Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 16:5
And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was [thus]: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth-addar, unto Beth-horon the upper;
5 10. The Inheritance of the Tribe of Ephraim
5. And the border ] The border given is not traced out with the same completeness as that given above of the tribe of Judah. No mention, it will be observed, is made of the northern boundary line of the tribes descended from Joseph, although the eastern and western boundaries are implied, viz. the Jordan and the Mediterranean.
on the east side ] It is to be borne in mind that the border traced above in Jos 16:1-3 is here presupposed. The boundary is not drawn de novo, but is based upon the other.
Ataroth-addar ] Comp. ch. Jos 18:13. It is a little remarkable that the “Upper Beth-horon” is mentioned in this verse instead of Lower Beth-horon, as in Jos 16:3. But both places were situated close to each other.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
From the abrupt manner in which the statements are introduced, as well as from their imperfect character, there is probability in the conjecture that some words have, in these verses, fallen out of the text. Few of the places are known for certain.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Ataroth-addar] See Clarke on Jos 16:2.
Beth-horon the upper] The situation of this town is little known. It was eastward of Beth-horon the nether, and consequently not far from it.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
On the east side, i.e. the north-east side. It is no wonder, if some of these descriptions are dark and doubtful to us at this distance of time and place; there having been so many alterations made in places, and so many circumstances being now altogether undiscoverable. But this is evident to every man of common sense, that this and all the descriptions here mentioned were then certain and evident to the Israelites, because these were the foundation of their present practice, and of all the possessions which then they took and peaceably possessed in succeeding ages.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5-9. the border of their inheritance. . . was Ataroth-addarAtaroth-addar (now Atara), four milessouth of Jetta [ROBINSON],is fixed on as a center, through which a line is drawn from UpperBeth-horon to Michmethah, showing the western limit of their actualpossessions. The tract beyond that to the sea was still unconquered.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the border of the children of Ephraim, according to their families, was [thus],…. Or what follows is the description of it:
even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the upper; the first was on the south of the inheritance, and the latter on the north, as Masius has placed them: who has given us a type of this description, by which it appears that this lot is here described in its breadth from south to north.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Territory of the tribe of Ephraim, according to its families. – Jos 16:5. “ The border of their inheritance was from the east Atroth-addar and (along the line) to Upper Beth-horon,” – a brief description of the southern boundary, which is more minutely described in Jos 16:1-3. Upper Beth-horon is mentioned here instead of Lower Beth-horon (Jos 16:3). This makes no difference, however, as the two places stood quite close to one another (see at Jos 10:10). In Jos 16:6-8 the northern boundary of Ephraim is given, namely, from the middle, or from “a central point near the watershed” ( Knobel), first towards the east (Jos 16:6 and Jos 16:7), and then towards the west (Jos 16:8). The eastern half of the northern boundary went , i.e., when regarded from the west, or looked at towards the west, to the north side of Michmethah. According to Jos 17:7, this place was before Shechem, and therefore in any case it was not far from it, though it has not been discovered yet. Knobel supposes it to have been on the site of the present Kabate ( Seetzen, ii. p. 166), Kubatiyeh, an hour and a half to the south of Jenin ( Rob. iii. 154), assuming that Michmethah might also have been pronounced Chemathah, and that may have been substituted for . But Kabate is six hours to the north of Shechem, and therefore was certainly not “ before Shechem ” (Jos 17:7). It then turned “ eastward to Taanath-shiloh ” ( , lxx), according to the Onom. ( s. v. Thenath) ten Roman miles from Neapolis (Sichem), on the way to the Jordan, most probably the Thena of Ptol. (v. 16, 5), the present Tana, Ain Tana, a heap of ruins on the south-east of Nabulus, where there are large cisterns to be found (see Rob. Bibl. Res. p. 295; Ritter, Erdk. xv. p. 471). And “ then went by on the east to Janoah ” (i.e., Jano in Acrabittena regione , twelve Roman miles from Neapolis: Onom.), the present ruins of Jann, a miserable village, with extensive ruins of great antiquity, about three hours to the south-east of Nabulus, three-quarters of an hour to the north-east of Akrabeh ( Rob. Bibl. Res. p. 297; Van de Velde, R. ii. p. 268).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| The Inheritance of Joseph’s Children. | B. C. 1444. |
