Joshua 17:1 - Meaning and Application

Manasseh was only one half of the tribe of Joseph, yet even that half was split and divided again. Part of the tribe had already settled east of the Jordan, among the descendants of Machir, in Joshua 17:1. Machir was born to Manasseh in Egypt, and there he had already shown himself to be a man of war, likely in the conflicts between the Ephraimites and the men of Gath (1 Chronicles 7:21). That warlike spirit passed to his descendants, so Moses gave them Gilead and Bashan, east of the Jordan, as mentioned earlier (Joshua 13:31).

The text says the lot came to Manasseh, because he was the first-born of Joseph. Bishop Patrick thinks the verse should be read this way: though he was Joseph’s first-born, the lot still came second, because Jacob had chosen Ephraim ahead of him. For the heads of the families who settled east of the Jordan, see also (1 Chronicles 5:24).

The part of Manasseh west of the Jordan was divided into ten families (Joshua 17:5). Six sons of Gilead are named here (Joshua 17:2), the same men listed in (Numbers 26:30-32), except that the man called Jezeer there is called Abiezer here. Five of these sons each received a portion. The sixth, Hepher, had his male line end in his son Zelophehad, who left only five daughters, whom we often read about. Each of those five daughters received a portion.

Perhaps they claimed under Hepher, so their five shares were counted as equal to one share among the five sons. Or, if Hepher had other sons besides Zelophehad, and his family line continued through them, then those sons may have married the daughters of Zelophehad the elder brother, and received these portions through that right. See (Numbers 36:12).

Here we see, first, the claim Zelophehad’s daughters made, based on what God had commanded Moses about them (Joshua 17:4). When they were younger, they had pleaded their own case before Moses and received the right to an inheritance among their brothers. Now they did not want to lose that gift because they failed to speak up before Joshua. So they made their request in time, and it seems they did so themselves, not through their husbands.

We also see the settling of their portions according to their claim. Joshua knew very well what God had ordered in their case. He did not object that they had not served in the wars of Canaan, and so should not share in Canaan’s land. Instead, he freely gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers.

In this, they reaped the benefit of their own godly zeal and wise planning. So it is with those who, while still in this wilderness world, take care to secure for themselves a place in the inheritance of the saints in light. They will surely enjoy the comfort of it in the world to come. But those who neglect it now will lose it forever.