Joshua 17:7

THIS COAST. (Jos 17:7-11)

the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah--The southern boundary is here traced from the east. Asher (now Yasir), the starting point, was a town fifteen Roman miles east of Shechem, and anciently a place of importance.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

7–13. Boundaries of Western Manasseh

7. And the coast] We now have a description of the boundaries of Manasseh. And first (a), Jos_17:7-10, of the southern boundary towards Ephraim; and (b), second, Jos_17:10-11, of the northern and eastern boundaries.

was from Asher] The description of the southern boundary commences at the eastern end. The Asher here spoken of is not the tribe of Asher, but a city on the east of Shechem. Eusebius places it on the road from Shechem to Bethshean. “Three quarters of an hour from Tûbâs is the hamlet of Teyâsîr, which may probably be identified with Asher, a town of Manasseh.” Porter’s Handbook, ii. 348.

to Michmethah] See ch. Jos_16:6. It is described as facing Shechem (Nablûs).

the border went along] The boundary now turned towards the right in a northerly direction, to the inhabitants of En-tappuah.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jos 17:7 And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that [lieth] before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of Entappuah.

Ver. 7. And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher.] Which was a town, say some, seated at the south-east end of Manasseh’s lot.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17:7-13 As with the tribe of Ephraim, Manasseh’s territory was defined by a general description of its borders.

17:7 Asher was north-northwest of Manasseh, across the Jezreel Valley.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

We have here a short account of the lot of this half tribe. It reached from Jordan on the east to the great sea on the west; on the south it lay all along contiguous to Ephraim, but on the north it abutted upon Asher and Issachar. Asher lay north-west, and Issachar north-east, which seems to be the meaning of that (Jos 17:10), that they (that is, Manasseh and Ephraim, as related to it, both together making the tribe of Joseph) met in Asher on the north and Issachar on the east, for Ephraim itself reached not those tribes. Some things are particularly observed concerning this lot: - 1. That there was great communication between this tribe and that of Ephraim. The city of Tappuah belonged to Ephraim, but the country adjoining to Manasseh (Jos 17:8); there were likewise many cities of Ephraim that lay within the border of Manasseh (Jos 17:9), of which before, Jos 16:9. 2. That Manasseh likewise had cities with their appurtenances in the tribes of Issachar and Asher (Jos 17:11), God so ordering it, that though every tribe had its peculiar inheritance, which might not be alienated from it, yet they should thus intermix one with another, to keep up mutual acquaintance and correspondence among the tribes, and to give occasion for the doing of good offices one to another, as became those who, though of different tribes, were all one Israel, and were bound to love as brethren. 3. That they suffered the Canaanites to live among them, contrary to the command of God, serving their own ends by conniving at them, for they made them tributaries, Jos 17:12, Jos 17:13. The Ephraimites had done the same (Jos 16:10), and from them perhaps the Manassites learned it, and with their example excused themselves in it. The most remarkable person of this half tribe in after-time was Gideon, whose great actions were done within this lot. He was of the family of Abiezer; Cesarea was in this lot, and Antipatris, famed in the latter ages of the Jewish state.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher,.... Not from the border of the tribe of Asher, as Kimchi, in which he is followed by Vatablus; for that was at too great a distance; but a city of the tribe of Manasseh; and in Jerom's (l) time a village of this name was shown fifteen miles from Neapolis or Shechem, as you go from thence to Scythopolis, near the public road:

to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; the same place mentioned in the description of the border of Ephraim; see Gill on Jos 16:6,

and the border went along on the right hand, unto the inhabitants of Entappuah; that is, leaving this place, and its inhabitants to the right, which was a place in the land of that name, next mentioned; and seems to be so called from a fountain in it, or near it, as well as from a multitude of apples growing there, and with which perhaps the country abounded, of which in Jos 17:8.