5 And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth-addar, unto Beth-horon the upper; 6 And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah; 7 And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan. 8 The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the goings out thereof were 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 drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
Here, 1. The border of the lot of Ephraim is set down, by which it was divided on the south from Benjamin and Dan, who lay between it and Judah, and on the north from Manasseh; for east and west it reached from Jordan to the great sea. The learned, who aim to be exact in drawing the line according to the directions here, find themselves very much at a loss, the description being short and intricate. The report of those who in these latter ages have travelled those countries will not serve to clear the difficulties, so vastly unlike is it now to what it was then; not only cities have been so destroyed as that no mark nor footstep of them remains, but brooks are dried up, rivers alter their courses, and even the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place, Job xiv. 18. Unless I could hope to solve the doubts that arise upon this draught of the border of Ephraim, it is to no purpose to mention them: no doubt it was then perfectly understood, so as that the first intention of recording it was effectually answered, which was to notify the ancient landmarks, which posterity must by no means remove. 2. Some separate cities are spoken of, that lay not within these borders, at least not if the line was drawn direct, but lay within the lot of Manasseh (v. 9), which might better be read, and there were separate cities for the children of Ephraim among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, because it proved that Manasseh could spare them, and Ephraim had need of them, and it might be hoped that no inconvenience would arise from this mixture of these two tribes together, who were both the sons of Joseph, and should love as brethren. And by this it appears that though, when the tribes were numbered in the plains of Moab, Manasseh had got the start of Ephraim in number, for Manasseh was then 52,000, and Ephraim but 32,000 (Num 26:34; Num 26:37), yet by the time they were well settled in Canaan the hands were crossed again, and the blessing of Moses was verified, Deut. xxxiii. 17, They are the ten thousands of Ephraim and they are the thousands of Manasseh. Families and kingdoms are diminished and increased, increased and diminished again, as God pleases. 3. A brand is put upon the Ephraimites, that they did not drive out the Canaanites from Gezer (v. 10), either through carelessness or cowardice, either for want of faith in the promise of God, that he would give them success if they would make a vigorous effort, or for want of zeal for the command of God, which obliged them utterly to drive out the Canaanites, and to make no peace with them. And, though they hoped to satisfy the law by putting them under tribute, yet (as Calvin thinks) this made the matter worse, for it shows that they spared them out of covetousness, that they might be profited by their labours, and by dealing with them for their tribute they were in danger of being infected with their idolatry; yet some think that, when they brought them under tribute, they obliged them to renounce their idols, and to observe the seven precepts of the sons of Noah; and I should think so, but that we find in the sequel of the story that the Israelites were so far from restraining idolatry in others that they soon fell into it themselves. Many famous places were within this lot of the tribe of Ephraim, though not mentioned here. In it were Ramah, Samuel’s city (called in the New Testament Arimathea, of which Joseph was, that took care of our Saviour’s burial), and Shiloh, where the tabernacle was first set up. Tirzah also, the royal city of Jeroboam and his successors, and Deborah’s palm-tree, under which she judged Israel, were in this tribe. Samaria, built by Omri after the burning of the royal palace of Tirzah, was in this tribe, and was long the royal city of the kingdom of the ten tribes; not far from it were Shechem, and the mountains Ebal and Gerizim, and Sychar, near which was Jacob’s well, where Christ talked with the woman of Samaria. We read much of Mount Ephraim in the story of the Judges, and of a city called Ephraim, it is probable in this tribe, to which Christ retired, John xi. 54. The whole kingdom of the ten tribes is often, in the prophets, especially in Hosea, called Ephraim.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
The Boundaries of Ephraim Jos. 16:5-8
5 And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth-addar, unto Beth-horon the upper;
6 And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;
7 And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.
8 The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.
7.
What border of Ephraim was given first? Jos. 16:5
A brief description of the southern boundary was repeated in verse five. A more minute description of this boundary was given in verses one through three. Upper Beth-horon was mentioned in verse five instead of Lower Beth-horon, but the two places stood quite close together. No difficulty is created by this difference. Since the border on the south was shared by two other tribes, Dan and Benjamin, it is given more careful attention. Manasseh and Ephraim were both sons of Joseph and had much in common. The border between them is not as carefully defined or given as much attention.
8.
