Joshua 17: Daughters and Iron Chariots
Manasseh receives its inheritance, the daughters of Zelophehad gain their portion, and Joshua urges Joseph's tribes to clear the land in faith.
Joshua 17 (WEB)
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: and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
4 They came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, “Yahweh commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” Therefore according to the commandment of Yahweh he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father.
5 Ten parts fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;
6 because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons 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.
10 Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea was his border. They reached to Asher on the north, and to Issachar on the east.
11 Manasseh had three heights in Issachar, in Asher Beth Shean and its towns, and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns.
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.
14 The children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me just one lot and one part for an inheritance, since I am a great people, because Yahweh has blessed me so far?”
15 Joshua said to them, “If you are a great 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.”
16 The children of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. All the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth Shean and its towns, and those who are in the valley of Jezreel.”
17 Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, “You are a great people, and have great power. You shall not have one lot only;
18 but the hill country shall be yours. Although it is a forest, you shall cut it down, and it’s farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”
Joshua 17 (KJV)
1 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.
2 There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph by 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: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
5 And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan;
6 Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of Gilead.
7 And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of En–tappuah.
8 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim;
9 And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:
10 Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.
11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth–shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.
12 Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
13 Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.
14 And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?
15 And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.
16 And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth–shean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.
17 And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:
18 But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
Joshua 17 (ASV)
1 Andthiswas the lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the first-born of Joseph. As for Machir the first-born of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.
2 So the lot was for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and 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: and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, Jehovah commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren: therefore according to the commandment of Jehovah he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
5 And there fell ten parts to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;
6 because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons. And the land of Gilead belonged unto the rest of the sons of Manasseh.
7 And the border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is before Shechem; and the border went along to the right hand, unto 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 And the border went down unto the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook: these cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh: and the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and the goings out thereof were at the sea:
10 southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea was his border; and they reached to Asher on the north, and to Issachar on the east.
11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and its towns, and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of En-dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, even the three heights.
12 Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
13 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxed strong, that they put the Canaanites to taskwork, and did not utterly drive them out.
14 And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as hitherto Jehovah hath blessed me?
15 And Joshua said unto them, If thou be a great people, get thee up to the forest, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim; since the hill-country of Ephraim is too narrow for thee.
16 And the children of Joseph said, The hill-country is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are in Beth-shean and its towns, and they who are in the valley of Jezreel.
17 And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power; thou shalt not have one lot only:
18 but the hill-country shall be thine; for though it is a forest, thou shalt cut it down, and the goings out thereof shall be thine; for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.
Summary
The lot for the tribe of Manasseh is described, beginning with Machir, the firstborn, who as a man of war received Gilead and Bashan. The rest of Manasseh's families receive their portions, and notably the daughters of Zelophehad—Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah—come before Eleazar, Joshua, and the princes to claim the inheritance Yahweh had promised them through Moses, since their father had no sons. Their request is honored, and they receive an inheritance among their kinsmen. Manasseh's borders are then traced, but again the tribe could not drive out the Canaanites in certain cities, putting them instead to forced labor when Israel grew strong. The children of Joseph then complain to Joshua that they are a great and numerous people but have received only one lot. Joshua answers that if they are so great, they should go up and clear the forested hill country for themselves. They protest that the hill country is not enough and that the Canaanites of the valley have iron chariots. Joshua repeats his charge with confidence: they are a great people with great power, the hill country will be theirs, and they will drive out the Canaanites despite their iron chariots and their strength. The chapter weighs the people's excuses against the promise of God's power.
Main Characters
- The daughters of Zelophehad — Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, who rightly claim the inheritance Yahweh had promised them through Moses, since their father had no sons.
- Joshua — The leader who hears Joseph's complaint and challenges them to clear the hill country and drive out the Canaanites in the strength God gives.
- The children of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) — The numerous tribes who complain of too small a portion and fear the Canaanites' iron chariots.
- Eleazar the priest — The high priest before whom the daughters of Zelophehad bring their claim for an inheritance.
Key Verse
Joshua 17:18 (WEB)
but the hill country shall be yours. Although it is a forest, you shall cut it down, and it’s farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”
Lessons Learned
- God honors faith-filled requests, including those of the overlooked, like the daughters of Zelophehad.
- Excuses about obstacles often mask a reluctance to do the work God has set before us.
- Iron chariots and strong enemies are no barrier when God has promised victory.
- God's promises sometimes call us to effort—to “cut down the forest” and take hold of what is ours.
- God upholds the rights of the overlooked. The daughters of Zelophehad receive “an inheritance among the brothers of their father” (Joshua 17:4, WEB), for the Lord had commanded it through Moses.
- Faith must do the work before it. Joshua tells Joseph, “go up to the forest, and clear land for yourself” (Joshua 17:15, WEB). Promise and effort go together.
- God's power outmatches every iron chariot. “you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong” (Joshua 17:18, WEB). No enemy is too strong for the Lord.
- Greatness in God's eyes is met with responsibility. “You are a great people, and have great power” (Joshua 17:17, WEB), so Joshua charges them to use that strength to claim their full inheritance.
- Why do the daughters of Zelophehad come forward, and how is their request received?
- What is behind the complaint of the children of Joseph that they have too little land?
- How does Joshua answer their fear of the Canaanites' iron chariots?
- What does this chapter teach about the relationship between God's promise and our effort?
- What “iron chariots”—obstacles that feel too strong—are keeping you from claiming something God has called you to?
- The daughters of Zelophehad approach Eleazar, Joshua, and the princes to claim the inheritance the Lord had promised them through Moses, since their father left no sons (17:3-4). Their request is granted, showing God's concern for justice and for those who might otherwise be left out.
- Joseph's tribes are numerous and feel their lot is too small (17:14), but their complaint also carries an unwillingness to do the hard work of clearing forest and confronting the Canaanites. Joshua exposes the excuse beneath the request.
- Joshua does not deny the chariots but answers with confidence in God's promise: the hill country will be theirs, and they will drive the Canaanites out despite their iron chariots and strength (17:17-18). The obstacle is real, but God's word is greater.
- God's promise of the land did not remove the call to labor for it—cutting down the forest, facing the chariots (17:15-18). Faith trusts the promise and then acts on it. Help the group hold both together rather than choosing passivity or self-reliance.
- This is a personal-application question. Encourage members to name the intimidating obstacles that make them shrink back, and to recall that God's promise stands over even the strongest opposition. As leader, keep the focus on his power rather than their adequacy.