Joshua 17 is a chapter about land division, specifically how the tribe of Manasseh and the house of Joseph received their inheritance in the Promised Land. People read it for a practical reason: it names the families, borders and cities, and it raises a puzzle about why some Canaanite populations were not fully driven out. It also shows how God’s promises of land were worked out through real negotiations, family claims and courage.
Joshua 17 Summary
The chapter opens by identifying Manasseh as Joseph’s firstborn and explaining that Machir’s line received Gilead and Bashan because Machir was a warrior. It then lists the other clans of Manasseh and tells the story of Zelophehad’s daughters, who came forward to claim an inheritance because their father had no sons. Joshua and Eleazar granted them land in line with God’s earlier command.
From there the chapter describes the borders of Manasseh, which touched Asher, Issachar, Ephraim and the Jordan region, and names several cities within them. It then records the sobering note that Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of several of those towns, and that Israel chose forced labor over full expulsion. The final section shows the house of Joseph complaining that their portion is too small. Joshua answers that they are numerous and strong enough to clear the forest and drive out the Canaanites themselves.
Background and Setting
Joshua is traditionally attributed to Joshua, Moses’ successor, though most scholars see the book as compiled and edited later, drawing on earlier records. The events it describes are set in the late second millennium BC, as Israel settled Canaan after the Exodus and the wilderness years. The book was written for Israel as a people entering and claiming a land, and it carries the message that God keeps his word about the land even when obedience and conquest are incomplete.
Chapter 17 sits in the second major division of Joshua, which deals with the allotment of the land to the tribes. It follows the account of the territory of Judah and Joseph’s tribes, and it prepares for the later summary of tribal boundaries. Read in place, the chapter is part of a larger picture of inheritance, not a stand-alone list.
Joshua 17 Section by Section
Verses 1-6: The Firstborn and the Daughters’ Claim
1 This was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. As for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan. 2 So this was for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, for the children of Helek, for the children of Asriel, for the children of Shechem, for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida. These were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families. 3 But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 They came to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the princes, saying, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father.
Joshua 17:1-4 (WEB)
The chapter begins by placing Manasseh, as Joseph’s firstborn, in a position of honor among the tribes. Machir’s line receives Gilead and Bashan because of its military service, a reminder that inheritance in this period was tied to family standing and to the service a family gave. The passage then turns to Zelophehad’s daughters, who approach the leaders and speak directly about the command God had given through Moses. Their boldness is notable, since they press a legal claim in a world where land normally passed to sons.
The leaders grant their request in obedience to God’s commandment. This shows a principle worth noticing: God’s justice extends to people whose situation might otherwise leave them without a place. The daughters’ inheritance is recorded as part of Manasseh’s share, and their story stands as an early example of God making room for people the wider culture had overlooked.
Verses 7-11: The Borders of Manasseh
7 The border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is before Shechem. The border went along to the right hand, to the inhabitants of En Tappuah. 8 The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh; but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim. 9 The border went down to the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook. These cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and ended at the sea.
Joshua 17:7-9 (WEB)
These verses trace the lines of Manasseh’s territory with place names that run from Asher toward Michmethath near Shechem, then along the brook of Kanah and to the sea. The detail matters because the tribe’s land was not one neat block. It was shared, interlaced with Ephraim’s towns, and bounded by neighboring tribes. The passage shows that God’s gift of land came with specific, mapped-out boundaries that the people were expected to receive and live within.
Verses 10 and 11 widen the picture, noting the reach into Asher and Issachar and naming towns such as Beth Shean, Ibleam, Dor, Endor, Taanach and Megiddo. Several of these were strong Canaanite cities. Their inclusion makes the next section’s failure more striking, because the land promised to Manasseh included places still held by the enemy.
Verses 12-13: The Incomplete Conquest
12 Yet the children of Manasseh couldn’t drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. 13 When the children of Israel had grown strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and didn’t utterly drive them out.
