Joshua Chapter 16 — The Inheritance of Ephraim
Joshua 16 outlines the land allotment for the descendants of Joseph, with a detailed description of the borders assigned specifically to the tribe of Ephraim.
1The lot came out for the children of Joseph from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel.
2It went out from Bethel to Luz, and passed along to the border of the Archites to Ataroth;
3and it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, to the border of Beth Horon the lower, and on to Gezer; and ended at the sea.
4The children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
5This was the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families. The border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth Addar, to Beth Horon the upper.
6The border went out westward at Michmethath on the north. The border turned about eastward to Taanath Shiloh, and passed along it on the east of Janoah.
7It went down from Janoah to Ataroth, to Naarah, reached to Jericho, and went out at the Jordan.
8From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families;
9together with the cities which were set apart for the children of Ephraim in the middle of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
10They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the territory of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labor.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Joshua 16:4
“The children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.”
This verse establishes that the two sons of Joseph were treated as major tribal entities during the distribution of the land.
Joshua 16:10
“They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the territory of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labor.”
This verse highlights the partial failure to fully conquer the land, which had significant implications for Israel's future history.
Chapter Summary
Joshua 16 records the division of the Promised Land for the descendants of Joseph, specifically focusing on the tribe of Ephraim. The chapter begins by describing the collective territory given to both Manasseh and Ephraim, stretching from the Jordan River near Jericho through the hill country to the Mediterranean Sea. The text then provides a detailed account of Ephraim's specific borders, naming various landmarks such as Bethel, Ataroth, and Gezer. This inheritance included specific cities within the territory later assigned to Manasseh. The chapter concludes with the observation that the tribe of Ephraim did not completely drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer. Instead, the Canaanites were allowed to remain in the land, where they were eventually subjected to forced labor under the Ephraimites.
Frequently Asked Questions
The children of Joseph were Ephraim and Manasseh. Although they were grandsons of Jacob, they were each given a status equal to Jacob's sons and received their own distinct tribal inheritances in the Promised Land.
Ephraim's territory extended from the Jordan River near Jericho in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. Key landmarks mentioned in its borders include Bethel, Beth Horon, and Gezer.
The text does not specify the reason for their failure to drive them out, but it notes that the Canaanites remained in the land. Instead of being expelled, they were forced into labor as servants for the people of Ephraim.
Study Note
The mention of Bethel and Luz in verse 2 reflects the ancient names of these sites, which were significant locations in the history of the patriarchs.
Related Chapters
Joshua Chapter 17
This chapter continues the description of the inheritance for the other half of the house of Joseph, the tribe of Manasseh.
Numbers Chapter 26
This chapter provides the census data that determined how the land was to be divided among the tribes of Israel.
Judges Chapter 1
The book of Judges further describes the ongoing presence of Canaanite groups that were not fully removed during the initial conquest.
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