Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 13:29
And Moses gave [inheritance] unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and [this] was [the possession] of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families.
29 32. The Possession of the Half Tribe of Manasseh
29. the half tribe of Manasseh ] “The fact that it is always called a half tribe appears curious, especially on comparison with the similar, yet widely different, case of Dan, which sent out to the north an army which surprised the Phnician town of Laish.” Ewald, 11. 299.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 29. The half tribe of Manasseh] When the tribes of Reuben and Gad requested to have their settlement on the east side of Jordan, it does not appear that any part of the tribe of Manasseh requested to be settled in the same place. But as this tribe was numerous, and had much cattle, Moses thought proper to appoint one half of it to remain on the east of Jordan, and the other to go over and settle on the west side of that river.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Unto the half tribe of Manasseh; not that they desired it, as Reuben and Gad did, Num 32:1, but partly as a recompence to Machir the Manessite for his valiant acts against Og; and partly for the better security and defence of the other two tribes, by so considerable an accession to them, which also was without any inconvenience to them, because the country was too large for the two tribes of Reuben and Gad.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Moses gave [inheritance] unto the half tribe of Manasseh,…. Whether at their request or of himself, there being land enough for them, and the two tribes of Gad and Reuben, is not certain:
and [this] is [the possession] of the half tribe of Manasseh, by their families; which is after related and described.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The territory of the half tribe of Manasseh extended from Mahanaim onwards, and embraced all Bashan, with the sixty Jair towns and the (northern) half of Gilead (see the comm. on Deu 3:13-15).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Half-Manasseh’s Lot, vs. 29-33
Area-wise the family of Machir, of the tribe of Manasseh, got by far the largest portion of the eastern lands. This included all the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, as well as the half of Gilead not allotted to Gad. While some of the finest grazing land in Israel was in this area, it also included wild, unsettled wilderness areas. The Geshurites and Maachathites, who were left in the land were also occupants of large areas here. The southern border skirted the Gadite city of Mahanaim, then moving northward took in the sixty cities of Jair. Edrei was in the east border and Ashtaroth in the heights of Golan.
The family divisions of the tribes was the unit by which the tribal inheritances were determined. All of these eastern allotments had been decided by Moses before his death and before the crossing of Jordan and conquest of Canaan. Once more it is stated that no land inheritance was assigned to Levi.
Some lessons to be learned from this chapter are: 1) As long as His children live the Lord has a purpose for them, their work is not done; 2) God has a place for His people to occupy, and He will give it to them if they will accept it; 3) God’s people do not enjoy all they might if they would cast out the things He wants them to get rid of.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
The Territory of Manasseh Jos. 13:29-33
29 And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families.
30 And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities:
31 And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families.
32 These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.
33 But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.
13.
In what area did the half-tribe of Manasseh settle east of Jordan? Jos. 13:29-33
Children of Machir, a son of Manasseh, settled east of the Jordan. The rest of the descendants of Manasseh by his other children settled west of the Jordan. Thus, each of the two groups of the children of Manasseh became known as a half-tribe. The half-tribe which settled east of the Jordan inhabited the northernmost part of the land east of the Jordan. Their land was the former kingdom of Og, king of Bashan. In New Testament times it was the country known as Decapolis. On the west, it was bordered by the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River; on the south, by the land of Gad and especially Mahanaim; on the east, by the Arabian desert; and on the north, by the northernmost boundaries of the Promised Land, the land of Hamath.
14.
Who was Jair? Jos. 13:30
Jair was the son of Segub, the descendant of Judah on his fathers side (1Ch. 2:22) and from Manasseh on his mothers side. Moses counted Jair among the children of Manasseh (Num. 32:41; Deu. 3:14), largely because of his conquest and settling of Gilead (1Ch. 2:23). His descendants appeared to have settled in the southern part of the tribe of Manasseh, and some of the towns there are known as Havoth-Jair, or villages of Jair (Num. 32:41; Deu. 3:14). They are variantly numbered as being twenty-three (1Ch. 2:22), thirty (Jdg. 10:4), and sixty (1Ch. 2:23; Jos. 13:30). It is thought that sixty may have been conquered by Jair and his brethren, with only twenty-three designated for him and seven others being added later.
15.
Who was Machir? Jos. 13:31
Machir was the oldest son of Manasseh (Jos. 17:1). He was old enough to have children before Joseph died in Egypt (Gen. 50:23). His grandson, Zelophehad, had only daughters; and a special decree was made about their inheritance (Num. 27:1; Num. 36:1; Jos. 17:3). It was his daughter who became the wife of Hezron and mother of Segub (1Ch. 2:21). It was this line of the descendants of Manasseh who made special request for the land east of the Jordan, and their request was granted by Moses before he died. Joshua was fully informed about this as he began to make preparations for distributing the rest of the Promised Land to the other tribes.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
MANASSEH’S (EASTERN) LOT, Jos 13:29-33.
