Commentary on Joshua, Commentary · Chapter 17
Chap. 17.
THis was also the lotte of the tribe of Manasseh: for he was the first borne of Ioseph, to wit of Machir, the first borne of Manasseh, and the father of Gilead: now becase he was a man of warre, he had Gilead, & Bashan.
2 And also of the rest of the sonnes of Manasseh by their families, euen of the sonnes of Abiezer, and of the sonnes of Helek, and of the sonnes of Azriel, and of the sonnes of Shechem, and of the sonnes of Hepher, and of the sonnes of Shemida: these were the males of Manassah, the sonne of Ioseph, according to their families.
3 But Zelophehad the sonne of Hepher, the sonne of Gilead, the sonne of Machir, the sonne of Manasseh, had no sonnes, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Malhah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milchah, and Tirzah.
4 Which came before Eleazar the Priest, and before Ios…ue the sonne of Nun, & before the Princes, saying, The Lord commanded Moses to geue vsus an inheritance among our brethren▪ therefore, according to the commaundement of the Lord, hee gaue them an inheritaunce among the brethren of their father.
5 And there fell tenne portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead, and Bashan, whiche is on the otherside Iordan.
6 Because the daughters of Manasseh did inherite among his sonnes: and Manassehs other sonnes had the land of Gilead.
7 So the borders of Manasseh, were from Asher to Micmethah that lieth before Shechem, and this border goeth on the right hand, euen vntounto the inhabitantes of Entappuah.
8 The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah, beside the border of Manasseh, belongeth to the sonnes of Ephraim.
9 Also this border goeth downe vntounto the riuer Kanah, Southwarde to the riuer: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: and the border of Manasseh is on the Northside of the riuer, and the ends of it are at the Sea.
10 The South perteineth to Ephraim, and the North to Manasseh, and the Sea is his border: and they mette together in Asher Northwarde, and in Issachar Eastward.
He returneth againe to the tribe of Manasse, especially to confirme that which wee sawe before of the daughters of Selophehad. For it beeing a straunge matter, that women should succeede indifferently with men: yet because there was fiue of them left by their father, they proued that it was meete, that left their father, without his desert, should be punished as one that died childlesse, it was meete, that they should be receiued into his portion. So God by an oracle had geuen answeare vntounto Moses, that they should make one head in succession. Now they require, that the same may be to them perfourmed which was adiudged by the mouth of God. That Manasse doeth still reteine the name of the first begotten, wee ought to take it so, that it be not repugnant to the prophesie of Iacob: for rather his birthright is here after a manner buried, and his dignitie restrained vntounto the time passed. Where it is to be noted, that men are such holdfastes, and addict vntounto their owne profites, that it seldome commeth in their mindes, to yeeld to other men their right. The daughters of Selophehad by an heauenly decree had obceined a portion, neither was there any man that durst say a worde against it. But for all that, if they had held their peace, there had bene none accompt made of them. Therfore lest lingering should be hurtfull to them, they come to Iosue & Eleazar, & vrge them that they be not depriued of their lawfull inheritance. And Iosue maketh no delay, but that they may obteine immediately, that which is iust and right. Neither doe the people murmur at it. Wherevpon wee gather, that they were all well inclined to equitie: but while eueryevery man is carefull for his owne, they doe too much neglecte others, of whom they ought to hauehave regarde.
5 And ten inheritances, &c.) In this place are numbred seuen stockes or houses in the posteritie of Manasse: Machir his eldest sonne is placed by himselfe. Now it is demanded, how the inheritance was diuided into tenne partes: Some interpreters doe craftily make as though they sawe not this doubt: other, because they cannot lose the knot, inuent verie trifling expositions. Surely it were against all reson, that foure lots were geuen to fiue daughters. And it is no more agreable to truth, that because their father was the eldest, therfore they had his part doubled. This is out of doubt, that Gilead the sonne of Machir, which was the great grandfather to these women, of whom we speake, did choose his seate in the mount Gilead & Basan. Therefore, seeing he had by priuiledge, without casting of lottes, obteined an inheritance alreadie, he ought not to cast lots in the land of Chanaan: except peraduenture he placed but halfe his familie beyond Iordan. For Hepher was one of his sonnes, but not his only sonne: like as the issue of the other fiue brethren might be diuided into more heades, according to which number the diuision was made: For we cannot tell, in what degree the families were taken, vntounto whom their portion fell out in the land of Chanaan. And we reade none other thing here, but that tenne lottes were cast among the sonnes of Manasse, beside that region which they had obteined before, beyond Iordan. Therefore it is in vaine to contend about the number, the certeintie whereof wee can not gather out of this present historie: for this before all things must be obserued, vntounto how many families the partition was made cōmon. And it may be, that the daughters of Selophehad had their patrimonie geuen them there. For they are saide in deede to hauehave dwelled among their fathers brethren: but the place is not assigned where. Howsoeuer it is, I doubt not, but a mutuall equalitie was obserued, that seing the rest were prouided for beyond Iordan, they diuided the land that was subiect to casting of lots into ten families, whose names are not here rehearsed.
