1 And the lot of the children of Ioseph fell from Iordan by Iericho, vnto the water of Iericho on the East, to the wildernesse that goeth vp from Iericho throughout mount Bethel;
2 And goeth out from Bethel to Luz, and passeth along vnto the borders of Archi, to Ataroth,
3 And goeth downe Westward, to the coast of Iaphleti, vnto the coast of Bethoron the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the Sea.
4 So the children of Ioseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim, tooke their inheritance.
5 ¶ And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families, was thus: euen the border of their inheritance on the East side was Ataroth-Addar, vnto Bethoron the vpper.
6 And the border went out toward the Sea, to Michmethah on the Northside, and the border went about Eastward vnto Taanath Shiloh, and passed by it on the East to Ianohah:
7 And it went downe from Ianohah to Ataroth and to Naarath, and came to Iericho, and went out at Iordane.
8 The border went out from Tappuah Westward vnto the riuer Kanah: and the goings out thereof were at the Sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.
9 And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
10 And they draue not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephramites vnto this day, and serue vnder tribute.
The sons of Joseph.
- This and the following chapter should not be separated. They give the lots of Ephraim and Manasseh, the children of Joseph, who, next to Judah, were to have the post of honour, and therefore had the first and best portion in the northern part of Canaan, as Judah in the southern part. God's people now, as of old, suffer his enemies to remain. Blessed Lord, when will all our enemies be subdued? #1Co 15:26|. Do thou drive them all out; thou alone canst do it. These settled boundaries may remind us, that our situation and provision in this life, as well as our future inheritance, are appointed by the only wise and righteous God, and we should be content with our portion, since he knows what is best for us, and all we have is more than we deserve.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.