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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Joshua, Chapter XVII].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>J O S H U A</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XVII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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The half tribe of Manasseh comes next to be provided for; and here we
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have,
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I. The families of that tribe that were to be portioned,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:1-6">ver. 1-6</A>.
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II. The country that fell to their lot,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:7-13">ver. 7-13</A>.
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III. The joint request of the two tribes that descended from Joseph,
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for the enlargement of their lot, and Joshua's answer to that request,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:14-18">ver. 14-18</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Jos17_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Inheritance of Joseph's Children.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1444.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>
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1 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he <I>was</I>
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the firstborn of Joseph; <I>to wit,</I> for Machir the firstborn of
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Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war,
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therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.
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2 There was also <I>a lot</I> for the rest of the children of
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Manasseh by their families; for the children of Abiezer, and for
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the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for
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the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for
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the children of Shemida: these <I>were</I> the male children of
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Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families.
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3 But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son
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of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and
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these <I>are</I> the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah,
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Milcah, and Tirzah.
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4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before
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Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>
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commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren.
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Therefore according to the commandment of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> he gave them
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an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
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5 And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of
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Gilead and Bashan, which <I>were</I> on the other side Jordan;
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6 Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among
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his sons: and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Manasseh was itself but one half of the tribe of Joseph, and yet was
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divided and subdivided.
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1. It was divided into two parts, one already settled on the other side
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Jordan, consisting of those who were the posterity of Machir,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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This Machir was born to Manasseh in Egypt; there he had signalized
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himself as a man of war, probably in the contests between the
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Ephraimites and the men of Gath,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+7:21">1 Chron. vii. 21</A>.
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His warlike disposition descended to his posterity, and therefore Moses
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gave them Gilead and Bashan, on the other side Jordan, of which before,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+13:31"><I>ch.</I> xiii. 31</A>.
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It is here said that the lot came to Manasseh, <I>for he was the
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first-born of</I> Joseph. Bishop Patrick thinks it should be
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translated, <I>though he was the first-born of</I> Joseph, and then the
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meaning is plain, that the second lot was for Manasseh, because, though
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he was the first-born, yet Jacob had preferred Ephraim before him. See
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the names of those heads of the families that settled on the other side
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Jordan,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+5:24">1 Chron. v. 24</A>.
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2. That part on this side Jordan as subdivided into ten families,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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There were six sons of Gilead here named
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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the same that are recorded
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+26:30-32">Num. xxvi. 30-32</A>,
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only that he who is there called <I>Jezeer</I> is here called
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<I>Abiezer.</I> Five of these sons had each of them their portion; the
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sixth, which was Hepher, had his male line cut off in his son
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Zelophehad, who left daughters only, five in number, of whom we have
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often read, and these five had each of them a portion; though perhaps,
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they claiming under Hepher, all their five portions were but equal to
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one of the portions of the five sons. Or if Hepher had other sons
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besides Zelophehad, in whom the name of his family was kept up, their
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posterity married to the daughters of Zelophehad the elder brother, and
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in their right had these portions assigned them. See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+36:12">Num. xxxvi. 12</A>.
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Here is,
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(1.) The claim which the daughters of Zelophehad made, grounded upon
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the command God gave to Moses concerning them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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They had themselves, when they were young, pleaded their own cause
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before Moses, and obtained the grant of an inheritance with their
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brethren, and now they would not lose the benefit of that grant for
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want of speaking to Joshua, but seasonably put in their demand
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themselves, as it should seem, and not their husbands for them.
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(2.) The assignment of their portions according to their claim. Joshua
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knew very well what God had ordered in their case, and did not object
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that they having not served in the wars of Canaan there was no reason
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why they should share in the possessions of Canaan, but readily <I>gave
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them as inheritance among the brethren of their father.</I> And now
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they reaped the benefit of their own pious zeal and prudent forecast in
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this matter. Thus those who take care in the wilderness of this world
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to make sure to themselves a place in the inheritance of the saints in
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light will certainly have the comfort of it in the other world, while
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those that neglect it now will lose it for ever.</P>
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<A NAME="Jos17_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_13"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>
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7 And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that
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<I>lieth</I> before Shechem; and the border went along on the right
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hand unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah.
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8 <I>Now</I> Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the
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border of Manasseh <I>belonged</I> to the children of Ephraim;
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9 And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of
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the river: these cities of Ephraim <I>are</I> among the cities of
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Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also <I>was</I> on the north side of
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the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:
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10 Southward <I>it was</I> Ephraim's, and northward <I>it was</I>
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Manasseh's, and the sea is his border; and they met together in
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Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.
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11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and her
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towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and
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her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the
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inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of
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Megiddo and her towns, <I>even</I> three countries.
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12 Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out <I>the
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inhabitants of</I> those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in
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that land.
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13 Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen
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strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not
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utterly drive them out.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here a short account of the lot of this half tribe. It reached
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from Jordan on the east to the great sea on the west; on the south it
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lay all along contiguous to Ephraim, but on the north it abutted upon
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Asher and Issachar. Asher lay north-west, and Issachar north-east,
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which seems to be the meaning of that
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>),
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that they (that is, Manasseh and Ephraim, as related to it, both
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together making the tribe of Joseph) met in Asher on the north and
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Issachar on the east, for Ephraim itself reached not those tribes. Some
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things are particularly observed concerning this lot:--
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1. That there was great communication between this tribe and that of
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Ephraim. The city of Tappuah belonged to Ephraim, but the country
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adjoining to Manasseh
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>);
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there were likewise many cities of Ephraim that lay within the border
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of Manasseh
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
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of which before,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+16:9"><I>ch.</I> xvi. 9</A>.
