Joshua 13:29-31 provides a detailed description of the territory Moses allotted to the half-tribe of Manasseh on the eastern side of the Jordan River.
In Joshua 13:29-31, the tribe of Manasseh's allotted inheritance is described.
After forty years in the wilderness, the twelve tribes of Israel headed toward Canaan, the fertile land located west of the Jordan River that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As they traveled east of the river, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh requested this area for its suitability for cattle grazing. Moses hesitated, but after the tribes promised to assist their brethren in the conquest of Canaan before settling in their chosen land, he agreed (Numbers 32). Next, he defeated King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og ofBashan (see Numbers 21:23-24, 33-35), then distributed their land: Reuben received one portion, Gad another (Joshua 13:15-23, 24-28), and Moses also gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh (v 29).
Thehalf-tribe of Manasseh belonged to the first son of Joseph. It consisted of two clans represented by Jair and Machir (Genesis 41:51). Moses allotted a portion of the eastern land to them, as they had requested. It wasfor the half-tribe of the sons of Manasseh according to their families (v 29).
The term family (Hebrew "mišpāḥâ") refers to a large extended family or clan and may even include parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents (Joshua 7:14). Moses considered the size of the half-tribe of Manasseh during the distribution. Thus, their territory stretched from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities (v 30).
The word Mahanaim means "two camps." It stood on the bank of the Jabbok in its lower course. It was the place where Jacob rested on his return to Canaan (Genesis 32:2). Later, it became a Levitical city (Joshua 21:38). The region called Bashan was a rich and fertile land located in what is now the Golan Heights, east of the Sea of Galilee. It was noted for its abundant livestock and lush grass for animals (Deuteronomy 32:14; Ezekiel 39:18; Amos 4:1).
In those days, thekingdom ofBashan had a strong ruler named Og, one of the Rephaim, an ancient race of giants living in Canaan during the days of Abraham (Genesis 15:20; Deuteronomy 2:11). The Pentateuch identifies King Og as the last of the Rephaim (Deuteronomy 3:11). The Israelite army defeated him, and Moses distributed the land over which he reigned. The Israelite leader also assigned the towns of Jair to the half-tribe of Manasseh. In total, they received sixtytowns. Jair was a descendant of Manasseh. He was the first clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh. He took several settlements in this region (Deuteronomy 3:14).
Moses next gave an inheritance to Machir, the second clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh. He received half of Gilead, with Ashtaroth and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan (v 31). Gilead was a mountainous region lying between the Yarmuk and the Arnon rivers. It provided safety for the ancient Israelites. For instance, Jacob fled from Laban to Gilead (Genesis 31:21). Later in the days of Saul, some Israelites hid from the Philistines there (1 Samuel 13:7).
The first city (Ashtaroth) was the capital of Bashan, situated on a mound known today as "Tel Ashtarah" in Syria. The second (Edrei) was in the southeastern region of Bashan. Its modern site is Dera, halfway between Damascus and Ammon. Both Ashtaroth and Edrei were initially the dwelling places of King Og (Deuteronomy 1:4). However, after the defeat of Og, these cities belonged to the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, for half of the sons of Machir according to their families (v 31). Like the tribes of Reuben and Gad, the half-tribe of Manasseh returned to their settlements once the campaign of Canaan was over. They kept their promises to Moses. Thehalf-tribe of Manasseh received the rich land of Bashan east of the Sea of Galilee as their inheritance (See map).
Bashan had been the kingdom of Og, one of the last of the Rephaim, the giants whose kind once made Israel's spies feel as small as grasshoppers (Numbers 13:33). It was the defeat of Og and Sihon which spread fear among the Canaanites as Israel crossed the Jordan; because of the victory over these kings, Rahab of Jericho helped the Israelite spies and the Gibeonites' voluntarily surrendered and became servants to Israel (Joshua 2:10, 9:9-10)
In this section the same land is divided calmly among ordinary families, clan by clan. Israel's worship later celebrated this: Psalm 135 and Psalm 136 both sing of Og's defeat and of God giving "their land as a heritage" to Israel (Psalm 135:10-12, 136:17-22).