29. The half tribe of Manasseh The division of a tribe in Israel into two parts is a strange and singular fact. In some respects it seems accidental, in other respects providential. “Machir, Jair, and Nobah, the sons of Manasseh, were no shepherds. They were pure warriors, who had taken the most prominent part in the conquest of those provinces which up to that time had been conquered, and whose deeds are constantly referred to with credit and renown. Num 32:39; Deu 3:13-15. ‘Jair the son of Manasseh took all the tract of Argob sixty great cities.’ ‘Nobah took Kehath and the daughter towns thereof, and called it after his own name.’ Deu 32:42. ‘Because Machir was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.’ Jos 17:1. The district which these ancient warriors conquered was the most difficult in the whole country. And had they not remained in these wild and inaccessible districts, but had gone forward and taken their lot with the rest, who shall say what changes might not have occurred in the history of their nation through the presence of such energetic and warlike spirits?” Grove, in Smith’s Dict. But perhaps these very warlike spirits were providentially settled in these eastern hills to save western Palestine from the proximity of dangerous foes that might otherwise have settled there.
The country of Bashan, occupied by these Manassites, was, according to Porter, “the richest in all Palestine. It is to this day the granary of a great part of Syria. Its whole surface is dotted with ruined or deserted towns and villages.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Portion of the Half-tribe of Manasseh ( Jos 13:29-31 ).
Jos 13:29
‘ And Moses gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh and it was for the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families.’
For this compare Jos 13:15; Jos 13:24. It is noteworthy that their portions are said to be given by Moses, not by YHWH. It must not be overemphasised but it is suggesting that it was not YHWH Who gave them this land east of Jordan. It was theirs by concession. Later much of it would be lost because of their disobedience to YHWH.
Jos 13:30-31
‘ And their border was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair which are in Bashan, sixty cities, and half Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, even for the half of the children of Machir according to their families.’
The description of the portion of the half-tribe of Manasseh is succint and to the point. It included the whole of the former kingdon of Og, king of Bashan, including the towns of Jair. Jair was a descendant of Manasseh who took several towns and villages in Bashan and Gilead when Bashan was invaded (Num 32:41) calling them Havvoth-jair (‘the towns of Jair’ – see also Deu 3:14). He seems originally to have had sixty ‘cities’ (mainly tent villages?), which reduced to twenty three, which at some time Geshur and Aram (Syria) took from him (1Ch 2:22). But later in the period of the Judges his descendant ruled over thirty cities (Jdg 10:3) so he or one of his descendants must have re-established them.
This brings out the precarious nature of life in Bashan. It was a land of cattle and sheep farming and pasturage (Psa 22:12; Eze 39:18; Amo 4:1; Jer 50:19) and of mighty oaks (Isa 2:13; Eze 27:6), but there were enemies to the north. If only they had obeyed God and removed the Geshurites and the Maacathites (Jos 13:13) they would have avoided many of these troubles. As well as Bashan they possessed north Gilead.
Ashtaroth was presumably a centre for the worship of the Canaanite goddess Ashtaroth and is probably Tell Ashtarah thirty kilometres (eighteen miles) east of the Sea of Galilee (Chinneroth). It is also probably to be identified with the strt of the records of Tuthmosis III, the astarte of the Amarna letters and the astartu of Assyrian inscriptions. Edrei is probably modern Der‘a. It occupies a key point for communications in the Bashan area and has remains dating from the early bronze age.
“Were for the children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, even for the half of the children of Machir according to their families.” Manasseh’s son Machir was clearly a strong character and a powerful man for his name to be applied to the family tribe of Manasseh (Asriel may well have died young – 1Ch 7:14). He represented the whole of Manasseh both east and west. He established his own sub-tribe, the Machirites, and was the father of Gilead, the ancestor of the Gileadites (Num 26:29). The warlikeness of his sub-tribe was one reason why they were given Bashan and Gilead (Jos 17:1). See also Num 32:39-40; Num 36:1; Deu 3:15.
(‘Father of’ and ‘son of’ are relationships that can have wide meaning. They may indicate direct descent, distant descent or adoption. Note how in Genesis 10 indication is given of tribes ‘descended from’ patriarchs because they were connected with patriarchal descendants).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 29-31. And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh It does not appear that the tribe of Manasseh had desired the settlements which Moses gave to the half tribe of it on the east of Jordan, Num 32:1-2. But as it was numerous, Num 26:34 and had evidently much cattle, Moses thought proper to associate the half with the tribes of Reuben and Gad. The country was extensive. The half tribe of Manasseh, placed on the north, covered the two others; and Moses, by placing it there, rewarded the family of Machir, who was so famous for his valour in the war against Og. Num 32:39.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jos 13:29 And Moses gave [inheritance] unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and [this] was [the possession] of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families.
Ver. 29. Unto the half tribe of Manasseh. ] Who had formerly won it with their swords. Num 32:39
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED TEXT): Jos 13:29-31
29Moses also gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh; and it was for the half-tribe of the sons of Manasseh according to their families. 30Their territory was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities; 31also half of Gilead, with Ashtaroth and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh, for half of the sons of Machir according to their families.
Jos 13:29-31 This is the allocation of part of the tribe of Manasseh, one of Joseph’s two sons, who became a tribe within Israel along with his brother, Ephraim. Manasseh is the only tribe which inherited land on both sides of the Jordan River.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Reciprocal: Num 32:22 – this land Num 32:40 – General Deu 3:13 – the rest Jos 17:5 – beside Jos 22:7 – General 1Ch 5:23 – Baalhermon Eze 48:4 – Manasseh
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 13:29. Unto the half-tribe of Manasseh Not that they desired it, as Reuben and Gad did, (Num 32:1,) but partly as a recompense to Machir the Manassite, for his valiant acts against Og, and partly because the country was too large for the two tribes of Reuben and Gad.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Half of the tribe of Manasseh settled in the northern portion of Transjordan.