Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 17:7
And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that [lieth] before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah.
7 13. Boundaries of Western Manasseh
7. And the coast ] We now have a description of the boundaries of Manasseh. And first ( a), Jos 17:7-10, of the southern boundary towards Ephraim; and ( b), second, Jos 17:10-11, of the northern and eastern boundaries.
was from Asher ] The description of the southern boundary commences at the eastern end. The Asher here spoken of is not the tribe of Asher, but a city on the east of Shechem. Eusebius places it on the road from Shechem to Bethshean. “Three quarters of an hour from Tbs is the hamlet of Teysr, which may probably be identified with Asher, a town of Manasseh.” Porter’s Handbook, ii. 348.
to Michmethah ] See ch. Jos 16:6. It is described as facing Shechem ( Nabls).
the border went along ] The boundary now turned towards the right in a northerly direction, to the inhabitants of En-tappuah.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Asher – Not the tribe so called, but a place somewhere toward the eastern end of the boundary line here drawn: perhaps Teyasir, on the road from Sichem to Beth-shean.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
7-11. the coast of Manasseh was fromAsher to MichmethahThe southern boundary is here traced fromthe east. Asher (now Yasir), the starting point, was a town fifteenRoman miles east of Shechem, and anciently a place of importance.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher,…. Not from the border of the tribe of Asher, as Kimchi, in which he is followed by Vatablus; for that was at too great a distance; but a city of the tribe of Manasseh; and in Jerom’s l time a village of this name was shown fifteen miles from Neapolis or Shechem, as you go from thence to Scythopolis, near the public road:
to Michmethah, that [lieth] before Shechem; the same place mentioned in the description of the border of Ephraim, [See comments on Jos 16:6]:
and the border went along on the right hand, unto the inhabitants of Entappuah; that is, leaving this place, and its inhabitants to the right, which was a place in the land of that name, next mentioned; and seems to be so called from a fountain in it, or near it, as well as from a multitude of apples growing there, and with which perhaps the country abounded, of which in Jos 17:8.
l De loc. Heb. fol. 88. G.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
7 And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah. 8 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim; 9 And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea: 10 Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east. 11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries. 12 Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. 13 Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.
We have here a short account of the lot of this half tribe. It reached from Jordan on the east to the great sea on the west; on the south it lay all along contiguous to Ephraim, but on the north it abutted upon Asher and Issachar. Asher lay north-west, and Issachar north-east, which seems to be the meaning of that (v. 10), that they (that is, Manasseh and Ephraim, as related to it, both together making the tribe of Joseph) met in Asher on the north and Issachar on the east, for Ephraim itself reached not those tribes. Some things are particularly observed concerning this lot:– 1. That there was great communication between this tribe and that of Ephraim. The city of Tappuah belonged to Ephraim, but the country adjoining to Manasseh (v. 8); there were likewise many cities of Ephraim that lay within the border of Manasseh (v. 9), of which before, ch. xvi. 9. 2. That Manasseh likewise had cities with their appurtenances in the tribes of Issachar and Asher (v. 11), God so ordering it, that though every tribe had its peculiar inheritance, which might not be alienated from it, yet they should thus intermix one with another, to keep up mutual acquaintance and correspondence among the tribes, and to give occasion for the doing of good offices one to another, as became those who, though of different tribes, were all one Israel, and were bound to love as brethren. 3. That they suffered the Canaanites to live among them, contrary to the command of God, serving their own ends by conniving at them, for they made them tributaries, Jos 17:12; Jos 17:13. The Ephraimites had done the same (ch. xvi. 10), and from them perhaps the Manassites learned it, and with their example excused themselves in it. The most remarkable person of this half tribe in after-time was Gideon, whose great actions were done within this lot. He was of the family of Abiezer; Cesarea was in this lot, and Antipatris, famed in the latter ages of the Jewish state.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Manasseh’s Lot, vs. 7-13
The starting point for the drawing of the border of Manasseh is
where his territory joined that of the tribe of Asher. Asher’s lot was along the coast of the Mediterranean, the farthest up the coast northward of the tribes.
