서론
Joshua 16 Introduction
英文原文
This and Joshua 17 are closely connected, and assign the boundaries of "the children of Joseph," i. e of the kindred tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. These two tribes, or more strictly speaking, the tribe of Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh, drew one lot only, no doubt, because it was all along intended that their inheritances should be adjacent. These chapters accordingly describe
(1) the southern boundary of the whole territory of the children of Joseph Joshua 16:1-4;
(2) the limits of Ephraim in particular Joshua 16:5-10)
(3); those of Manasseh Joshua 17:1-13; and
(4) the discontent of the descendants of Joseph with their inheritance is recorded, together with Joshua's answer to their complaints Joshua 17:14-18.
The territory allotted to these two powerful tribes comprises the central and, in every way, the choicest part of Canaan west of the Jordan. The hills of this district, making up what is called Joshua 20:7 "Mount Ephraim," are less high and far less barren than those of Judah; the water supply is much larger; and the very rich and fertile plains of Sharon and Esdraelon are left between the rocky fastnesses of Benjamin on the south and the high lands of Galilee belonging to Issachar on the north.
1
Joshua 16:1
“通到旷野”——“到”字应删去，因为这词与“阄”是同位关系。这里的旷野即 Joshua 18:12 所说的“伯亚文旷野”。
英文原文
To the wilderness - Strike out "to," for the word is in apposition to "lot." The wilderness is Joshua 18:12 "the wilderness of Bethaven."
2
Joshua 16:2
“亚基”——（宜读作“亚基人的”）这也是大卫的朋友户筛的称谓（2 Samuel 15:32; 2 Samuel 16:16 等）。这词源自 Genesis 10:10 的以力。但伯特利附近是否真有一处带着这巴比伦名字的地方，还是有一批来自东方的移民定居于此并把这名一并带来，则无从知晓。
“亚他录”——在 Joshua 16:5; Joshua 18:13 中称为亚他录亚达（意即“名誉或尊大之冠冕”），也许是为了把它与另外两个同名、但位于约旦河东迦得领土之内的地方区分开来（Numbers 32:34）。它被认定为阿塔拉（Atara），位于从耶路撒冷通往纳布卢斯（Nablous）的大路附近。
英文原文
Of Archi - (Read "of the Archite," also a designation of David's friend Hushai (2 Samuel 15:32; 2 Samuel 16:16, etc.). The word is derived from Erech Genesis 10:10. But whether there was in the neighborhood of Bethel a place bearing this Babylonian name, or whether a colony from the East had settled in this spot and brought the name with them, is unknown.
Ataroth - Called Joshua 16:5; Joshua 18:13 Ataroth-adar ( equals "crowns of fame or greatness") perhaps to distinguish it from two other places bearing the same name but, situated on the other side of Jordan, in the territory of Gad Numbers 32:34. It is identified with Atara, near the road from Jerusalem to Nablous.
3
Joshua 16:3
属雅弗利——更妥的译法是”属雅弗利提人（the Japhletite）”。关于这名称的一切历史记载都已失传。
英文原文
Of Japhleti - Rather "of the Japhletite." All history of the name is lost.
5
Joshua 16:5
这些陈述被引出的方式十分突兀，而且内容也不完整；因此有一种揣测颇有可信之处，即这几节经文中可能有若干字句从原文脱落了。所列的地点中，能够确定的很少。
英文原文
From the abrupt manner in which the statements are introduced, as well as from their imperfect character, there is probability in the conjecture that some words have, in these verses, fallen out of the text. Few of the places are known for certain.
9
Joshua 16:9
钦定本（King James Version）在本节所加的动词“were”应予删去；Joshua 16:8 之后的句号应改为冒号。Joshua 16:9 的主旨不过是：在前文所界定之以法莲产业之外，再将“分别的城邑”（“separate cities”）——更确切地说，“单独的城邑”——加给他们，这些城邑位于玛拿西境内。将这些额外城邑赐予以法莲人的缘由只能凭推测。也许分给这个人数众多之支派的地业，经实际体验后显明过小；因此有若干城镇（其名见于 1 Chronicles 7:29）从他们的亲族玛拿西人那里分给了他们，而玛拿西人则从以萨迦和亚设的地业中获得补偿（参 Joshua 17:11 注释）。
英文原文
The verb "were," introduced by the King James Version in this verse should be omitted; and the full stop after Joshua 16:8 replaced by a colon. The purport of Joshua 16:9 is simply to add to the inheritance of Ephraim, defined by the preceding context, "the separate cities" or more properly "single cities" which were allotted to them in addition within the borders of Manasseh. The reasons for granting these additional cities to the Ephraimites can only be conjectured. Perhaps the territory assigned to this numerous tribe proved on experiment to be too small; and therefore some towns, which are named in 1 Chronicles 7:29, were given to them from the kindred Manassites, the latter being recompensed (Joshua 17:11 note) at the expense of Issachar and Asher.
本章与 Joshua 17 密切相连，划定“约瑟的子孙”——即以法莲与玛拿西这两个亲属支派——的疆界。这两个支派，更严格地说，是以法莲支派与玛拿西半支派，只拈了一个阄，这无疑是因为他们的产业从一开始就定意要彼此相邻。因此这两章记述：
（1）约瑟子孙全境的南界（Joshua 16:1-4）；
（2）以法莲的具体界线（Joshua 16:5-10）；
（3）玛拿西的界线（Joshua 17:1-13）；以及
（4）约瑟的后代对其产业不满的记载，并约书亚对他们怨言的回答（Joshua 17:14-18）。
分给这两个强大支派的疆域，包括约旦以西迦南的中部，也是各方面最上选的地带。这地区的山峦——即构成 Joshua 20:7 所谓“以法莲山地”的那些山——比犹大的山低，也远不那样贫瘠；水源充足得多；而沙仑与耶斯列两片极其富饶肥沃的平原，正位于南面便雅悯的岩垒与北面属以萨迦的加利利高地之间。