Joshua 17

In our study of Joshua chapter seventeen, we look at the land that was given to the sons of Joseph on the west side of the Jordan River and the coming battle for that land.

Chapter Overview

Joshua chapter 17 completes the inheritance of Manasseh, Joseph's firstborn tribe, on the west side of the Jordan. Woven into the land descriptions is a notable legal moment: the daughters of Zelophehad step forward to claim the inheritance Moses had promised them back in the wilderness, since their father died without sons.

The chapter closes with Joseph's descendants complaining that their allotted territory isn't large enough for "a great people." Rather than simply expanding their borders, Joshua tells them to clear the forested hill country themselves and drive out the Canaanites still holding the Jezreel Valley — despite their iron chariots.

Historical Background

The request of Zelophehad's daughters, first raised in Numbers 27, was a genuine legal exception in the ancient world, where inheritance customarily passed only through sons. That this ruling came directly from ADONAI through Moses, and was still being honored here under Joshua's leadership, marks it as a lasting legal precedent rather than a one-time accommodation.

The "iron chariots" mentioned in this chapter reflect a real technological gap of the period — the Canaanite city-states controlling the Jezreel Valley had access to iron-working capabilities that gave them a genuine military advantage. That same valley, overlooked by the fortress city of Megiddo, would later lend its name to the "Armageddon" of Revelation 16:16.

Joshua 17:1 & 2

This was the territory chosen by lot for the tribe of M'nasheh, for he was the firstborn of Yosef. As for Makhir the firstborn of M'nasheh, the father of Gil'ad, because he was a warrior he got Gil'ad and Bashan. So the lot was drawn for the other descendants of M'nasheh according to their families - for the descendants of Avi'ezer, Helek, Asri'el, Sh'khem, Hefer and Sh'mida; these were the male descendants of M'nasheh according to their families.

As we have seen before, M'nasheh had received land on the east side of the Jordan River but, now, we see that they also received land on the west side as well. The firstborn son of M'nasheh received Gil'ad and Bashan which are in the northern part of Israel.

Hebraic Insight

Calling Manasseh "the firstborn of Joseph" carries an echo worth noticing. The birthright (bekhorah) originally belonged to Reuben, Jacob's actual firstborn — but 1 Chronicles 5:1-2 tells us Reuben forfeited it, and it passed instead to Joseph's line. Even within Joseph's own two sons, Jacob deliberately blessed the younger Ephraim above the older Manasseh (Genesis 48).

In Hebrew thought, birthright wasn't simply a matter of biology. It could be forfeited through unfaithfulness and reassigned through God's sovereign choice — a pattern that runs throughout Israel's story and finds its fullest expression in a New Covenant inheritance based on faith rather than birth order.

Joshua 17:3-6

But Tz'lof'chad the son of Hefer, the son of Gil'ad, the son of Makhir, the son of M'nasheh, had no sons, only daughters; these are the names of his daughters: Machlah, No'ah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirtzah. They approached El'azar the cohen, Y'hoshua the son of Nun and the leaders and said, "ADONAI ordered Moshe to give us an inheritance together with our kinsmen." Therefore, in keeping with ADONAI's order, he gave them an inheritance together with the kinsmen of their father. Thus ten parts fell to M'nasheh, in addition to the land of Gil'ad and Bashan beyond the Yarden, because the daughters of M'nasheh had an inheritance along with his descendants; but the land of Gil'ad belonged to the rest of the descendants of M'nasheh.

Now, we see that one of the men in the tribe of M'nasheh had died and he had five daughters but no sons when he died. In Numbers 27, they had been granted an inheritance by Moshe and now they went to the high priest, Y'hoshua, and the leaders of all the tribes to request that inheritance. This is significant in that normally a woman would not inherit land but Moshe had received this guidance from the Lord and they were given land on the west side of the Jordan. In total we see that ten parcels of land plus Gil'ad and Bashan were given to M'nasheh on the west side of the Jordan River.

Joshua 17:7-10

The border of M'nasheh began at Asher and went to Mikhm'tat, which is across from Sh'khem; next the border went along to the right, to the people of 'Ein-Tapuach. The land of Tapuach belonged to M'nasheh, but Tapuach on the border of M'nasheh belonged to the descendants of Efrayim. The border descended to Vadi Kanah, south of the vadi, by cities which belonged to Efrayim among the cities of M'nasheh; but the border with M'nasheh was on the north side of the vadi, and it ended at the sea. Southward it was Efrayim's, northward it was M'nasheh's, and the sea was its border; while to the north they extended to Asher, and on the east to Yissakhar.

The borders of the land of M'nasheh on the west side of the Jordan are described and we see that there was a mixing with Efrayim. As we saw in the last chapter, the purpose of this mixing was to preserve unity.

Joshua 17:11-13

In Asher and Yissakhar, M'nasheh had Beit-Sh'an and its villages; Yivle'am and its villages; and the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, of 'Ein-Dor and its villages, of Ta'anakh and its villages, and of Megiddo and its villages - three districts in all. But the descendants of M'nasheh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; the Kena'ani wanted to stay in that land. After the people of Isra'el had become strong, they made the Kena'ani do heavy labor but didn't completely drive them out.

