Joshua 16 - Introduction

This and Joshua 17 are closely connected, and assign the boundaries of “the children of Joseph,” i. e of the kindred tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. These two tribes, or more strictly speaking, the tribe of Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh, drew one lot only, no doubt, because it was all along intended that their inheritances should be adjacent. These chapters accordingly describe

(1) the southern boundary of the whole territory of the children of Joseph Joshua 16:1;

(2) the limits of Ephraim in particular Joshua 16:5)

(3); those of Manasseh Joshua 17:1; and

(4) the discontent of the descendants of Joseph with their inheritance is recorded, together with Joshua’s answer to their complaints Joshua 17:14.

The territory allotted to these two powerful tribes comprises the central and, in every way, the choicest part of Canaan west of the Jordan. The hills of this district, making up what is called Joshua 20:7 “Mount Ephraim,” are less high and far less barren than those of Judah; the water supply is much larger; and the very rich and fertile plains of Sharon and Esdraelon are left between the rocky fastnesses of Benjamin on the south and the high lands of Galilee belonging to Issachar on the north.