Where was the border between Manasseh and Ephraim? Jos. 16:6
The border of the children of Ephraim was defined by a line drawn from the area near Shechem, first to the west and then to the east. Shechem and its territory were central in the land. The people of Israel had gathered on Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim for the readings of the blessings and the curses when they first entered the land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. Ephraims border was first described by pointing out the boundary which ran west from this central spot in the mountains to the Mediterranean Seacoast on the west. The boundary line was next described as it stretched from this central location to the Jordan River.
9.
What points were on the northeastern boundary of Ephraim? Jos. 16:6-8
The northern boundary of Ephraim was given in two sections. A central point was selected and then the border as it extended to the east was described in detail. It stretched from Michmethah to Taanath-shiloh and then went along to the east of Janohah. Michmethah was near Shechem, and Taanath-shiloh was in the direction one would take in going to the Jordan River. It is thought to be the present Tana, a heap of ruins southeast of Nablus. Janohah is to be found in the ruins of Janun. The Ataroth is a different place from Ataroth-addar mentioned in verses two and five. This spot must have been on the eastern slope of the mountains which stretched down to the Jordan Valley. Naarath was found some six miles northeast of Jericho. Ephraims boundary then went down to the territory of Jericho, but probably did not reach to the city itself since Jericho was given to the tribe of Benjamin. At this point, Ephraims northern border coincided with her southern border and stretched out to the Jordan River along the boundary of the tribe of Benjamin.
10.
Did Jericho belong to Ephraim? Jos. 16:7
The border of Ephraim is described as coming to Jericho (Jos. 16:7). From other scriptures (Jos. 18:21), it is evident that Jericho belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. The border finally reached the Jordan River on the east. A prominent feature of the west border was a small stream which flowed across the Philistine plain to the Mediterranean Sea. This River Kanah figured prominently in establishing the border between Ephraim and Manasseh, It was customary for those laying out borderlines to use prominent physical features of the land, such as this river, to determine boundaries. The river itself was not important for commerce, but it did afford a water supply, especially in the rainy season. Its primary importance, however, was in establishing this border for Ephraim and Manasseh.
11.
What was the east border of the children of Ephraim? Jos. 16:7
The east border of the children of Ephraim was the Jordan River. The western border was the Mediterranean Sea. The land thus stretched all the way from the river to the sea and was some of the finest land of Canaan. Many future events in Israels history occurred in the highlands which belonged to Ephraim. The capital of the northern kingdom was established in this territory. Several centuries later, the prophets worked in this area with great zeal since the false worship established by Jeroboam permeated the land. Ephraim was of great importance in the later history of Israel, and her land became filled with historical sites.
12.
What points were in the western half of Ephraims northern border? Jos. 16:8
The narrator returned to the point from which he departed in giving the eastern half of the northern border and described the western half of the northern border of Ephraim. This border went west from the central point to Tappuah. This point was west of Shechem and has not yet been discovered. Ephraims northern border then ran to the brook Kanah and followed it out to the Mediterranean Sea.
13.
In what way was the inheritance by their families? Jos. 16:8
When Moses took the census of the children of Israel as they lay encamped in the steppes of Moab, he found that there were 32,500 men in Ephraim who were twenty years of age and over. At that time, he also listed the following men as heads of families: Shuthelah, Becher, and Tahan. He also listed one of the sons of Shuthelah who was named Eran. These men made up the families of the Shuthalhites, Bachrites, Tahanites, and Eranites (Num. 26:35-36). The tribe of Ephraim with these many thousands of people was subdivided into these family groups. Each one would be given enough land to meet the needs of its members. Ample provision was made for each tribe to have the territory which it needed.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(5-8) The border (of Ephraims inheritance) on the east side.The words on the east side are not easy to understand. If Ataroth-addar is rightly identified as Ed-Drieh, and Mickmethah as the plain of Mukhnah, then the line from Ataroth-addar and Beth-horon to Michmethah is a line running due north, and separating the territory of Ephraim on the east from that of Dan on the west. The line from Michmethah to Taanath-shiloh (Tana, sheet 12) and Janohah (Ynn, south of Tana, sheet 15), and so to Jordan, is a line running from north-west to south-east. The brook Kanah is (roughly) continuous with this line, but in a westerly direction, and leads us towards the sea. We thus obtain for the territory of Ephraim four boundary-linesviz.: (a) the plain of Jordan on the east; (b) the line of hills bordering the Shephelah on the west; (c) the brook Kanah, and the line passing through Taanath-shiloh and Janohah to Jordan on the north; and (d) the north border of Benjamin (Jos. 16:1-3, and Jos. 18:12-14) on the south.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
EPHRAIM’S BORDERS, Jos 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; Jos 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.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus; even the border of their inheritance, eastward was Attaroth-addar to Upper Beth-horon, and the border went out to the sea. Michmethath on the north, and the border turned about eastward to Taanath-shiloh, and passed along it on the east of Janoah. And it went down from Janoah to Ataroth, and to Naarah, and reached to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.’