It followed then the coast southward to the joining of Ephraim at Michmethah. Then it followed the northern border of Ephraim to the vicinity of Shechem, leaving that city to the south in Ephraim and extending to Entappuah, a spring near the city of Tappuah, which was also in Ephraim. The border then followed the valley of Kanah, Manasseh on the north and Ephraim on the south. Many of the cities on Manasseh’s side were allotted to Ephraim. On the east the lot joined that of the tribe of Issachar to Manasseh’s north.
Manasseh was allotted six cities in the territory of Asher and Issachar. Of these Beth-shan is remembered as the place where the Philistines hung the bodies of Saul and his sons on the city walls (1Sa 31:10 ff).
Megiddo overlooked the valley of Armageddon. The statement “even three countries” (verse 11) is unclear in the context. It is variously translated in other versions, “the third is Napheth”, “the third city is Napath”, “where there are three cliffs.” It simply designates some territory allotted Manasseh outside his regular bounds, not now identifiable.
The Manassites also exhibited the same weakness of faith as did the Judahites and Ephraimites and did not drive out the Canaanites who inhabited their cities.
Of them it is said that even when Israel could have driven them out they preferred to leave them there and take tribute from them. They loved their material profit from oppressing the Canaanites more than obedience to the command of the Lord, (Jas 5:1-3).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
7. Coast of Manasseh The southern boundary from east to west. “The author gives the boundary again from east to west, as in the case of Judah, (Jos 15:2, ff,) the sons of Joseph (Jos 16:1, ff,) and Benjamin, Jos 18:12, ff. So the author of the Apocalypse, also, names the gates of the New Jerusalem, beginning from the east, (Rev 21:13,) and Ezekiel (Eze 48:1, ff) designates the several tribe divisions in the like manner from east to west.” Fay. ] Asher is here not the portion of the tribe, which could not constitute a starting point for a line, but a city, probably the modern Yasir, about half way between Shechem and Beth-shean, or about fifteen miles northeast of the former city. For Michmethah and river Kanah, see on Jos 16:6-8. Shechem is a very ancient city, called Neapolis, corrupted to Nabulus and Nablus, in the narrow valley between Mounts Ebal and Gerizim. See note and cuts at Joh 4:5. “The streets are narrow; the houses high and in general well built, all of stone, with domes upon the roofs, as at Jerusalem.” Robinson. En-tappuah some understand of a fountain near the city of Tappuah, (Jos 16:8😉 others, as another name of the city itself. The land of Tappuah mentioned in the next verse must mean the country in the neighbourhood of Tappuah.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jos 17:7-9 a
‘And the border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath which is before Shechem, and the border went along to the right hand, to the inhabitants of Entappuah. The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim. And the border descended to the river Kanah, southward of the river. These cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh.’
This is a very brief summary of the border relying on familiarity. ‘Asher’ may have been in some way connected with the southern border of Asher later described (at the north west corner of Manasseh) or more probably relates to a town of that name, whereabouts now unknown, possibly north of Michmethath. Michmethath was east of (‘before’) Shechem.
“And the border went along to the right hand, to the inhabitants of Entappuah.” This means southward, to the right hand of someone facing the Jordan. Tappuah, a border town, seemingly belonged to Ephraim (Jos 16:8-9) but some of the peoples of the area were in Manasseh. It was possibly Sheikh Abu Zarad, about twelve kilometres south of Shechem.
To reach Tappuah the border descended to the south side of the Wadi Qana. ‘These cities’ are presumably those already mentioned, the border cities Michmethath and Tappuah, and possibly Asher, which while seen as on territory belonging to Manasseh, themselves belonged to Ephraim. Jos 17:9 a should be seen as connected with Jos 17:8.
Jos 17:9-10 (9b-10)
And the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the river, and its goings out were at the sea. Southwards it was Ephraim’s, and northwards it was Manasseh’s, and the sea his border, and they reached to Asher on the north, and to Issachar on the east.’
