Ephraim’s Inheritance
The inheritance of Joseph is sketched from Jericho through the hill country and westward to the Sea. With that sweep of boundaries named, Ephraim and Manasseh receive their inheritance as Joseph’s sons.
T1he allotment for the descendants of Joseph extended from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho on the east, through the wilderness that goes up from Jericho into the hill country of Bethel. 2It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz) and proceeded to the border of the Archites in Ataroth. 3Then it descended westward to the border of the Japhletites as far as the border of Lower Beth-horon and on to Gezer, and it ended at the Sea. 4So Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, received their inheritance.
The text then traces Ephraim’s borders clan by clan, moving across towns, slopes, and waterways until the line reaches the Sea. It also notes that Ephraim holds certain cities and villages within Manasseh’s inheritance.
5This was the territory of the descendants of Ephraim by their clans: 6The border of their inheritance went from Ataroth-addar in the east to Upper Beth-horon and out toward the Sea. From Michmethath on the north it turned eastward toward Taanath-shiloh and passed by it to Janoah on the east. 7From Janoah it went down to Ataroth and Naarah, and then reached Jericho and came out at the Jordan. 8From Tappuah the border went westward to the Brook of Kanah and ended at the Sea. 9This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Ephraim, along with all the cities and villages set apart for the descendants of Ephraim within the inheritance of Manasseh.
One note interrupts the boundary list: Ephraim does not drive out the Canaanites in Gezer. They remain in the land and are made subject to forced labor.
10But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer. So the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day, but they are forced laborers.