11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher, Beth-shean and her townes, and Ibleam and her townes, and the inhabitantes of Dor with the townes thereof, and the inhabitantes of En-dor with the townes thereof, and the inhabitantes of Thaanach with her townes, and the inhabitantes of Megiddo with the townes of the same, euen three countries.
12 Yet the children of Manasseh could not destroy those cities, but the Chanaanites dwelled still in that land.
13 Neuerthelesse, when the children of Israel were strong, they put the Chanaanites vnderunder tribute, but cast them not out wholy.
14 Then the children of Ioseph spake vntounto Ioshue, saying, Why hast thou geuen me but one lot, and one portion to inherite, seeing I am a greate people, for asmuch as the Lorde hath blessed me hitherto?
15 Ioshue then answeared them, If thou be much people, get thee vp to the wood, and cut trees for thy selfe there, in the lande of the Perizzites, and of the Giantes if, mount Ephraim be too narrowe for thee.
16 Then the children of Ioseph said, The mountaine will not be enough for vsus: and all the Chanaanites that dwell in the lowe countrie, hauehave charriots of yron, as well they in Beth-shean, and in the townes of the same, as they in the vallie of Izreel.
17 And Ioshue spake vntounto the house of Ioseph, to Ephraim, and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power, and shalt not hauehave one lot.
18 Therefore the mountaine shalbe thine: for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it downe: and the endes of it shalbe thine, & thou shalt cast out the Chanaanites, though they hauehave yron chariots, and though they be strong.
11 And Manasseh, &c.) It is not easie to gather, how they were so mingled, that they possessed certeine cities in the lot of Aser, and Izachar, when the tribe of Ephraim dwelt within their borders: except peraduenture it was so prouided, lest a more commodious kind of dwelling shoulde hauehave bene subiect to many quarelles and complaintes: or else perhapps, as the whole region was afterward better knowen, some thing was chaunged in the former partition, according to the rule of equitie. Therefore this seemeth to be a new addition, while it was knowen, that the children of Manasse might be enlarged, without the losse of the other. Neither was there geuen them a peaceable possession, which they might presently enioy: but their inheritaunce was layed vp vnderunder hope, that they might rest rather in the heauenlie promise, than in the earthlie possession. Yet that they obteined not those cities, it is imputed to their owne fault, for the lot was to them an vndoubted pledge of victorie. Therefore they could not driue out the inhabitantes, because they were not persuaded in their hearts, that God was true of his promise, and so they stopped the course of Gods power, through their own slouthfulnes. But the other fault was lesse tollerable: when they might easily hauehave destroyed them all: they were not onelyonly slouthfull in executing the commaundement of God: but being moued with filthie lucre, they saued those aliue, whom GOD had appointed to be destroyed. For those whom we charge with tribute, we doe in a manner receiue them vnderunder our tuition and protection. God had appointed them to be ministers of his vengeaunce, he had geuen them strength enough to execute the same: but they were not onelyonly slacke therein, but also depriued them selues of libertie to doe well. Therefore it is no meruell, if God seuerely reuenged their so froward slouthfulnesse, that those nations, whom they had pardoned, contrarie to the manifest prohibition of God, shoulde bee come prickes to be thrust into their eyes, and goades to digge in their sides. Also here ariseth a question, how they had cities graunted to them in the tribes of Aser and Num. 33, …Izachar, when both their portions was yet vnknowen. Therefore, by anticipation that is rehearsed, which was not yet fulfilled. Howsoeuer it be, we gather, that because of the ignorance of the places, euerie parte was not so exactly diuided at the first, but that it was needefull more or lesse to correct that, which was first set downe. And geuerally we must take it so, of the tribe of Ephraim, and the rest, that many cities, which they obteined, were so wasted, that they serued them to no vse. Wherefore I doubt not, but many ruines are here buried. And then it is to be thought, that where base townes were, through the fruitefulnesse of the soile, and other commodities, noble cities were builded. For surely, Sichem was of sufficient renowne to hauehave had a name, and a degree: yet there is no mention of it here, like as there is not also of Samaria, which being the Metropolitane citie of the kingdome of Israel, perteineth to the same tribe of Ephraim, as it is well knowne. Therefore it is manifest, that many cities were possessed in euerie tribe, whereof here is no mention at all.
