The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan, east of the springs of Jericho, and went up from there through the desert into the hill country of Bethel, Joshua 16:1.
It went on from Bethel, that is, Luz, crossed over to the territory of the Arkites in Ataroth, descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites, whom we know nothing about, as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon, Joshua 10:10, and on to Gezer, ending at the Mediterranean Sea, Joshua 16:2-3.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning Luz, Joshua 16:2.
‘From Genesis 28:19, it appears that the place which Jacob called Beth-el was formerly called Luz; see the note there, but here they seem to be two distinct places. It is very likely that the place where Jacob had the vision was not in Luz, but in some place within a small distance of that city or village, Genesis 28:12, and that sometimes the whole place was called Beth-el, at other times Luz, and sometimes, as in the case above, the two places were distinguished. As we find the term London comprises, not only London, but also the city of Westminster and the borough of Southwark, though at other times all three are distinctly mentioned.’
And so Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance, Joshua 16:4.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The territory of the two tribes, described in Joshua 16:1-4, comprised the central and most fertile part of Palestine. The south border ran from Jericho to Bethel and Beth-Horon to the sea (the Mediterranean); and the north border ran from Mount Carmel, along the southern border of the plain of Esdraelon to the Jordan.’
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Despite the fact of Ephraim’s border reaching the Mediterranean at a point coinciding with the northwest comer of Judah’s territory, it appears that Dan also had a stake in the towns around Joppa, Joshua 19:45-46, thus sharing that part of the seacoast with Ephraim.’
The territory of Ephraim was the boundary of their inheritance, which went from Ataroth Addar in the east to Upper Beth Horon and continued to the Mediterranean Sea and from Mikmethath on the north it curved eastward to Taanath Shiloh, passing by it to Janoah on the east, Joshua 16:5-6.
Then it went down from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho and came out at the Jordan, and from Tappuah the border went west to the Kanah Ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea, Joshua 16:7-8. It also included all the towns and their villages that were set aside for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites, Joshua 16:9 / Joshua 17:9.
Sadly, just like Judah, Joshua 15:63, Manasseh and Ephraim didn’t drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, and as a result of this, they lived among them but were required to do forced labour, Joshua 16:10.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It appears that the Canaanites were not expelled from this city till the days of Solomon, when it was taken by the king of Egypt his father-in-law, who made it a present to his daughter, Solomon’s queen, 1 Kings 9:16 / Joshua 10:33. The Ephraimites, however, had so far succeeded in subjecting these people as to oblige them to pay tribute, though they could not, or at least did not, totally expel them.’
Judah, Manasseh, and Ephraim failed in their attempts to drive out the people living in their inheritance, and the results were disastrous for Israel, Judges 1:16-2:4.
Despite God promising them that He would be with His people and fight for them and that He would drive the Canaanites out before them, Deuteronomy 11:23 / Joshua 13:6, they failed.
We can’t claim to love God, if we choose to ignore his commands, John 14:15. We love God because He first loved us, 1 John 4:19. And it is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure, Philippians 2:13.
However, as we were created with free will, in His love for us, He will never force us to obey Him, and so we must choose, God’s will or our own, Joshua 24:15 / Matthew 6:24 / Luke 22:42.