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2. That Manasseh likewise had cities with their appurtenances in the
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tribes of Issachar and Asher
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>),
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God so ordering it, that though every tribe had its peculiar
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inheritance, which might not be alienated from it, yet they should thus
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intermix one with another, to keep up mutual acquaintance and
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correspondence among the tribes, and to give occasion for the doing of
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good offices one to another, as became those who, though of different
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tribes, were all one Israel, and were bound to love as brethren.
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3. That they suffered the Canaanites to live among them, contrary to
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the command of God, serving their own ends by conniving at them, for
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they made them tributaries,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:12,13"><I>v.</I> 12, 13</A>.
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The Ephraimites had done the same
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+16:10"><I>ch.</I> xvi. 10</A>),
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and from them perhaps the Manassites learned it, and with their example
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excused themselves in it. The most remarkable person of this half tribe
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in after-time was Gideon, whose great actions were done within this
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lot. He was of the family of Abiezer; Cesarea was in this lot, and
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Antipatris, famed in the latter ages of the Jewish state.</P>
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<A NAME="Jos17_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos17_18"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>
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14 And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why
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hast thou given me <I>but</I> one lot and one portion to inherit,
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seeing I <I>am</I> a great people, forasmuch as the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> hath blessed
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me hitherto?
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15 And Joshua answered them, If thou <I>be</I> a great people,
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<I>then</I> get thee up to the wood <I>country,</I> and cut down for
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thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if
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mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.
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16 And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for
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us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley
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have chariots of iron, <I>both they</I> who <I>are</I> of Beth-shean and her
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towns, and <I>they</I> who <I>are</I> of the valley of Jezreel.
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17 And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, <I>even</I> to Ephraim
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and to Manasseh, saying, Thou <I>art</I> a great people, and hast
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great power: thou shalt not have one lot <I>only:</I>
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18 But the mountain shall be thine; for it <I>is</I> a wood, and
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thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine:
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for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron
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chariots, <I>and</I> though they <I>be</I> strong.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here,
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I. The children of Joseph quarrel with their lot; if they had had any
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just cause to quarrel with it, we have reason to think Joshua would
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have relieved them, by adding to it, or altering it, which it does not
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appear he did. It is probable, because Joshua was himself of the tribe
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of Ephraim, they promised themselves that they should have some
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particular favour shown them, and should not be confined to the
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decision of the lot so closely as the other tribes; but Joshua makes
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them know that in the discharge of his office, as a public person, he
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had no more regard to his own tribe than to any other, but would
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administer impartially, without favour or affection, wherein he has
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left an excellent example to all in public trusts. It was a very
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competent provision that was made for them, as much, for aught that
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appears, as they were able to manage, and yet they call it in disdain
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but <I>one lot,</I> as if that which was assigned to them both was
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scarcely sufficient for one. The word for <I>complainers</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jude+1:16">Jude 16</A>)
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is <B><I>mempsimoiroi,</I></B> blamers of their lot:--
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1. That they were very numerous, through the blessing of God upon them
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>):
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<I>I am a great people, for the Lord has blessed me;</I> and we have
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reason to hope that he that hath sent mouths will send meat. "<I>I am a
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great people,</I> and in so small a lot shall not have <I>room to
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thrive.</I>" Yet observe, when they speak thankfully of their present
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increase, they do not speak confidently of the continuance of it. "The
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Lord has blessed me hitherto, however he may see fit to deal with me
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for the future." The uncertainty of what may be must not make us
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unthankful for what has been and is done in kindness to us.
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2. That a good part of that country which had now fallen to their lot
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was in the hands of the Canaanites, and that they were formidable
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enemies, who brought into the field of battle <I>chariots of iron</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>),
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that is, chariots with long scythes fastened to the sides of them, or
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the axle-tree, which made great destruction of all that came in their
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way, mowing them down like corn. They urge that though they had a good
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portion assigned them, yet it was in bad hands, and they could not come
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to the possession of it, wishing to have their lot in those countries
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that were more thoroughly reduced than this was.</P>
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<P>
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II. Joshua endeavours to reconcile them to their lot. He owns they were
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a <I>great people,</I> and being two tribes ought to have more than
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<I>one lot only</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>),
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but tells them that what had fallen to their share would be a
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sufficient lot for them both, if they would but work and fight. They
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desired a lot in which they might indulge themselves in ease and
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luxury. "No," says Joshua, "you must not count upon that; <I>in the
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sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread</I> is a sentence in force even
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in Canaan itself." He retorts their own argument, that they were a
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<I>great people.</I> "If so, you are the better able to help
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yourselves, and have the less reason to expect help from others. If
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thou hast many mouths to be filled, thou hast twice as many hands to be
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employed; earn, and then eat."
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1. He bids them work for more
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>):
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"<I>Get thee up to the wood-country,</I> which is within thy own
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border, and let all hands be set to work to cut down the trees, rid the
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rough lands, and make them, with art and industry, good arable ground."
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Note, Many wish for larger possessions who do not cultivate and make
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the best of what they have, think they should have more talents given
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them who do not trade with those with which they are entrusted. Most
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people's poverty is the effect of their idleness; would they dig, they
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need not beg.
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2. He bids them fight for more
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+17:17,18"><I>v.</I> 17, 18</A>),
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when they pleaded that they could not come at the wood-lands he spoke
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of because in the valley between them and it were Canaanites whom they
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durst not enter the lists with. "Never fear them," said Joshua, "thou
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hast God on thy side, and <I>thou shalt drive out the Canaanites,</I>
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if thou wilt set about it in good earnest, <I>though they have iron
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chariots.</I>" We straiten ourselves by apprehending the difficulties
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in the way of our enlargement to be greater than really they are. What
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can be insuperable to faith and holy resolution?</P>
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