14 And the children of Ioseph, &c.) Although they set a faire colour of excuse for their complaint: yet they dissemble amisse, that no more was comprehended in one lot, than serued for one tribe. Yet I can not tell, whether the lot was cast confusedly for the sonnes of Ioseph: and surely it seemeth against reason, that it should be so. Iosue was not ignorant, nor yet the other ouerseers, of the diuiūon, that Ephraim and Manasse made two heads or two stockes: and it hath bene often saide before, that the lande was diuided into tenne tribes, which number could not stand, except they discerned the tribe of Manasse from the tribe of Ephraim. Therefore it is certeine, that they were not deceiued with so grosse an errour, that they would cast two names vppon one lot. For it had bene intollerable vnrighteousnesse, to bide two tribes vnderunder the name of Ioseph, that they might defraud them of the one halfe of their right. A…de herevnto, that the portion of either of them, was before distinctly described, and set foorth with their seuerall boundes. Therefore reason leadeth vsus rather to this opinion. When the lottes were cast vppon two tribes, it came to passe, by the wonderfull counsell of God, that these brethren which had one father, should be neighbours and lie both together: therefore they doe vniustly find fault, that they hauehave but one inheritaunce geuen them, because neither was the negligence of Iosue so g…eate, nor his minde so malignant, that either for lacke of consideration, or through enuie, he would defraud them of their cleere and manifest right: but hereof did arise this false complaint of the scantnesse of their landes, because they made none accompte of all that grounde, which was yet to be conquered by prowesse of warre: as though the lott had placed all the other tribes beside in a peaceable foile. And therefore Iosue, with one worde, doeth confute and discusse all their contention and quareling, and turneth vppon their owne heades that crime, whereby they assaied to make him to be enuied. If ye hauehave such store of men (saith he) and so great a multitude, why doe you not fall vppon your enimies, whose region is geuen vntounto you▪ For, if ye doe valiantly enter into the inheritaunce graunted to you by God, trusting in his promise, the successe shall not deceiue you. We see, that although they were wel prouided for, yet they are blinded with their own slouthfulnes, so that they complaine, that they are pinned in with streightes: because they would not moue their little finger, to seeke the effect of their lot to hauehave larger roome. Wherefore, this place doeth teach vsus, if we thinke at any time that lesse is performed vntounto vsus, than ought to be, that we must diligently search ou… all lettes, that we doe not rashly cast vppon others, the fault that resteth in our selues.
16 To whom they made answere, &c.) It appeareth, that they were too much addicted to them selues, because they drawe backe as much as they ran, that they might not geue place to the reason propounded by Iosue: th…n the which yet nothing w… more ind… ferent. They obiect, that the hill was vnfruitefull, and as it was … deserte, so that if any thing were added, they should feele small profite thereof. As touching the plaine, which was well occupied and fruitfull, they obiect that they are shut out from it, & kept out of it, through the terrible forces of their enimies. Therefore they make mention of yron charriots, as though they had neuer tried before, that God could easily ouerthrowe, as well the charriots, as the horsemen. But Iosue, with a plaine and wise answere, doeth well reproue both their couetousnesse, and their delicacie, & slouthfulnesse. If the forest (saith he) at this time, be not fruitfull enough: thou maist cu… downe the trees, and make thee goodly feeldes: so that, if thou woul…est not spare thy laboure, this dwelling which thou haste, woulde serue thy turne well enough. And as for yron charriots shall not let, but God may performe that which he hath promised. The inheritaunce is thine: onelyonly enter vppon it, with such boldenesse, as becommeth thee.