5-9. the border of their inheritance . . . was Ataroth-addar—Ataroth-addar (now Atara), four miles south of Jetta [ROBINSON], is fixed on as a center, through which a line is drawn from Upper Beth-horon to Michmethah, showing the western limit of their actual possessions. The tract beyond that to the sea was still unconquered. read more
6, 7. Michmethah on the north side—The northern boundary is traced from this point eastward to the Jordan. read more
8. from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah—It is retraced from east to west, to describe the prospective and intended boundary, which was to reach to the sea. Kanah ("reedy") flows into the Mediterranean. read more
9. separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of Manasseh— ( :-), because it was found that the tract allotted to Ephraim was too small in proportion to its population and power. read more
10. they drave not out the Canaanites . . . but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute—This is the first mention of the fatal policy of the Israelites, in neglecting the divine command (Deuteronomy 20:16) to exterminate the idolaters. read more
The writer described the whole territory of Joseph first. read more
4. Joseph’s inheritance chs. 16-17The writer may have dealt with the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh together since Jacob had given Joseph the second largest blessing after Judah (Genesis 49). Moreover half the tribe of Manasseh had already received its inheritance, and the remaining half would have been small compared with the other tribes. These one and one-half tribes together formed a large group of Israelites. Their lot fell in central Canaan, and their territory consisted of two parts with... read more
He traced the borders of Ephraim’s allotment next. Ephraim lay north of the area later given to Dan and Benjamin, and south of western Manasseh. The Ephraimites failed to drive out the inhabitants of Gezer (Joshua 16:10). read more
The Lot of JosephChs. 16, 17 describe the territories of Ephraim and the W. half of Manasseh. Vv. 1-4 of Joshua 16 give the general frontiers of the combined tribes, the rest of the chapter (Joshua 16:5-10) the frontiers of Ephraim as distinct from W. Manasseh. The territory allotted to the two tribes comprised the central and most fertile part of Palestine. The S. border ran from Jericho through Bethel to Beth-horon and the sea; and the N. border from Mt. Carmel, along the S. border of the... read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Joshua 16:1
1. the lot of the children of Joseph fell—Hebrew, "went forth," referring either to the lot as drawn out of the urn, or to the tract of land thereby assigned. The first four verses describe the territory allotted to the family of Joseph in the rich domains of central Palestine. It was drawn in one lot, that the brethren might be contiguously situated; but it was afterwards divided. The southern boundary only is described here; that on the north being irregular and less defined (Joshua 17:10;... read more