Joshua 17:1-11
The next allotment of land was given to the half tribe of Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph’s older son. Makir, the firstborn son of Manasseh, was the father of Gilead. Because his descendants were experienced soldiers, the regions of Gilead and Bashan on the east side of the Jordan had already been given to them.So the allotment on the west side of the Jordan was for the remaining families within the clans of the tribe of Manasseh: Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These clans represent the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph.However, Zelophehad, a descendant of Hepher son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons. He had only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.These women came to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite leaders and said,“ The Lord commanded Moses to give us a grant of land along with the men of our tribe.” So Joshua gave them a grant of land along with their uncles, as the Lord had commanded.As a result, Manasseh’s total allocation came to ten parcels of land, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan across the Jordan River,because the female descendants of Manasseh received a grant of land along with the male descendants.( The land of Gilead was given to the rest of the male descendants of Manasseh.)The boundary of the tribe of Manasseh extended from the border of Asher to Micmethath, near Shechem. Then the boundary went south from Micmethath to the settlement near the spring of Tappuah.The land surrounding Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah itself, on the border of Manasseh’s territory, belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.From the spring of Tappuah, the boundary of Manasseh followed the Kanah Ravine to the Mediterranean Sea. Several towns south of the ravine were inside Manasseh’s territory, but they actually belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.In general, however, the land south of the ravine belonged to Ephraim, and the land north of the ravine belonged to Manasseh. Manasseh’s boundary ran along the northern side of the ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. North of Manasseh was the territory of Asher, and to the east was the territory of Issachar.The following towns within the territory of Issachar and Asher, however, were given to Manasseh: Beth shan, Ibleam, Dor( that is, Naphoth dor), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements.
Genesis 48:14-20
But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn.Then he blessed Joseph and said,“ May the God before whom my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac, walked— the God who has been my shepherd all my life, to this very day,the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm— may he bless these boys. May they preserve my name and the names of Abraham and Isaac. And may their descendants multiply greatly throughout the earth.”But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.“ No, my father,” he said.“ This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”But his father refused.“ I know, my son; I know,” he replied.“ Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing:“ The people of Israel will use your names when they give a blessing. They will say,‘ May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.’” In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
