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 Beth–el,
And goeth out from Beth–el to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,
And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Beth–horon the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.
So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
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 Ataroth–addar, unto Beth–horon the upper;
And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanath–shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;
And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.
The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.
And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
Joshua 16 details the allotment of land to the descendants of Joseph, specifically the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. This chapter highlights both the blessings bestowed upon them and the challenges they faced in fully possessing their inheritance. The narrative serves as a vital lesson in obedience and the consequences of compromise.
The Fruitful Inheritance (Joshua 16:1-4)
The tribe of Joseph, blessed by Jacob in Genesis 49:22-26, received a large and fertile territory. It's important to note that the "tribe of Joseph" was actually divided into two distinct tribes, descended from Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Joshua 16:4). This division reflects the abundant blessing God bestowed upon Joseph's lineage, allowing them to inherit a double portion in the Promised Land. The land's location was also strategically advantageous, further emphasizing God's favor upon them. God often blesses the descendants of those who serve Him faithfully.
Ephraim's Inheritance (Joshua 16:5-9)
The descendants of Ephraim received their specific inheritance within the larger territory of Joseph (Joshua 16:5-8). This detailed description of their boundaries emphasizes the precision and care with which God allocated the land to each tribe.
The Unfinished Task and its Consequences (Joshua 16:10)
Joshua 16:10 reveals a critical flaw in Ephraim's obedience: "However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; so the Canaanites have lived in Ephraim to this day but have been made to do forced labor." This seemingly small act of disobedience had significant consequences.
Instead of completely driving out the Canaanites as God commanded, the Ephraimites chose to make them tributaries, forcing them into labor. Perhaps they reasoned that they couldn't afford to lose the Canaanites' labor. However, this decision directly contradicted God's explicit instructions and set the stage for future problems.
The presence of the Canaanites and their idolatrous practices would act as a slow-acting poison within Israel, gradually eroding their faith and leading them astray. As we see in the Book of Judges, this compromise would become a recurring pattern, leading to cycles of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. By failing to fully obey God's command to drive out the enemy, Israel was setting itself up for a fall.
This verse serves as a cautionary tale for believers today. We must be diligent in rooting out sin and compromise from our lives, lest they take root and lead us away from God's will. Half-hearted obedience is ultimately disobedience, and it carries significant consequences. We must strive for complete obedience, trusting in God's wisdom and power to accomplish His purposes in our lives.
The narrative also subtly hints at potential tensions between the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, despite their familial connection. Ephraim, though the younger tribe, was more powerful and seemingly envious of Manasseh's larger portion (Joshua 17:14). This highlights the ever-present danger of envy, even among brethren, a troublesome and destructive spirit, as Proverbs 27:4 points out.
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 Beth–el,
And goeth out from Beth–el to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,
And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Beth–horon the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.
So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
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 Ataroth–addar, unto Beth–horon the upper;
And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanath–shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;
And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.
The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.
And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
Joshua 16 details the allotment of land to the descendants of Joseph, specifically the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. This chapter highlights both the blessings bestowed upon them and the challenges they faced in fully possessing their inheritance. The narrative serves as a vital lesson in obedience and the consequences of compromise.
The Fruitful Inheritance (Joshua 16:1-4)
The tribe of Joseph, blessed by Jacob in Genesis 49:22-26, received a large and fertile territory. It's important to note that the "tribe of Joseph" was actually divided into two distinct tribes, descended from Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Joshua 16:4). This division reflects the abundant blessing God bestowed upon Joseph's lineage, allowing them to inherit a double portion in the Promised Land. The land's location was also strategically advantageous, further emphasizing God's favor upon them. God often blesses the descendants of those who serve Him faithfully.
Ephraim's Inheritance (Joshua 16:5-9)
The descendants of Ephraim received their specific inheritance within the larger territory of Joseph (Joshua 16:5-8). This detailed description of their boundaries emphasizes the precision and care with which God allocated the land to each tribe.
The Unfinished Task and its Consequences (Joshua 16:10)
Joshua 16:10 reveals a critical flaw in Ephraim's obedience: "However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; so the Canaanites have lived in Ephraim to this day but have been made to do forced labor." This seemingly small act of disobedience had significant consequences.
Instead of completely driving out the Canaanites as God commanded, the Ephraimites chose to make them tributaries, forcing them into labor. Perhaps they reasoned that they couldn't afford to lose the Canaanites' labor. However, this decision directly contradicted God's explicit instructions and set the stage for future problems.
The presence of the Canaanites and their idolatrous practices would act as a slow-acting poison within Israel, gradually eroding their faith and leading them astray. As we see in the Book of Judges, this compromise would become a recurring pattern, leading to cycles of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. By failing to fully obey God's command to drive out the enemy, Israel was setting itself up for a fall.
This verse serves as a cautionary tale for believers today. We must be diligent in rooting out sin and compromise from our lives, lest they take root and lead us away from God's will. Half-hearted obedience is ultimately disobedience, and it carries significant consequences. We must strive for complete obedience, trusting in God's wisdom and power to accomplish His purposes in our lives.
The narrative also subtly hints at potential tensions between the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, despite their familial connection. Ephraim, though the younger tribe, was more powerful and seemingly envious of Manasseh's larger portion (Joshua 17:14). This highlights the ever-present danger of envy, even among brethren, a troublesome and destructive spirit, as Proverbs 27:4 points out.