Here we read of the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as Joseph’s firstborn, that is, for Makir, Manasseh’s firstborn Joshua 17:1.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It was necessary to mark this because Jacob, in his blessing, Genesis 48:19-20, did, in a certain sense, set Ephraim before Manasseh, though the latter was the first-born; but the place here shows that this preference did not affect the rights of primogeniture.’
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Though Ephraim took precedence of Manasseh, according to the prediction of Joseph, Genesis 48:20, yet Manasseh received ‘the double portion’ which was the special privilege of the first-born, Deuteronomy 21:17.’
Makir was the ancestor of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead and Bashan because the Makirites were great soldiers, Joshua 17:1. This allotment was for the rest of the people of Manasseh and the clans are named: Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of Manasseh, son of Joseph, Joshua 17:2.
Zelophehad, son of Hepher, Numbers 27:1-7 / Numbers 36:1, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah, Joshua 17:3.
As a result of having no sons, they went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua, and the leaders and said that God commanded Moses to give them an inheritance among our relatives, and so, Joshua gave them an inheritance along with the brothers of their father, Joshua 17:4.
Manasseh’s share consisted of ten tracts of land besides Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan, because the daughters of the tribe of Manasseh received an inheritance among the sons, and the land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh, Joshua 17:5-6.
The territory of Manasseh extended from Asher to Mikmethath east of Shechem, and the boundary ran southward from there to include the people living at En Tappuah, Joshua 17:7.
We are told that Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, but Tappuah itself, on the boundary of Manasseh, belonged to the Ephraimites, and the boundary continued south to the Kanah Ravine, Joshua 17:8-9.
There were towns belonging to Ephraim lying among the towns of Manasseh, but the boundary of Manasseh was the northern side of the ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea, Joshua 17:9.
On the south the land belonged to Ephraim, on the north to Manasseh and the territory of Manasseh reached the Mediterranean Sea and bordered Asher on the north, Joshua 19:26, and Issachar on the east, Joshua 17:10.
Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also had Beth Shan, Ibleam and the people of Dor, Endor, which was the place where Saul went to consult the witch, 1 Samuel 28:7. Taanach and Megiddo, together with their surrounding settlements, and we are told that the third in the list is Naphoth, Joshua 17:11.
The Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region; however, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labour but did not drive them out completely, Joshua 17:12-13.
Sadly, just like Judah, Joshua 15:63, Manasseh and Ephraim, Joshua 16:10, the Manassites didn’t drive out the Canaanites in these towns, and so as a result of this, they lived among them but were required to do forced labour, / Joshua 17:12-13 / Joshua 16:10.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The writer of the Book of Joshua noted carefully the failures of the tribes to drive the Canaanites out of their territories, as well as their successes in doing so, e.g., Caleb. The extent of the occupation of their land depended on the extent of their ability to annihilate the Canaanites by God’s power.’
The people of Joseph now come to Joshua and ask, Why has he given them only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? There are numerous people, and God has blessed them abundantly, Joshua 17:14.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The children of Joseph seem therefore to exhibit here that arrogant and jealous spirit which elsewhere characterises their conduct, Judges 8:1 / Judges 12:1 / 2 Samuel 19:41 / 2 Chronicles 28:7. A glance at the map shows that their complaint was in itself unreasonable. Their territory, which measured about 55 miles by 70 miles, was at least as large in proportion to their numbers as that of any other tribe and moreover comprehended some of the most fertile of the whole promised land.’
Joshua tells them, if they are so numerous and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for them, Joshua 11:16, then go up into the forest and clear land for themselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites, Joshua 17:15.
The people reply and say, the hill country is not enough for them, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron, Exodus 14:7, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel, Joshua 17:16 / Judges 7:1 / Judges 7:8.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following concerning Joshua 17:16.
‘We cannot possess the plain country, because that is occupied by the Canaanites and we cannot conquer them, because they have chariots of iron, that is, very strong chariots, and armed with scythes, as is generally supposed.’
And so Joshua replies and tells Ephraim and Manasseh that they are numerous and very powerful and they will have not only one allotment but the forested hill country as well, Joshua 17-17-18.
He tells them to clear it, and its farthest limits will be theirs though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron and though they are strong, they can drive them out, Joshua 17:18.
At the very beginning of Israel’s journey to take the land, God told Joshua to be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for your God will be with him wherever he goes, Joshua 1:9.
What Israel was about to do at the beginning needed a huge amount of faith. As we’ve seen so far, Judah, Joshua 15:63, Manasseh and Ephraim, Joshua 16:10, and the Manassites didn’t drive out the Canaanites from the land.
If God promises to be with us in whatever He asks us to do, maybe we should focus on God’s promises to be with us every step of the way as He did Joshua, Joshua 1:5 / Hebrews 13:5. Maybe we should trust his primes and just get on with the work at hand in His kingdom, 1 Chronicles 28:20 / 1 Kings 8:57.