(l) De loc. Heb. fol. 88. G.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Asher - Not the tribe so called, but a place somewhere toward the eastern end of the boundary line here drawn: perhaps “Teyasir,” on the road from Sichem to Beth-shean.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Aser was contiguous to Machmethath, 15 miles from Sichem, towards Scythopolis. (St. Jerome) (Calmet) --- The limits of Manasses are described from the south, where he joins Ephraim, chap. xvi. 6. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

7. Coast of Manasseh — The southern boundary from east to west. “The author gives the boundary again from east to west, as in the case of Judah, (Jos_15:2, ff,) the sons of Joseph (Jos_16:1, ff,) and Benjamin, Jos_18:12, ff. So the author of the Apocalypse, also, names the gates of the New Jerusalem, beginning from the east, (Rev_21:13,) and Ezekiel (Eze_48:1, ff) designates the several tribe divisions in the like manner from east to west.” — Fay.] Asher is here not the portion of the tribe, which could not constitute a starting point for a line, but a city, probably the modern Yasir, about half way between Shechem and Beth-shean, or about fifteen miles northeast of the former city. For Michmethah and river Kanah, see on Jos_16:6-8. Shechem is a very ancient city, called Neapolis, corrupted to Nabulus and Nablus, in the narrow valley between Mounts Ebal and Gerizim. See note and cuts at Joh_4:5. “The streets are narrow; the houses high and in general well built, all of stone, with domes upon the roofs, as at Jerusalem.” — Robinson. En-tappuah some understand of a fountain near the city of Tappuah, (Jos_16:8;) others, as another name of the city itself. The land of Tappuah mentioned in the next verse must mean the country in the neighbourhood of Tappuah.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Coast. Rather, border. Asher. This has been supposed not to be the tribe of Asher, for this was on the north, but a city which has been identified with the modern Yasir, about five hours" distance from Nablous, or Neapolis, on the road to Beisan,or Beth-shean, where, says Delitzsch, there are "magnificent ruins" now to be seen. See, however, note ver. 10. Michmethah. (see Jos_16:6) This place has not been identified. All we know is that it is opposite (ynepAl) Shechem. Some have thought that this is simply the denominative of Asher, to distinguish it from the tribe, and that for "Asher to Michmethah" we should read "Asher-ham-Michmethah." But this could hardly be the Yasir above, since it is opposite Shechem. Shechem. Now Nablous. This place is famous both in the Old and the New Testament. We first read of it, under the name of Sichem, in Gen_12:6. It was the abode of Shechem and Hamor his son, when Jacob abode in Canaan after his return from Padan-aram. It was situated between Gerizim and Ebal, and became an important city in the days of the Judges. (Jud_1:9) It was destroyed by Abimelech, (Jud_1:9:45) but it seems to have recovered. It was thither that Rehoboam went to be crowned, and there that his injudicious answer alienated forever the ten tribes from his rule. Jeroboam made it his capital and is said to have "built" it. (1Ki_12:25) He afterwards, however, abandoned it for Penuel, and Penuel again apparently for Tirzah, (1Ki_14:17) and Tirzah for Jezreel, which remained the capital until Omri built Samaria. (1Ki_16:24) It is no doubt the Sychar mentioned in St. John 4. Most travelers have admired the picturesque situation of Shechem. It has even extorted a tribute from Dr. Peterman, in his "Reisen im Orient," a work which, however full of valuable information regarding the condition and customs of the people, does not abound m description of scenery. He becomes almost poetical as he speaks of this town, resting on the slopes of Gerizim, a mountain fruitful to its summit, and having opposite the bare, stony el Ebal, its outline unrelieved by verdure, the haunt of jackals, whose howls, like the cry of wailing children in distress, disturb the silence of the night. Thomson ("Land and the Book," p. 470) thus describes the scene: "A valley green with grass, grey with olives, gardens sloping down on each side, fresh springs rushing down in all directions; at the end a white town embosomed in all this verdure lodged between the two high mountains which extend on each side of the valley; this is the aspect of Nablous, the most beautiful, perhaps it might be said the only beautiful, spot in Central Palestine. Thirty-two springs can be traced in different parts. Here the bilbul delights to sit and sing, and thousands of other birds delight to swell the chorus."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

southward

toward the south

Mikmethath ... Tappuah

These are the names of places. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

Asher

Shechem

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.