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Joshua 17 (Yehoshua) in Hebrew and English

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Tenakh Study · Read Joshua in Hebrew and English, one chapter per page. Our Tenakh study meets every Wednesday at 7 pm (Central Time) on Zoom. Text us for the Zoom link.

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Tenakh Study · Joshua 17:1–18

Joshua, Chapter 17

יהושע יז

The lot of Menashe: Machir receives Gil’ad and Bashan, the other clans and the daughters of Tzelofchad receive land west of the Yarden, the border of Menashe is traced, and Yehoshua tells the children of Yosef to clear the wooded hill country.

The lot of Menashe

17:1There was also a lot for the tribe of Menashe (Manasseh); for he was the firstborn of Yosef (Joseph); to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Menashe, the father of Gil’ad (Gilead): because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gil’ad and Bashan.

אוַיְהִ֤י הַגּוֹרָל֙ לְמַטֵּ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּי־ה֖וּא בְּכ֣וֹר יוֹסֵ֑ף לְמָכִיר֩ בְּכ֨וֹר מְנַשֶּׁ֜ה אֲבִ֣י הַגִּלְעָ֗ד כִּ֣י ה֤וּא הָיָה֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וַֽיְהִי־ל֖וֹ הַגִּלְעָ֥ד וְהַבָּשָֽׁן׃

17:2There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Menashe by their families; for the children of Avi’ezer (Abiezer), and for the children of Chelek (Helek), and for the children of Asri’el (Asriel), and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Chefer (Hepher), and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Menashe the son of Yosef by their families.

בוַ֠יְהִי לִבְנֵ֨י מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה הַנּוֹתָרִים֮ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לִבְנֵ֨י אֲבִיעֶ֜זֶר וְלִבְנֵי־חֵ֗לֶק וְלִבְנֵ֤י אַשְׂרִיאֵל֙ וְלִבְנֵי־שֶׁ֔כֶם וְלִבְנֵי־חֵ֖פֶר וְלִבְנֵ֣י שְׁמִידָ֑ע אֵ֠לֶּה בְּנֵ֨י מְנַשֶּׁ֧ה בֶּן־יוֹסֵ֛ף הַזְּכָרִ֖ים לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃

The daughters of Tzelofchad

17:3But Tzelofchad (Zelophehad), the son of Chefer, the son of Gil’ad, the son of Machir, the son of Menashe, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Machlah (Mahlah), and No’ah (Noah), Choglah (Hoglah), Milkah (Milcah), and Tirtzah (Tirzah).

גוְלִצְלָפְחָד֩ בֶּן־חֵ֨פֶר בֶּן־גִּלְעָ֜ד בֶּן־מָכִ֣יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה לֹא־הָ֥יוּ ל֛וֹ בָּנִ֖ים כִּ֣י אִם־בָּנ֑וֹת וְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ שְׁמ֣וֹת בְּנֹתָ֔יו מַחְלָ֣ה וְנֹעָ֔ה חָגְלָ֥ה מִלְכָּ֖ה וְתִרְצָֽה׃

17:4And they came near before El’azar (Eleazar) the priest, and before Yehoshua (Joshua) the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, “Hashem commanded Moshe (Moses) to give us an inheritance among our brethren.” Therefore according to the commandment of Hashem he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.

דוַתִּקְרַ֡בְנָה לִפְנֵי֩ אֶלְעָזָ֨ר הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וְלִפְנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן וְלִפְנֵ֤י הַנְּשִׂיאִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְהוָה֙ צִוָּ֣ה אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֔ה לָֽתֶת־לָ֥נוּ נַחֲלָ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ אַחֵ֑ינוּ וַיִּתֵּ֨ן לָהֶ֜ם אֶל־פִּ֤י יְהוָה֙ נַֽחֲלָ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲחֵ֥י אֲבִיהֶֽן׃

17:5And there fell ten portions to Menashe, beside the land of Gil’ad and Bashan, which were on the other side Yarden (Jordan);

הוַיִּפְּל֥וּ חַבְלֵֽי־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה עֲשָׂרָ֑ה לְבַ֞ד מֵאֶ֤רֶץ הַגִּלְעָד֙ וְהַבָּשָׁ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

17:6Because the daughters of Menashe had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Menashe’s sons had the land of Gil’ad.

וכִּ֚י בְּנ֣וֹת מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה נָחֲל֥וּ נַחֲלָ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ בָּנָ֑יו וְאֶ֨רֶץ֙ הַגִּלְעָ֔ד הָיְתָ֥ה לִבְנֵֽי־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה הַנּֽוֹתָרִֽים׃

The border of Menashe

17:7And the coast of Menashe was from Asher to Michmetat (Michmethah), that lies before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of Ein Tapuach (En-tappuah).

זוַיְהִ֤י גְבוּל־מְנַשֶּׁה֙ מֵֽאָשֵׁ֔ר הַֽמִּכְמְתָ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֣י שְׁכֶ֑ם וְהָלַ֤ךְ הַגְּבוּל֙ אֶל־הַיָּמִ֔ין אֶל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י עֵ֥ין תַּפּֽוּחַ׃

17:8Now Menashe had the land of Tapuach (Tappuah): but Tapuach on the border of Menashe belonged to the children of Efrayim (Ephraim);

חלִמְנַשֶּׁ֕ה הָיְתָ֖ה אֶ֣רֶץ תַּפּ֑וּחַ וְתַפּ֛וּחַ אֶל־גְּב֥וּל מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה לִבְנֵ֥י אֶפְרָֽיִם׃

17:9And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Efrayim are among the cities of Menashe: the coast of Menashe also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:

טוְיָרַ֣ד הַגְּבוּל֩ נַ֨חַל קָנָ֜ה נֶ֣גְבָּה לַנַּ֗חַל עָרִ֤ים הָאֵ֨לֶּה֙ לְאֶפְרַ֔יִם בְּת֖וֹךְ עָרֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וּגְב֤וּל מְנַשֶּׁה֙ מִצְּפ֣וֹן לַנַּ֔חַל וַיְהִ֥י תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו הַיָּֽמָּה׃

17:10Southward it was Efrayim’s, and northward it was Menashe’s, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Yissachar (Issachar) on the east.

