Joshua 17 - Revised Standard Version(RSVCI)

1Then allotment was made to the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the first-born of Joseph. To Machir the first-born of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war.

2And allotments were made to the rest of the tribe of Manasseh, by their families, Abi-ezer, Helek, Asri-el, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida; these were the male descendants of Manasseh the son of Joseph, by their families.

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12Yet the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities; but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land.

13But when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and did not utterly drive them out.

14And the tribe of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am a numerous people, since hitherto the Lord has blessed me?”

15And Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”

16The tribe of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us; yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”

17Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, “You are a numerous people, and have great power; you shall not have one lot only,

18but the hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”