We see that a part of the inheritance of M'nasheh on the west side also mixed with the tribes of Asher and Yissakhar but, as it was with the other tribes, they could not completely drive out the Canaanites so they made them do forced labor.

Joshua 17:14-18

Then the descendants of Yosef spoke to Y'hoshua; they said, "Why have you given me only one lot and only one portion to inherit? After all, I am a great people, since ADONAI has blessed me so." Y'hoshua answered them, "If you are a great people, go up to the forest, and clear land for yourself there in the territory of the P'rizi and the Refa'im - since the hills of Efrayim don't give you enough space." The descendants of Yosef replied, "The hills won't be enough for us; and all the Kena'ani living in the valleys have iron chariots - both those in Beit-Sh'an and its villages and those in the Yizre'el Valley." Then Y'hoshua said to the house of Yosef, to both Efrayim and M'nasheh, "You are a great people with much power; you will not have only one lot, but the hills too will be yours. Although it is a forest, you will clear it, and the resulting open land will be yours. You will drive out the Kena'ani, even though they have iron chariots and are strong."

This passage speaks of the fact that the sons of Yosef needed more land on the west side of the Jordan so they went to speak to Y'hoshua. Y'hoshua agreed that they could have the hills around the Yizre'el Valley but the Canaanites there were strong and would have to be defeated. This land that is being given is the battleground that is spoken of in Revelation 16 and it is where we get the english term armageddon. The sons of Yosef were going to have to fight for that land but, in the last days, it will be Yeshua who gains the final victory in that place.

Did You Know?

The "iron chariots" the Canaanites relied on in the Jezreel Valley reflect a real technological edge of the period. Israel lagged behind in iron-working for generations afterward — 1 Samuel 13:19-22 records that, even under King Saul, the Philistines controlled blacksmithing so tightly that Israelite soldiers had to travel to Philistine territory just to sharpen their farm tools, leaving most of the army without iron swords or spears at all.

🎓 Continue Your Hebraic Journey

Joshua chapter 17 is one lesson in the Walk with Yeshua Joshua course. Continue your study by watching the companion teaching that explores the Hebrew language, covenant themes, and Messianic connections found in the inheritance of Joseph's descendants.

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Messianic Themes

• A landmark of inclusion. Zelophehad's daughters receiving a full inheritance, against the ordinary expectation of their day, foreshadows the New Covenant reality that in Messiah "there is neither male nor female" when it comes to standing before God (Galatians 3:28).
• Called to actively possess. Rather than simply expanding their borders, Joshua tells Joseph's descendants to clear the land and fight for it themselves — a picture of "working out" what God has already promised (Philippians 2:12-13).
• Undeterred by visible strength. Iron chariots don't change the outcome Joshua promises — a reminder that "greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
• A preview of Armageddon. This chapter's own text ties the Jezreel Valley directly to the final battle described in Revelation 16:16, linking an ancient land dispute to the ultimate victory of Yeshua at His return.
• Inheritance by grace, not birth order. The reassignment of the birthright away from Reuben and toward Joseph's line pictures how spiritual inheritance under the New Covenant rests on God's gracious choice, not human expectation (Romans 9:6-8).

Related Scriptures

• Numbers 27:1-11 — The original account of Zelophehad's daughters and their inheritance request.
• 1 Chronicles 5:1-2 — Reuben's birthright is explicitly said to have passed to Joseph's descendants.
• Genesis 48 — Jacob deliberately blesses the younger Ephraim above the older Manasseh.
• Revelation 16:16 — The final battle of Armageddon, named for Har-Megiddo in this same valley.
• Galatians 3:28 — In Messiah there is neither male nor female; all are one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was it significant that Zelophehad's daughters received an inheritance?

In the ancient world, inheritance customarily passed only through sons. This exception, granted directly by ADONAI through Moses in Numbers 27, established a lasting legal precedent that was still being honored here under Joshua's leadership.

Why didn't Joshua simply expand Joseph's tribal territory instead of telling them to clear land and fight for it?

Joshua's response affirmed that more land truly was available to them, but required their own active effort to clear the forest and drive out the Canaanites rather than receiving it passively — reflecting the broader pattern throughout Joshua that inheritance still required faith put into action.

What's the connection between this chapter's Jezreel Valley and the "Armageddon" of Revelation?

The valley Joseph's descendants were told to conquer was overlooked by the fortress city of Megiddo. "Armageddon" comes from the Hebrew Har-Megiddo, "Mountain of Megiddo," the very location named centuries later in Revelation 16:16 as the site of the final battle.

Reflection Questions

1. Where might God be calling you to actively "clear the forest" rather than simply wait for more to be handed to you?
2. How does the story of Zelophehad's daughters challenge any assumption that God's promises only apply to certain people?
3. What "iron chariots" — intimidating obstacles — are you facing that God may be calling you to confront despite the odds?
4. How does knowing this ordinary land dispute connects directly to the events of Revelation change the way you read the Old Testament?
5. Where do you see God's grace, rather than birth order or human expectation, determining who receives His blessing in your own life?