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英文原文
The half tribe of Manasseh comes next to be provided for; and here we have, I. The families of that tribe that were to be portioned, Jos 17:1-6. II. The country that fell to their lot, Jos 17:7-13. III. The joint request of the two tribes that descended from Joseph, for the enlargement of their lot, and Joshua's answer to that request, Jos 17:14-18.
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The Inheritance of Joseph's Children (1444 BC)
约瑟子孙的产业（主前1444年）
¹ 玛拿西支派也有阄分；因为他是约瑟的长子；就是为玛拿西的长子、基列的父亲玛吉分地；因为他是个战士，所以得了基列和巴珊。
² 玛拿西其余的子孙按着家族也分了地：就是亚比以谢族的子孙、希勒族的子孙、亚斯列族的子孙、示剑族的子孙、希弗族的子孙、示米大族的子孙；这些就是约瑟的儿子玛拿西的男丁子孙，按着家族。
³ 唯有希弗的儿子、基列的孙子、玛吉的曾孙、玛拿西的玄孙西罗非哈没有儿子，只有女儿；他女儿们的名字是玛拉、挪阿、曷拉、密迦、得撒。
⁴ 她们来到祭司以利亚撒和嫩的儿子约书亚并众首领面前，说：耶和华曾吩咐摩西在我们弟兄中分给我们产业。于是约书亚照耶和华所吩咐的，在她们父叔的弟兄中，把产业分给她们。
⁵ 除了约旦河东的基列和巴珊地之外，玛拿西分了十份；
⁶ 因为玛拿西的众女儿在儿子中得了产业；玛拿西其余的子孙得了基列地。
玛拿西本身不过是约瑟支派的一半，却仍被一再划分。1. 它分为两部分：一部分已经定居在约旦河那边，由玛吉的后裔组成（书17:1）。这位玛吉生在埃及的玛拿西家中；他在那里显出战士的英风，大概是在以法莲人与迦特人争战之时（代上7:21）。他好战的性情传给后裔，所以摩西将约旦河那边的基列和巴珊赐给他们（前已述，书13:31）。此处说阄分临到玛拿西，因为他是约瑟的长子。帕特里克主教认为应译作虽然他是约瑟的长子，如此意思便清楚：第二阄归玛拿西，因为虽然他是长子，雅各却使以法莲在他之上。见定居约旦河东那些族长的名，代上5:24。2. 在约旦河西的那部分又被细分为十个家族（书17:5）。此处列出基列的六个儿子（书17:2），与民26:30-32所记相同，只是那里称为伊谢的，此处称为亚比以谢。其中五个儿子各得一份；第六子希弗，他的男系在他儿子西罗非哈身上断绝——西罗非哈只留下五个女儿，是我们屡次读到的；这五人各得一份；不过她们既从希弗承名而来，或许五人的份加起来才等于五子中一人的一份。又或者希弗除了西罗非哈之外还有别的儿子——其上保存了家族的名号——他们的后裔与西罗非哈长兄的女儿们通婚，便因她们的权利而得这些份。见民36:12。此处有：(1.) 西罗非哈的女儿们所提出的请求——根据神对摩西所发的命令（书17:4）。她们自己在年轻之时，曾在摩西面前为自己的事申诉，得了与弟兄同得产业的赐予；如今她们不愿因不向约书亚开口而失去那赐予的好处，便及时亲自提出要求——看来是她们自己出面，而非她们的丈夫代为出面。(2.) 按她们的请求分给她们产业。约书亚十分清楚神在她们的事上所吩咐的，并未以她们既未参与迦南的战事、便无理由在迦南的产业上有分为由而反对，反而乐意在她们父叔的弟兄中把产业赐给她们为业。如今她们便享受了自己敬虔的热心和审慎的远见所结的果子。如此，凡在这世界的旷野中谨慎为自己在圣徒光明的基业中确立一席之地的人，到了来世必享受其安慰；而如今疏忽的人，将永远失之。
⁷ 玛拿西的境界是从亚设起，通到示剑前的密米他；又在右边转到隐·他普亚居民的境界。
⁸ 玛拿西得了他普亚地；只是玛拿西境界上的他普亚城，归以法莲的子孙；
⁹ 境界下到加拿河；河南边的城邑归以法莲；玛拿西的境界在河北边，直通到海为止；
¹⁰ 南归以法莲，北归玛拿西；海为其界；他们二支派在北边与亚设相接，在东边与以萨迦相接。
¹¹ 玛拿西在以萨迦和亚设境内有伯·善和属伯·善的镇市、以伯莲和属以伯莲的镇市、多珥的居民和属多珥的镇市、隐·多珥的居民和属隐·多珥的镇市、他纳的居民和属他纳的镇市、米吉多的居民和属米吉多的镇市——就是这三个高原。
¹² 只是玛拿西的子孙不能赶出这些城的居民；迦南人偏要住在那地。
¹³ 及至以色列人强盛了，就使迦南人作苦工，没有把他们全然赶出。
我们此处简略看到这半支派的阄分。它东起约旦河，西至大海；南边全程与以法莲相连，北面则与亚设和以萨迦相接。亚设在西北，以萨迦在东北——这大概就是书17:10所说"他们在北边与亚设相遇，在东边与以萨迦相遇"之意（他们即玛拿西和以法莲——二者合为约瑟支派，对此均有关系；因为以法莲本身并不与那两支派相接）。关于此阄分有几件事特别被记下：1. 此支派与以法莲支派之间有大量的沟通。他普亚城属以法莲，但邻近的乡间属玛拿西（书17:8）；又有许多以法莲的城邑位于玛拿西的境界之内（书17:9），如前所述（书16:9）。2. 玛拿西在以萨迦和亚设两支派境内也有城邑及其附属之地（书17:11）——神如此安排，使各支派虽各有不可转让的独特产业，却当如此彼此交融，好维持支派间的互相认识与来往，并给彼此行善的机会——因为虽属不同支派，却同为一个以色列，都当以弟兄之爱彼此相爱。3. 他们容迦南人住在其中，违背了神的命令——他们为自身的利益而纵容之，因他们使迦南人作进贡者（书17:12,13）。以法莲人也曾如此行（书16:10），玛拿西人或许正是从他们学来的，并以他们的先例为自己开脱。这半支派日后最杰出的人物是基甸，他的伟大作为正是行于此阄分之内。他属亚比以谢族；该撒利亚和安提帕特立也都属此阄分，在犹太国家的后期颇负盛名。
