the Fourth Week of Advent
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New Life Version
Joshua 17
1 This was the share of land given to the family of Manasseh, the first-born of Joseph. Gilead and Bashan were given to Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war. 2 And land was given to the rest of the sons of Manasseh for their families. The sons of Joseph's son Manasseh, with their families, were Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. 3 But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 They came to Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and the leaders, saying, "The Lord told Moses to give us a share of land among our brothers." So they gave them a share of land among their father's brothers, as the Lord had said. 5 Ten parts of the land were given to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan on the other side of the Jordan; 6 because Manasseh's daughters received a share of land among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.
7 The side of the land of Manasseh went from Asher to Michmethath, east of Shechem. Then it went south to the people of En-tappuah. 8 The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh. But the town of Tappuah on the side of Manasseh's land belonged to the sons of Ephraim. 9 Then the side of the land went down to the river of Kanah. The cities south of the river, among the cities of Manasseh, belonged to Ephraim. Then Manasseh's land went along the north side of the river and ended at the sea. 10 The south side belonged to Ephraim. The north side belonged to Manasseh. Their land spread from the sea to Asher on the north and to Issachar on the east. 11 In Issachar and in Asher, Manasseh had Beth-shean and its towns, Ibleam and its towns, the people of Dor and its towns, the people of En-dor and its towns, the people of Taanach and its towns, and the people of Megiddo and its towns. The third city is Napheth. 12 But the sons of Manasseh could not take these cities for their own because the Canaanites would not leave that land. 13 When the people of Israel became strong, they made the Canaanites work for them. But they did not drive all of them out.
14 The sons of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one share of the land? We have many people. And the Lord has brought good to us until now." 15 Joshua said to them, "If you have many people, go up among the trees and clear a place for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you." 16 The sons of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us. But all the Canaanites who live in the valley have iron war-wagons. Both those in Beth-shean and its towns and those in the valley of Jezreel have them." 17 Then Joshua said to the families of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, "You have many people and much power. You will not have only one share of land. 18 The hill country will be yours. It is full of trees, but you will clear it. All of it will be yours. For you will drive out the Canaanites, even if they have iron war-wagons and much strength."