The Wadi Qanah ran west from the watershed at the head of the Michmethath valley, eight kilometres (five miles) south west of Shechem. Its lower course ran on to the Great Sea. The border between Ephraim and Manasseh was at first southward, as above, and then northward of the river bed until it reached the Great Sea. The Great Sea was its western border.
“And they reached to Asher on the north, and to Issachar on the east.” ‘They’ means the children of Manasseh. This vague definition connecting them with Asher to the north west and Issachar to the east of Asher may have been deliberately vague because at this time the borders were not exactly fixed.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
I stay not to point out any further than the Holy Ghost hath been pleased to do, the extent of those provinces. The Reader will have a better idea of their connection with gospel times, when he is told that the famous town of Cesarea was among them; also Antipatris whither the apostle Paul was conducted as a prisoner for Jesus. Act 23:31 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 17:7 And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that [lieth] before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of Entappuah.
Ver. 7. And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher. ] Which was a town, say some, seated at the south-east end of Manasseh’s lot.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED TEXT): Jos 17:7-13
7The border of Manasseh ran from Asher to Michmethath which was east of Shechem; then the border went southward to the inhabitants of En-tappuah. 8The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the sons of Ephraim. 9The border went down to the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook (these cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh), and the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook and it ended at the sea. 10The south side belonged to Ephraim and the north side to Manasseh, and the sea was their border; and they reached to Asher on the north and to Issachar on the east. 11In Issachar and in Asher, Manasseh had Beth-shean and its towns and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of En-dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, the third is Napheth. 12But the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of these cities, because the Canaanites persisted in living in that land. 13 It came about when the sons of Israel became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely.
Jos 17:7 southward This is the term Teman (BDB 411 I), which denotes a compass direction. Israel marked her directions based on a person facing east (the tabernacle faced east), therefore, the south was on the left hand and the north on the right hand. Not all nations give directions in the same way. Egypt based its compass directions on a person facing south (i.e., to the head waters of the Nile, the source of all life in Egypt).
The boundaries of Ephraim are found in both Jos 16:5-10; Jos 17:7-12.
Jos 17:9 The boundaries between the tribes were somewhat fluid!
Jos 17:11
NASBthe third is Napheth
NKJVthree hill regions
NRSV(the third is Naphath)
TEVand their surrounding towns
NJBthe Three of the Slopes
This phrase is uncertain in Hebrew. The NKJV and NJB assume the word is a hapax legomenon of hill or height (BDB 632, cf. Jos 12:23). The Jewish Publication Society of America translation has these comprised three regions. The REB has (The third is a district of Dor).
Jos 17:12-13 This is parallel to Jos 16:10 and Jdg 1:28. Moses’ commands in Deu 20:10-18, to allow defeated people to become servants, only applied to cities outside of Canaan. These verses reveal the disobedience of the larger tribes (cf. Num 33:55). Even though the Canaanites were made servants, their fertility worship polluted and weakened the worship of YHWH. This would ultimately result in the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles.
Jos 17:13 they did not drive them out completely This phrase is a combination of a Hiphil INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and a Hiphil PERFECT (BDB 439, KB 441), which denotes completion. Here is negated (an emphatic negation).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Asher: Eusebius says this was a town in his time not far from Neapolis, towards Scythopolis or Bethshan; between which towns it is also placed by the old Jerusalem Itinerary.
Michmethah: Situated, probably, east of Shechem, though its precise situation, as well as that of many others, cannot, at this distance of time, be ascertained. Many of these towns were small, and we may rationally conclude, slightly built; and consequently have perished more than two thousand years ago. It would therefore be useless now to look for such places; though in many instances, their ancient names have been preserved, and their sites identified. Several towns even in England, mentioned by Cesar and other ancient writers, are no longer discernible; several have changed their names, and not a few their situation. Jos 16:6-8
Shechem: Jos 20:7, Jos 21:21, Jos 24:1, Jos 24:32, Gen 34:2, Gen 37:12, Gen 37:14, Jdg 9:1, 1Ki 12:1, 1Ki 12:25, 1Ch 6:67
Reciprocal: 1Ch 7:29 – Manasseh Psa 108:7 – Shechem