¹⁴ 约瑟的子孙对约书亚说：耶和华到如今既然这样赐福与我，我也是个大众民，你为何仅将一份阄分、一份产业给我为业呢？
¹⁵ 约书亚说：你们若是大众民，就上树林去，在比利洗人和利乏音人的地，自己砍伐树木，若以法莲山地窄小。
¹⁶ 约瑟的子孙说：那山地不够我们用；凡住平原的迦南人都有铁车，就是在伯·善和属伯·善的镇市的人、耶斯列平原的人也是这样。
¹⁷ 约书亚对约瑟家，就是对以法莲和玛拿西，说：你既是大众民，又有大能大力，不可仅得一份；
¹⁸ 山地也要归你；虽是树林，你可以砍伐；那地界也必归你；迦南人虽有铁车，虽是强盛，你也能把他们赶出去。
此处，I. 约瑟的子孙埋怨自己的阄分；倘若他们真有正当理由埋怨，我们有理由相信约书亚会加以增补或更改来帮助他们——但并无迹象表明他如此行了。大概因为约书亚自己属以法莲支派，他们便指望自己会蒙特别恩待，不像其他支派那样紧守掣签的裁定；但约书亚让他们知道：在履行公职时，他对自己支派的关顾并不超过其他任何支派，而是秉公行事，无偏无私——他在此为一切身居公职之人留下了极好的榜样。他们所得的供应十分充足——据我们所知，与他们所能经营的相当；然而他们却轻蔑地称之为一份阄分，仿佛分给他们二人的，还不及一人之用。论到发怨言的人（犹16），原文作mempsimoiroi——即埋怨自己阄分之人：1. 他们人数众多，因神赐福他们（书17:14）：我是个大众民，因为耶和华赐福了我；我们有理由盼望那赐口的主也必赐粮。"我是大众民，在如此小的阄分里没有发展的空间。"然而请注意：当他们感恩地提到自己目前的增多时，并未自信地断言其延续。"耶和华至今赐福了我，至于日后他如何看待我，那便不在我掌握之中了。"未来的不定，不可使我们对已经和正在蒙受的恩慈忘恩。2. 现在分给他们阄分的那片地，其中有相当一部分在迦南人手中，而这些敌人十分可怕——他们带着铁车上阵（书17:16），即装有长镰刀的战车——固定于车侧或车轴之上，凡挡其道者无不遭其大害，如割禾稼一般。他们申辩说，虽然所派的份是好地，却在恶人手中，他们无法得着；便巴不得自己的阄分在那些已被更彻底征服的地方。
II. 约书亚竭力使他们与自己的阄分和好。他承认他们确实是大众民，既是两个支派，便理当不仅只有一份阄（书17:17），却告诉他们：他们所分得的，对他们两家已足够——只要他们肯劳动、肯争战。他们想要一份可任其放纵安逸的阄分。"不，"约书亚说，"你们不可指望那事；你必汗流满面才得糊口——这判语在迦南地也仍然有效。"他将他们自己的论据反过来用：他们是大众民。"既然如此，你们更当能自助，更少理由指望别人帮助。若你有许多口要喂饱，你便有两倍多的手可使用；先挣，再吃。"1. 他吩咐他们靠劳动多得（书17:15）：你上树林去——那是在你自己的境界之内，让众人都动手砍伐树木，开垦荒地，以技艺和勤勉使之成为良田。请注意：许多人渴望更大的产业，却不肯耕种、善用自己现有的；他们以为若多得才干便好，却不肯用所托付他们的才干去经营。多数人的贫穷是其怠惰的结果；他们若肯 dig，便不必 beg。2. 他吩咐他们靠争战多得（书17:17,18）。当他们推说无法到达他所指的林地，因在中间的谷中有他们不敢与之交锋的迦南人时，"不要怕他们，"约书亚说，"你有神与你同在；你必能赶出迦南人，只要认真动手——他们虽有铁车。"我们常因把扩展之路上的困难看得比实际更大，而自缚手脚。凡信心和圣洁的决断，有何不能克服？
英文原文
The Inheritance of Joseph's Children (1444 BC)
¹ There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.
² There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families.
³ But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
⁴ And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
⁵ And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan;
⁶ Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.
Manasseh was itself but one half of the tribe of Joseph, and yet was divided and subdivided. 1. It was divided into two parts, one already settled on the other side Jordan, consisting of those who were the posterity of Machir, Jos 17:1. This Machir was born to Manasseh in Egypt; there he had signalized himself as a man of war, probably in the contests between the Ephraimites and the men of Gath, 1Ch 7:21. His warlike disposition descended to his posterity, and therefore