ינֶ֣גְבָּה לְאֶפְרַ֗יִם וְצָפ֨וֹנָה֙ לִמְנַשֶּׁ֔ה וַיְהִ֥י הַיָּ֖ם גְּבוּל֑וֹ וּבְאָשֵׁר֙ יִפְגְּע֣וּן מִצָּפ֔וֹן וּבְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר מִמִּזְרָֽח׃

17:11And Menashe had in Yissachar and in Asher Beit She’an (Beth-shean) and her towns, and Yivle’am (Ibleam) and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Ein Dor (Endor) and her towns, and the inhabitants of Ta’nach (Taanach) and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.

יאוַיְהִ֨י לִמְנַשֶּׁ֜ה בְּיִשָּׂשכָ֣ר וּבְאָשֵׁ֗ר בֵּית־שְׁאָ֣ן וּ֠בְנוֹתֶיהָ וְיִבְלְעָ֨ם וּבְנוֹתֶ֜יהָ וְֽאֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֧י דֹ֣אר וּבְנוֹתֶ֗יהָ וְיֹשְׁבֵ֤י עֵֽין־דֹּר֙ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יהָ וְיֹשְׁבֵ֤י תַעְנַךְ֙ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יהָ וְיֹשְׁבֵ֥י מְגִדּ֖וֹ וּבְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת הַנָּֽפֶת׃

17:12Yet the children of Menashe could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Kena’ani (Canaanites) would dwell in that land.

יבוְלֹ֤א יָכְלוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה לְהוֹרִ֖ישׁ אֶת־הֶֽעָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיּ֨וֹאֶל֙ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בָּאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּֽאת׃

17:13Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Kena’ani to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.

יגוַֽיְהִ֗י כִּ֤י חָֽזְקוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י לָמַ֑ס וְהוֹרֵ֖שׁ לֹ֥א הוֹרִישֽׁוֹ׃

The hill country for the house of Yosef

17:14And the children of Yosef spoke unto Yehoshua, saying, “Why have you given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as Hashem has blessed me hitherto?”

ידוַֽיְדַבְּרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ לֵאמֹ֑ר מַדּוּעַ֩ נָתַ֨תָּה לִּ֜י נַחֲלָ֗ה גּוֹרָ֤ל אֶחָד֙ וְחֶ֣בֶל אֶחָ֔ד וַֽאֲנִ֣י עַם־רָ֔ב עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־עַד־כֹּ֖ה בֵּֽרְכַ֥נִי יְהוָֽה׃

17:15And Yehoshua answered them, “If you be a great people, then get you up to the wood country, and cut down for yourself there in the land of the Perizzi (Perizzites) and of the giants, if mount Efrayim be too narrow for you.”

טווַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ אִם־עַם־רַ֤ב אַתָּה֙ עֲלֵ֣ה לְךָ֣ הַיַּ֔עְרָה וּבֵרֵאתָ֤ לְךָ֙ שָׁ֔ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַפְּרִזִּ֖י וְהָֽרְפָאִ֑ים כִּֽי־אָ֥ץ לְךָ֖ הַר־אֶפְרָֽיִם׃

17:16And the children of Yosef said, “The hill is not enough for us: and all the Kena’ani that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beit She’an and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Yizre’el (Jezreel).”

טזוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף לֹֽא־יִמָּ֥צֵא לָ֖נוּ הָהָ֑ר וְרֶ֣כֶב בַּרְזֶ֗ל בְּכָל־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־הָעֵ֔מֶק לַֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר בְּבֵית־שְׁאָן֙ וּבְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ וְלַֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֥מֶק יִזְרְעֶֽאל׃

17:17And Yehoshua spoke unto the house of Yosef, even to Efrayim and to Menashe, saying, “You are a great people, and have great power: you shall not have one lot only:

יזוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יוֹסֵ֔ף לְאֶפְרַ֥יִם וְלִמְנַשֶּׁ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר עַם־רַ֣ב אַתָּ֗ה וְכֹ֤חַ גָּדוֹל֙ לָ֔ךְ לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֖ גּוֹרָ֥ל אֶחָֽד׃

17:18But the mountain shall be yours; for it is a wood, and you shall cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be yours: for you shall drive out the Kena’ani, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.”

יחכִּ֣י הַ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה־לָּךְ֙ כִּֽי־יַ֣עַר ה֔וּא וּבֵ֣רֵאת֔וֹ וְהָיָ֥ה לְךָ֖ תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֑יו כִּֽי־תוֹרִ֣ישׁ אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֗י כִּ֣י רֶ֤כֶב בַּרְזֶל֙ ל֔וֹ כִּ֥י חָזָ֖ק הֽוּא׃

Sources & method

Hebrew text
The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
English translation
The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
Verse numbers
Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible; in Joshua they are the same as in most English Bibles.
Hebrew font
SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.