Joshua 16

Joshua 16:1

1. Children of Joseph — That is, Ephraim and the western half of Manasseh. Their lots were first drawn together that these brothers might be contiguous, but there was a subsequent division of their joint territory. The lot… fell — Hebrew, went forth; that is, from the urn in which the lots were cast. See note on Joshua 13:6. “It is remarkable that of the whole inheritance assigned to the children of Joseph only the southern boundary is given. But this may be explained partly on the ground that this double tribe had no definite boundary on the north, but merely had a number of cities allotted to them within the line which formed the boundary of Asher and Issachar, (Joshua 17:10-11,) and partly from the fact that the Josephites did not expel the Canaanites from the northern part of the territory assigned them, but only gradually brought them into subjection and dwelt among them.

Hence the limits of their land in this direction were not always the same; and at one time, when they expressed some discontent at the portion allotted to them, Joshua told them that they might enlarge their possessions if they could drive out the Canaanites. Joshua 17:12-18.” — Keil.

From Jordan by Jericho — Literally, Jordan of Jericho; that is, a part of the Jordan directly opposite Jericho, and which might therefore be regarded as belonging especially to Jericho. The water of Jericho — This has been commonly understood of the fountain Es Sultan, a mile northwest of Riha, and probably the scene of Elisha’s miracle. 2 Kings 2:19-22. As the border ran on the north side of Jericho, (Joshua 18:12,) and on the east of the wilderness, (for so the Hebrew should here be rendered,) it seems to have turned northward from the water of Jericho, and went up so far as to include in Benjamin’s territory Zemaraim, the modern Es Sumra, about five miles north of Jericho. Accordingly we understand this border between Ephraim and Benjamin to have commenced at a point of the Jordan directly opposite Jericho, perhaps at the mouth of Wady Nawaimeh, and, running westward, fetched a curve near Jericho and its great fountain, thence, passing northward along the eastern side of the wilderness that stretches east of Beth-el, it went up to Es Sumrah, and then passed westward to Ophni, the modern Jifna, which was also assigned to Benjamin. Joshua 18:24. The wilderness — The wild region of country that lies on the east of Beth-el, and is called in Joshua 18:12, the wilderness of Beth-aven. Mount Beth-el — The mountain range on which Beth-el was situated.

Joshua 16:2

2. From Beth-el to Luz — Beth-el and Luz were the same city. See note on Joshua 7:2. The Beth-el of the text is to be understood of the Mount Bethel named in the preceding verse. Borders of Archi — Or, of the Archite. No trace of this name is found in the vicinity of Beth-el.

Perhaps in this name we have the last faint trace of one of the original Canaanitish tribes. Ataroth is supposed by Dr. Robinson to be identical with a large village called Atara, on the summit of a hill about six miles northwest of Beth-el; [but this verse and Joshua 18:13 seem rather to place it between Beth-el and Beth-horon, so that we may rather identify it with the Atara which lies some three miles south of Beth-el. Here Robinson noticed considerable ruins of an ancient town. At Ataroth the border turned westward toward Beth-horon.]

Joshua 16:3

3. On Japhleti, or the Japhletite, the note on Archi (Joshua 16:2) will also apply. On Beth-horon see at Joshua 10:10, and Gezer, Joshua 10:33. The Sea — The Mediterranean.

Joshua 16:5-10

EPHRAIM’S BORDERS, Joshua 16:5-10.[This outline of Ephraim’s borders has evidences of being merely a fragment, and much corrupted at that. All scholars have acknowledged the difficulty of reconciling its different statements, and all attempts at emendation are at best conjectural. 5. The border… on the east side was Ataroth-addar — We understand Ataroth-addar to be identical with the Ataroth of Jos 16:2; Joshua 16:7. At this point the border between Ephraim and Benjamin went northward towards Bethel, and westward towards Beth-horon, so that it was regarded as a prominent point in Ephraim’s eastern border, where it joined the western border of Benjamin. Unto Beth-horon the upper — Before these words something seems to have fallen out of the text. The words themselves evidently belong to the southern border, for the upper Beth-horon was about five miles directly west of Ataroth.

Joshua 16:6

6. And the border went out toward the sea — The Mediterranean. Here the sentence should end, for to Michmethah evidently belongs to the northern boundary, and to another sentence. Toward the sea, then, completes the account of the boundary in the southwest. We would commence a new sentence with the word Michmethah, and render, Michmethah was on the north side. Or perhaps it would be better to emend the reading by means of the parallel in Joshua 17:7, and read, The border was from Asher to Michmethah on the north.

Michmethah is there said to lie before Shechem, but that is indefinite. It is generally supposed to have been northeast of Shechem, but the exact site is unknown. Went about — That is, fetched a circuit, or slightly turned its course, eastward unto Taanath-shiloh. This is not improbably identical with Ain Tana, about eight miles southeast of Shechem. Janohah is still preserved in the village of Yanun, about two miles south of Ain Tana. Van de Velde says that “entire houses and walls of the ancient city are still existing, but covered with immense heaps of earth and rubbish.”

Joshua 16:7

7. From Janohah to Ataroth — In this verse we have a confusion of the northern and southern borders, resulting doubtless from some transposition in the text. We propose to read, and it went down from Janohah, and went out at Jordan, and regard the words to Ataroth and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, as a fragment transposed from its proper place in the text, and its immediate connexion lost.

Joshua 16:8

8. From Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah — This is a completion of the northern boundary westward from the central ridge of Palestine. The site of Tappuah is unknown. The river Kanah is uncertain. Robinson identifies it with a wady still bearing the name Kanah, which rises south of Shechem and runs southwest, and empties into the Mediterranean four miles north of Joppa. But this is too far south to be a boundary between Ephraim and Manasseh. Compare Joshua 17:8-9. It is more probably identical with the Wady Kassab, (stream of reeds,) which falls into the sea nearly west of Shechem.

Joshua 16:9

9. Separate cities — That is, cities separated or selected out of Manasseh for the use of Ephraim. Of these only Tappuah is named in Joshua 17:8-9. Compare also 1 Chronicles 7:28-29. It is generally supposed, that when the boundary lines had been drawn, the territory of Ephraim was found not as large proportionally as his numbers and importance demanded. But the relation of Ephraim and Manasseh was such that they might be regarded as having one lot.

Compare Joshua 17:14. Hence they held many cities in common, and hence too, perhaps, the reason why no complete enumeration of the cities of these two brother tribes is anywhere given.] 10. The Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer — These held their ancient seat until the days of Solomon. 1 Kings 9:16. Compare Judges 1:29.Under tribute — This implies the power to extirpate, but instead of this a fatal compromise was made. Josephus explains the reason: “After this the Israelites grew effeminate as to fighting any more against their enemies, but applied themselves to agriculture, which producing abundance and riches, they indulged in luxury and pleasure, and, contenting themselves with the tributes that were paid them, permitted the Canaanites to live in peace.”