Moses gave them Gilead and Bashan, on the other side Jordan, of which before, Jos 13:31. It is here said that the lot came to Manasseh, for he was the first-born of Joseph. Bishop Patrick thinks it should be translated, though he was the first-born of Joseph, and then the meaning is plain, that the second lot was for Manasseh, because, though he was the first-born, yet Jacob had preferred Ephraim before him. See the names of those heads of the families that settled on the other side Jordan, 1Ch 5:24. 2. That part on this side Jordan as subdivided into ten families, Jos 17:5. There were six sons of Gilead here named (Jos 17:2), the same that are recorded Nu 26:30-32, only that he who is there called Jezeer is here called Abiezer. Five of these sons had each of them their portion; the sixth, which was Hepher, had his male line cut off in his son Zelophehad, who left daughters only, five in number, of whom we have often read, and these five had each of them a portion; though perhaps, they claiming under Hepher, all their five portions were but equal to one of the portions of the five sons. Or if Hepher had other sons besides Zelophehad, in whom the name of his family was kept up, their posterity married to the daughters of Zelophehad the elder brother, and in their right had these portions assigned them. See Nu 36:12. Here is, (1.) The claim which the daughters of Zelophehad made, grounded upon the command God gave to Moses concerning them, Jos 17:4. They had themselves, when they were young, pleaded their own cause before Moses, and obtained the grant of an inheritance with their brethren, and now they would not lose the benefit of that grant for want of speaking to Joshua, but seasonably put in their demand themselves, as it should seem, and not their husbands for them. (2.) The assignment of their portions according to their claim. Joshua knew very well what God had ordered in their case, and did not object that they having not served in the wars of Canaan there was no reason why they should share in the possessions of Canaan, but readily gave them as inheritance among the brethren of their father. And now they reaped the benefit of their own pious zeal and prudent forecast in this matter. Thus those who take care in the wilderness of this world to make sure to themselves a place in the inheritance of the saints in light will certainly have the comfort of it in the other world, while those that neglect it now will lose it for ever.
