Commentary on Joshua, Commentary · Chapter 16
Chap. 16.
AND the lot fell to the children of Ioseph, from Iordan by Iericho vntounto the water of Iericho Eastwarde, and to the wildernesse that goeth vp from Iericho, by the mount Bethel:
2 And goeth out from Beth-el to Luz, and runneth along vntounto the borders of Archiataroth,
3 And goeth downe Westward to the coast of Iaphleti, vntounto the coast of Beth-horon the nether, and to Gezer: and the endes thereof are at the Sea.
4 So the children of Ioseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim, tooke their inheritance.
5 Also the borders of the children of Ephraim, according to their families, euen the borders of their inheritance on the Eastside, were Atroth-addar, vntounto Beth-horon the vpper.
6 And this border goeth out to the Sea vntounto Micmethah on the Northside, and this border returneth Eastwarde vntounto Taanath-shiloh, and passeth it on the Eastside vntounto Ianoha,
7 And goeth downe from Ianoha, to Ataroth, and Naarath, and commeth to Iericho, and goeth out at Iordan.
8 And this border goeth from Tappuah Westwarde, vntounto the riuer Kanah, and the endes thereof are at the Sea: this is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, by their families.
9 And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh: all the cities with their villages.
10 And they cast not out the Chanaanite that dwelt in Gezer, but the Chanaanite dwelleth among the Ephraimites vntounto this day, and serue vnderunder tribute.
1 And the lotte, &c.) First he telleth generally, what lotte fell to the two sonnes of Ioseph, afterwardes he rehearseth the lotte of Ephraim. And it is maxuell, seeing halfe the tribe of Manasse was alreadie placed beyond Iordan, yet more wordes are spent about the other parte, which remained, than about all the tribe of Ephraim: which as it was more populous, so it did iustly challenge a larger ground: but that the speech is longer about the posteritie of Manasse, it commeth by occasion: because the author of the booke doeth repeate againe, how they had a place appointed them, without casting of lots, in the land of Basan. Afterward he reherseth that that was confirmed by Iosue, which Moses by authoritie of God cōmanded concerning the daughters of Selophad. Therefore, when there was no doubt of the bounds of Ephraim, neither should there be any strife about them, their lotte is breefly set forth. But here ariseth a newe question: seeing the right of the first begotten was passed from Manasse to Ephraim, how the posteritie of him, which was higher in degree of honour, obteined their citties among the children of Manasse. For by this meanes their state seemeth to be inferiour vntounto them. But I doe so interprete it, that when the portion of Manasse was larger than according to the number of the men, when iust accompt was made, certeine cities were withdrawen which made vp the iust portion of the …ribe of Ephraim: not that they should dwell intermixed as it were by licence of the children of Manasse: but because their borders were extended further toward them, whom a s…anter possession might suffice. But in the end of the Chapter, the slouth and cowardise of the tribe of Ephraim is noted with in…amie, for that he draue not out the Chanaanite out of Gaza, for if they had gone forward manfully, and wisely, to challenge the land which was fallen vntounto them by lot, the victorie was in their hande: for they should hauehave attempted nothing rashly, because the casting of lottes was as good, as if God had reached forth his hand out of heauen. But their shamefull slouthfulnes is more clearely expressed, and their fault augmented, because they made them tributaries, with whome it was not lawfull to enter into any couenant. Therefore, when God had expressely forbidden his people to make any contract with those nations, and specially to co…enant with them for pardon and life, the children of Ephraim did more greeuously offend, than if they had suffered them without any couenant.