Joshua 17:12-13 (WEB)
Here the chapter names a hard truth. The children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of the cities assigned to them, and instead of full removal they put the Canaanites to forced labor. The text does not hide this shortfall. It treats the gap between God’s promise and Israel’s action as real and as something the reader must notice.
This honesty is important for understanding the book. Joshua does not present Israel as flawless conquerors who swept the land cleanly. It presents a people who receive a gift from God and then struggle to take full possession of it. The tension between promise and partial obedience runs through the rest of the Old Testament.
Verses 14-18: Joseph’s Complaint and Joshua’s Answer
14 The children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me just one lot and one part for an inheritance, since we are a numerous people, because the LORD has blessed us so far?” 15 Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest, and clear land for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim; since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”
Joshua 17:14-15 (WEB)
The house of Joseph complains that one lot is too small for a numerous people. Joshua does not simply reassure them. He tells them that if they are many, they should go up into the forest and clear land for themselves. Their complaint is answered with a call to effort and initiative, not with a larger share handed over on request.
The final verse gives the answer its weight. Joshua tells them that they are numerous and have great power, and that the hill country will be theirs even though it is forest. The promise is real, but it is worked out through clearing, driving out and facing iron chariots. Faith in God’s provision and willingness to act on it belong together in this passage.
Key Themes in Joshua 17
- Inheritance by promise: The land is presented as God’s gift, distributed through family lines, clan claims and the leaders’ decisions.
- Justice for the overlooked: The daughters of Zelophehad show that God’s provision reaches those whom custom might leave out.
- Incomplete obedience: The failure to drive out every Canaanite city shows the gap between what God gives and what people do with it.
- Effort within grace: Joshua’s answer to Joseph’s complaint links God’s promise with the need to clear forest and press forward.
Lessons From Joshua 17 for Today
Many people today feel that the portion they have been given is too small for what they are capable of. A student may feel that a single job offer is not enough, or a small church may feel hemmed in by its building and budget. Joshua 17 does not dismiss such frustration. It answers it by pointing to the strength God has already given and to the work that still needs doing, such as clearing a new space or taking on a difficult task. The chapter encourages practical faith that moves forward rather than simply waiting for ease.
The chapter also invites honesty about unfinished work. A believer who has been forgiven and called may still have habits, relationships or fears that have not been fully driven out. The partial conquest in verses 12 and 13 reminds readers that growth is often slow and that admitting the gap is better than pretending it is closed. God’s promises remain sure even when obedience is incomplete, and the next faithful step is still available.
Questions for Reflection
- Where in your life do you feel that the portion you have been given is too small, and what would it look like to clear new ground there?
- How does the story of Zelophehad’s daughters shape the way you think about people who are overlooked in your community?
- What might the partial conquest of Manasseh teach you about the difference between God’s promise and your own follow-through?
- In what area of life do you need to move from complaint to courageous action, trusting God’s strength as Joshua urged?
A Prayer From Joshua 17
Lord, thank you for the portion you have given me and for the promises that stand behind it. Some days I look at what I have and feel it is too little, and I want you to meet me there with patience and truth. Give me the courage of the daughters who asked for their inheritance, and the willingness to clear the forest in front of me instead of waiting for ease. Show me where I have settled for less than you intend, and help me take the next faithful step with your strength. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the tribe of Manasseh not drive out all the Canaanites?
Joshua 17 says they could not drive out the inhabitants of several cities and instead put them to forced labor. The text does not offer a detailed explanation, but it treats the failure as real. It highlights the gap between God’s promise of land and Israel’s incomplete action.
Who were Zelophehad’s daughters?
They were the daughters of Zelophehad, a man from Manasseh who had no sons. They came to Eleazar, Joshua and the leaders to claim an inheritance, and their request was granted in line with God’s command. Their story is an early example of women receiving land rights in Israel.
What is the main message of Joshua 17?
The chapter shows that the land is God’s gift, distributed through families and leaders, and that receiving it requires faith and effort. It also admits that obedience is often incomplete. Joshua’s answer to the house of Joseph encourages readers to act on God’s promise rather than only complain about their portion.