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 En-tappuah.
⁸ Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim;
⁹ And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:
¹⁰ Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh's, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.
¹¹ And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.
¹² Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
¹³ Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.
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 17:12,13. 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.
¹⁴ And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto?
¹⁵ And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.
¹⁶ And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth-shean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.
¹⁷ And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:
¹⁸ But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
Here, I. The children of Joseph quarrel with their lot; if they had had any just cause to quarrel with it, we have reason to think Joshua would have relieved them, by adding to it, or altering it, which it does not appear he did. It is probable, because Joshua was himself of the tribe of Ephraim, they promised themselves that they should have some particular favour shown them, and should not be confined to the decision of the lot so closely as the other tribes; but Joshua makes them know that in the discharge of his office, as a public person, he had no more regard to his own tribe than to any other, but would administer impartially, without favour or affection, wherein he has left an excellent example to all in public trusts. It was a very competent provision that was made for them, as much, for aught that appears, as they were able to manage, and yet they call it in disdain but one lot, as if that which was assigned to them both was scarcely sufficient for one. The word for complainers (Jude 1:16) is mempsimoiroi, blamers of their lot:—1. That they were very numerous, through the blessing of God upon them (Jos 17:14): I am a great people, for the Lord has blessed me; and we have reason to hope that he that hath sent mouths will send meat. "I am a great people, and in so small a lot shall not have room to thrive." Yet observe, when they speak thankfully of their present increase, they do not speak confidently of the continuance of it. "The Lord has blessed me hitherto, however he may see fit to deal with me for the future." The uncertainty of what may be must not make us unthankful for what has been and is done in kindness to us. 2. That a good part of that country which had now fallen to their lot was in the hands of the Canaanites, and that they were formidable enemies, who brought into the field of battle chariots of iron (Jos 17:16), that is, chariots with long scythes fastened to the sides of them, or the axle-tree, which made great destruction of all that came in their way, mowing them down like corn. They urge that though they had a good portion assigned them, yet it was in bad hands, and they could not come to the possession of it, wishing to have their lot in those countries that were more thoroughly reduced than this was.
II. Joshua endeavours to reconcile them to their lot. He owns they were a great people, and being two tribes ought to have more than one lot only (Jos 17:17), but tells them that what had fallen to their share would be a sufficient lot for them both, if they would but work and fight. They desired a lot in which they might indulge themselves in ease and luxury. "No," says Joshua, "you must not count upon that; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread is a sentence in force even in Canaan itself." He retorts their own argument, that they were a great people. "If so, you are the better able to help yourselves, and have the less reason to expect help from others. If thou hast many mouths to be filled, thou hast twice as many hands to be employed; earn, and then eat." 1. He bids them work for more (Jos 17:15): "Get thee up to the wood-country, which is within thy own border, and let all hands be set to work to cut down the trees, rid the rough lands, and make them, with art and industry, good arable ground." Note, Many wish for larger possessions who do not cultivate and make the best of what they have, think they should have more talents given them who do not trade with those with which they are entrusted. Most people's poverty is the effect of their idleness; would they dig, they need not beg. 2. He bids them fight for more (Jos 17:17,18), when they pleaded that they could not come at the wood-lands he spoke of because in the valley between them and it were Canaanites whom they durst not enter the lists with. "Never fear them," said Joshua, "thou hast God on thy side, and thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, if thou wilt set about it in good earnest, though they have iron chariots." We straiten ourselves by apprehending the difficulties in the way of our enlargement to be greater than really they are. What can be insuperable to faith and holy resolution?
约书亚记第十七章
接下来该受分地的是玛拿西半支派；此处记载：I. 该支派中当受分地的诸家族，书 17:1-6。II. 归于他们名下的地域，书 17:7-13。III. 约瑟所出的两个支派联合请求扩充他们的份，以及约书亚对那请求的回答，书 17:14-18。