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This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as Joseph’s firstborn. Machir, Manasseh’s firstborn and the father of Gilead, was allotted Gilead and Bashan, because Machir was a man of war. 2 So this allotment was for the rest of the descendants of Manasseh by their clans: the descendants of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.
3 Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4 They came before Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders, and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So in accordance with the command of the Lord, they gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers. 5 So ten shares fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which are on the other side of the Jordan, 6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of Manasseh’s sons.
7 The territory of Manasseh extended from Asher to Michmethath east of Shechem. The border went southward from there toward the people of En-tappuah. 8 The region of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the descendants of Ephraim. 9 Then the border descended to the Brook of Kanah. There were cities belonging to Ephraim south of the brook are among Mannasseh’s cities, but the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and it ended at the sea. 10 The land to the south belonged to Ephraim, and the north side to Manasseh, with the sea as its border. They reached Asher on the north and Issachar on the east.
11 Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also 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 is Naphath).
12 The people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, because the Canaanites were determined to continue living in that region. 13 However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labour but did not completely drive them out.
14 The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, for the Lord has blessed us all along.
15 “If you are a numerous people,” Joshua answered, “go up to the forest and clear land for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you.”
16 But the people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”
17 So Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh: “You are a numerous people and have great strength. You will not have one lot only, 18 but the hill country will be yours also. Although it is forested now, you can cut it down, and its farthest limits will be yours. You can also drive out the Canaanites, even though they have chariots of iron and they are strong.”