Joshua 17 covers the tribe of Manasseh’s lottery. Recall, in Egypt Joseph was the father of two
sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Manasseh, though the firstborn, did not receive his lottery for
territory in Israel before Ephraim, his younger brother. Why did Joshua cast a lot for Ephraim
(Joshua 16) before Manasseh? Abravanel asks the question and offers an answer.
“And this was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the first-born of
Joseph. As for Machir the first-born of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because
he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan…And there fell ten
parts to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the
Jordan.”
Jacob, when blessing Joseph’s two sons, upended their birth order. To Joseph’s consternation,
his aged father put his right hand on Ephraim, prophetically signaling the younger son’s more
prominent, historic role in comparison to Manasseh: “And he blessed them that day, saying: By
you shall Israel bless, saying: God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh. And he set Ephraim
before Manasseh” (Genesis 48). In deference to the hoary patriarch, Joshua cast Ephraim’s lot
before Manasseh’s.
Next, Abravanel proposes a hypothesis why Manasseh inherited land on both the east and west
banks of the Jordan: “And there fell ten parts to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and
Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan.”
Here is the background. When Moses and the Hebrews defeated Sihon and Og, it resulted in a
territorial windfall. Reuben and Gad, fabulously wealthy ranchers, saw opportunity. They
approached Moses: “Now the Children of Reuben and the Children of Gad had a very great
multitude of cattle; and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold,
the place was a place for cattle, the Children of Gad and the Children of Reuben came and
spoke unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying:
And they said: If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given unto your servants for
a possession; bring us not over the Jordan” (Numbers 32).
Yet, Abravanel asks, Manasseh was not as rich as Reuben and Gad. Why did that tribe ask for
land on the Jordan River’s east bank? It had to do with Manasseh’s military might. Abravanel
explains: “As for Machir, the first born of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man
of war.” These warriors asked for Gilead and Bashan in a show of strength and bravery; they
didn’t fear danger, associated with settling borders. That is, Manasseh intended to broadcast a
message to all would-be attackers: We are men of war. Don’t even think about starting up with
us.