Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
daughters of Manasseh, i.e., of Zelophehad the Manassite, received an inheritance
among his sons (i.e., the rest of the Manassites).
Verse 7-11. Boundaries and extent of the inheritance of the ten families of
Manasseh. - Vv. 7-10a, the southern boundary, which coincides with the northern
boundary of Ephraim described in Josh 16:6-8, and is merely given here with greater
precision in certain points. It went "from Asher to Michmethah, before Shechem."
Asher is not the territory of the tribe of Asher, but a distinct locality; according to the
Onom. ( s. v. Asher ) a place on the high road from Neapolis to Scythopolis, fifteen
Roman miles from the former. It is not to be found, however, in the ruins of Tell Um
el Aschera ( V. de Velde ) or Tell Um Ajra ( Rob. Bibl. Res. pp. 310, 327), an hour to
the south of Beisan, as Knobel supposes, but in the village of Yasir , where there are
magnificent ruins, about five hours and ten minutes from Nabulus on the road to
Beisan ( V. de Velde , Mem. pp. 237, 289; R. ii. p.
295).
Michmethah , before Shechem , is still unknown (see Josh 16:6). Shechem was
founded by the Hivite prince Shechem (Gen 33:18), and is frequently mentioned in
the book of Genesis. It stood between Ebal and Gerizim, was given up by Ephraim to
the Levites, and declared a free city (city of refuge: Josh 21:21; 20:7). It was there
that the ten tribes effected their separation from Judah 1 Kings 12:1ff.), and Jeroboam
resided there (1 Kings 12:25). In later times it was the chief city of the country of
Samaria, and the capital of the Samaritans (John 4:5); and the name of Neapolis , or
Flavia Neapolis , from which the present Nabulus or Nablus has come, was given to
it in honour of Vespasian (see v. Raumer , Pal. pp. 161ff.). From this point the
boundary went 'el-hayaamiyn
(i.e., either "to the right side," the south side, or to Yamin ), "To the inhabitants of Entappuah."
Whether Yamin is an appellative or a proper name is doubtful. But even if
it be the name of a place, it is quite certain that it cannot be the village of Yamôn , an
hour to the south-east of Taanuk ( Rob. iii. pp. 161, 167, etc.), as this is much too far
north, and, judging from v. 11, belonged to the territory of Asher. In the case of Entappuah
, the inhabitants are mentioned instead of the district, because the district
belonged to Manasseh, whilst the town on the border of Manasseh was given to the
Ephraimites. The situation of the town has not yet been discovered: see at Josh 16:8.
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