CHAPTER 16 May 30 
The Territory of Ephraim and Manasseh
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. 2It went out from Bethel to Luz, and passed along to the border of the Archites to Ataroth; 3and it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, to the border of Beth Horon the lower as far as Gezer; and ended at the sea. 4The children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance. 5This was the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families. The border of their inheritance eastward was from Ataroth Addar to Beth Horon the upper. 6The 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. 7It went down from Janoah to Ataroth, to Naarah, reached to Jericho, and went out at the Jordan. 8From 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; 9together 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. 10They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and became servants to do forced labour.

Commentary

16:9 God redefined the boundaries of the land in accordance to what Israel had the strength to subdue; He made account for their weakness as He does for us. Thus Ephraim were given some cities within the inheritance of Manasseh, presumably because Manasseh wouldn’t drive out the tribes living there. And the Lord Jesus seems to have alluded to this by saying that we will be given cities, the number of which depends upon our zeal to possess them. God had clearly promised that He would expel the tribes and “You shallpossess their land” (23:5). But this promise was conditional upon them making the effort, even though that condition is not specifically mentioned. Ultimately, God will “enlarge all the borders of the land” (Is. 26:15 RV) because Israel will finally rise up to the spiritual ambition He desires of them.