions given to Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph’s two sons, are not described as fully as those of the other tribes. We are given their borders, but not the names of all the cities inside them, as we are for Judah and later for the other tribes. There is no clear reason for this, unless Joshua, who was himself from the tribe of Joseph, was left to settle the cities among them on his own. If so, they may not have listed those city names before the whole council of princes, and that may be why they were not entered in the record.
From This Chapter
Joshua 16:2
"And goeth out from Bethel to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,"
Joshua 16:3
"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."
Joshua 16:4
"So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance."
Joshua 16:5
"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;"
Joshua 16:6
"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;"
Joshua 16:7
"And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan."
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