This first summarises briefly the southern border as previously depicted, Ataroth to Beth-horon (this time Upper Beth-horon) to the sea. The slight change may indicate a different surveyor. Then the northern border is given. Michmethath indicates the northern border. Michmethath is ‘before Shechem’ (Jos 17:7) and therefore east of Shechem. Khirbet Makhneh el-Foqa has been tentatively suggested as the site. Then eastward and southward to Taanath-shiloh (Khirbet Ta‘na el-Foqa), Janoa (Khirbet el-Yanum), Ataroth, Naarah (Tell el-Jisr beside ‘Ain Duq), Jericho and Jordan. ‘Went down — to Ataroth’ suggests a town near or in the Jordan valley and therefore a different one from that in Jos 16:2; Jos 16:5. ‘Went out at Jordan.’ Once Jordan was reached it was the eastern border.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Special Borders of Ephraim
v. 5. And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side, v. 3. v. 6. And the v. 7. and it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, v. 8. The border, v. 9. And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim, v. 10. And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Ver. 5. And the border of the children of Ephraim, &c. After marking out the south, east, and west boundaries of the tribe of Ephraim, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, referring to ch. Jos 17:7 the description of its northern limits, the author proceeds to a more exact designation of the extent of the territories of Ephraim; and first he sets out at large the breadth from south to north, or the north-east borders at the broadest part: All we can say respecting which is, that Ataroth-addar was on the south, and Upper Beth-horon on the north-east of that tribe. We are not to expect any satisfactory account respecting this article: the Sacred History is too concise to be extended now, when every thing in the Holy Land is transposed. We can scarcely meet with the ruins of any of some cities which formerly figured there, nor discover the least traces of others. The floods which watered some places are now exhausted and dry; its rivers have taken another course: in a word, it is no longer the same country; and where the descriptions of Sacred Writ are not circumstantiated in the clearest manner, we can only supply them by conjectures more or less probable. Here, for instance, commentators rather guess than conjecture; and therefore we prefer being silent, to following so vague a method.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
I stay not to make remarks on the boundaries of those tribes, because in the present hour it is impossible to mark with any precision the extent of each; time making such ravages both on places and names. But I beg the Reader, not to forget, that it was in these grounds the noted spot of Arimathea and the famous well of Sychar stood, which opens so interesting a subject in the annals of the gospel. And more especially the retired spot of our dear Redeemer, Joh 11:54 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 16:5 And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was [thus]: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the upper;
Ver. 5. Was Atarothaddar unto Bethhoron the upper. ] As there were two Bethhorons, so Eusebius telleth us that there were two Ataroths: one near Rama; the other, four miles distant from Samaria.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the border, or boundary. Note the Figure of speech Topographia (App-6). in Jos 16:5 and Jos 16:6.
was thus = turned out to be.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Atarothaddar: Jos 16:2, Jos 18:13
Reciprocal: Jos 10:10 – Bethhoron Jos 21:22 – Bethhoron 1Sa 13:18 – Bethhoron 1Ch 6:68 – Bethhoron 1Ch 7:24 – Bethhoron 2Ch 8:5 – Bethhoron
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 16:5. East side That is, the north-east side. It is no wonder if some of these descriptions are dark to us at this distance of time; there having been so many alterations made in places, and so many circumstances being now altogether undiscoverable. But this is certain, that all the descriptions here mentioned were then evident to the Israelites, because these were the foundation of all the possessions which then they took, and peaceably possessed in succeeding ages.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
He traced the borders of Ephraim’s allotment next. Ephraim lay north of the area later given to Dan and Benjamin, and south of western Manasseh. The Ephraimites failed to drive out the inhabitants of Gezer (Jos 16:10).