Joshua 13:29-31
29 Moses also gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh; and it was for the half-tribe of the sons of Manasseh according to their families.
30 Their territory was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities;
31 also half of Gilead, with Ashtaroth and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh, for half of the sons of Machir according to their families.
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Joshua 13:29-31 meaning
In Joshua 13:29-31, the tribe of Manasseh's allotted inheritance is described.
After forty years in the wilderness, the twelve tribes of Israel headed toward Canaan, the fertile land located west of the Jordan River that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As they traveled east of the river, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh requested this area for its suitability for cattle grazing. Moses hesitated, but after the tribes promised to assist their brethren in the conquest of Canaan before settling in their chosen land, he agreed (Numbers 32). Next, he defeated King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan (see Numbers 21:23-24, 33-35), then distributed their land: Reuben received one portion, Gad another (Joshua 13:15-23, 24-28), and Moses also gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh (v 29).
The half-tribe of Manasseh belonged to the first son of Joseph. It consisted of two clans represented by Jair and Machir (Genesis 41:51). Moses allotted a portion of the eastern land to them, as they had requested. It was for the half-tribe of the sons of Manasseh according to their families (v 29).
The term family (Hebrew "mišpāḥâ") refers to a large extended family or clan and may even include parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents (Joshua 7:14). Moses considered the size of the half-tribe of Manasseh during the distribution. Thus, their territory stretched from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities (v 30).
The word Mahanaim means "two camps." It stood on the bank of the Jabbok in its lower course. It was the place where Jacob rested on his return to Canaan (Genesis 32:2). Later, it became a Levitical city (Joshua 21:38). The region called Bashan was a rich and fertile land located in what is now the Golan Heights, east of the Sea of Galilee. It was noted for its abundant livestock and lush grass for animals (Deuteronomy 32:14; Ezekiel 39:18; Amos 4:1).
In those days, the kingdom of Bashan had a strong ruler named Og, one of the Rephaim, an ancient race of giants living in Canaan during the days of Abraham (Genesis 15:20; Deuteronomy 2:11). The Pentateuch identifies King Og as the last of the Rephaim (Deuteronomy 3:11). The Israelite army defeated him, and Moses distributed the land over which he reigned. The Israelite leader also assigned the towns of Jair to the half-tribe of Manasseh. In total, they received sixty towns. Jair was a descendant of Manasseh. He was the first clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh. He took several settlements in this region (Deuteronomy 3:14).
Moses next gave an inheritance to Machir, the second clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh. He received half of Gilead, with Ashtaroth and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan (v 31). Gilead was a mountainous region lying between the Yarmuk and the Arnon rivers. It provided safety for the ancient Israelites. For instance, Jacob fled from Laban to Gilead (Genesis 31:21). Later in the days of Saul, some Israelites hid from the Philistines there (1 Samuel 13:7).
The first city (Ashtaroth) was the capital of Bashan, situated on a mound known today as "Tel Ashtarah" in Syria. The second (Edrei) was in the southeastern region of Bashan. Its modern site is Dera, halfway between Damascus and Ammon. Both Ashtaroth and Edrei were initially the dwelling places of King Og (Deuteronomy 1:4). However, after the defeat of Og, these cities belonged to the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, for half of the sons of Machir according to their families (v 31). Like the tribes of Reuben and Gad, the half-tribe of Manasseh returned to their settlements once the campaign of Canaan was over. They kept their promises to Moses. The half-tribe of Manasseh received the rich land of Bashan east of the Sea of Galilee as their inheritance (See map).
Bashan had been the kingdom of Og, one of the last of the Rephaim, the giants whose kind once made Israel's spies feel as small as grasshoppers (Numbers 13:33). It was the defeat of Og and Sihon which spread fear among the Canaanites as Israel crossed the Jordan; because of the victory over these kings, Rahab of Jericho helped the Israelite spies and the Gibeonites' voluntarily surrendered and became servants to Israel (Joshua 2:10, 9:9-10)
In this section the same land is divided calmly among ordinary families, clan by clan. Israel's worship later celebrated this: Psalm 135 and Psalm 136 both sing of Og's defeat and of God giving "their land as a heritage" to Israel (Psalm 135:10-12, 136:17-22).