Joshua 16: The Portion of Joseph
The children of Joseph receive their inheritance, and Ephraim is settled, though they fail to drive out the Canaanites of Gezer.
Joshua 16 (WEB)
1 The lot came out for the children of Joseph from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel.
2 It went out from Bethel to Luz, and passed along to the border of the Archites to Ataroth;
3 and it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, to the border of Beth Horon the lower, even to Gezer; and ended at the sea.
4 The children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
5 This was the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families. The border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth Addar, to Beth Horon the upper.
6 The border went out westward at Michmethath on the north. The border turned about eastward to Taanath Shiloh, and passed along it on the east of Janoah.
7 It went down from Janoah to Ataroth, to Naarah, reached to Jericho, and went out at the Jordan.
8 From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families;
9 together with the cities which were set apart for the children of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
10 They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labor.
Joshua 16 (KJV)
1 And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Beth–el,
2 And goeth out from Beth–el to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,
3 And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Beth–horon the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.
4 So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
5 And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth–addar, unto Beth–horon the upper;
6 And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanath–shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;
7 And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.
8 The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.
9 And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
10 And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
Joshua 16 (ASV)
1 And the lot came out for the children of Joseph from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill-country to Beth-el;
2 and it went out from Beth-el to Luz, and passed along unto the border of the Archites to Ataroth;
3 and it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, unto the border of Beth-horon the nether, even unto Gezer; and the goings out thereof were at the sea.
4 And the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
5 And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: the border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth-addar, unto Beth-horon the upper;
6 and the border went out westward at Michmethath on the north; and the border turned about eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and passed along it on the east of Janoah;
7 and it went down from Janoah to Ataroth, and to Naarah, and reached unto Jericho, and went out at the Jordan.
8 From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families;
9 together with the cities which were set apart for the children of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
10 And they drove not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim unto this day, and are become servants to do taskwork.
Summary
The lot comes out for the children of Joseph, running from the Jordan at Jericho up through the hill country to Bethel and on toward the sea. Joseph's two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, take their inheritance together in the heart of the land. The chapter then describes the borders of Ephraim in particular, tracing the line of their territory eastward and westward, and noting cities that were set apart for Ephraim even within the inheritance of Manasseh. Though Ephraim was a favored and prominent tribe, descended from Joseph through Jacob's blessing, the chapter ends with a candid admission of failure: they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer. Instead, those Canaanites continued to dwell in the midst of Ephraim, eventually pressed into forced labor but never removed. The brief account holds together privilege and compromise. Ephraim receives a rich and central portion, yet tolerates within it the very people God had told them to displace. The unconquered Canaanites of Gezer stand as a quiet warning that blessing left half-claimed can become a lasting snare.
Main Characters
- The children of Joseph — The descendants of Joseph through Manasseh and Ephraim, who receive their inheritance in the central hill country of Canaan.
- Ephraim — The prominent tribe descended from Joseph's younger son, whose borders are detailed but who fails to drive out the Canaanites of Gezer.
- The Canaanites of Gezer — The inhabitants Ephraim did not remove, who remained in their midst and were put to forced labor rather than driven out.
Key Verse
Joshua 16:10 (WEB)
They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labor.
Lessons Learned
- A favored position before God does not guarantee faithful obedience.
- Tolerating what God commanded us to remove leaves a lasting presence in our lives.
- Convenient compromise—putting enemies to work rather than driving them out—falls short of full obedience.
- God's inheritance is real and rich, yet must be fully claimed to be fully enjoyed.
- Privilege calls for faithfulness. Joseph's tribes receive a central inheritance (Joshua 16:1-4, WEB), yet prominence does not exempt them from the obedience God required of every tribe.
- Partial obedience leaves the enemy in place. “They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim to this day” (Joshua 16:10, WEB).
- Compromise often looks like a manageable arrangement. The Canaanites “have become servants to do forced labor” (Joshua 16:10, WEB)—a convenient settlement that still fell short of God's command.
- The gift must be fully possessed. Ephraim's borders are clearly given (Joshua 16:5-8, WEB), but an inheritance only half-claimed remains shared with those who should have been removed.
- How does the inheritance of the children of Joseph fit into the larger division of the land?
- What does the chapter reveal about Ephraim's standing among the tribes?
- Why is the failure to drive out the Canaanites of Gezer recorded immediately after Ephraim's blessing?
- What is the danger in “managing” a sin or compromise rather than removing it?
- Where have you settled for managing something God has called you to put away entirely?
- Joseph's portion runs through the central hill country from Jericho toward the sea (16:1-4), placing his tribes in the heart of the land. The two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, fulfill Jacob's blessing on Joseph by receiving a double share among the tribes.
- Ephraim, though descended from Joseph's younger son, is treated as a leading tribe with a clearly defined and favored inheritance (16:5-9). Their prominence makes the failure that follows all the more striking.
- The placement is pointed: right after describing the blessing, the text records the compromise (16:10). It shows that privilege and unfaithfulness can sit side by side, and warns that even a favored people can leave God's commands half-done.
- Putting the Canaanites to forced labor seemed practical, but it left the very influence God wanted removed living in Ephraim's midst (16:10). Managing rather than removing a compromise keeps it close, where it can quietly shape and corrupt over time.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to consider a habit or influence they have learned to tolerate or even profit from, rather than truly forsake. As leader, point gently to the freedom of full obedience and the grace that makes it possible.