Joshua 22:7 kjv
Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them,
Joshua 22:7 nkjv
Now to half the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half of it Joshua gave a possession among their brethren on this side of the Jordan, westward. And indeed, when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them,
Joshua 22:7 niv
(To the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given land in Bashan, and to the other half of the tribe Joshua gave land on the west side of the Jordan along with their fellow Israelites.) When Joshua sent them home, he blessed them,
Joshua 22:7 esv
Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half Joshua had given a possession beside their brothers in the land west of the Jordan. And when Joshua sent them away to their homes and blessed them,
Joshua 22:7 nlt
Moses had given the land of Bashan, east of the Jordan River, to the half-tribe of Manasseh. (The other half of the tribe was given land west of the Jordan.) As Joshua sent them away and blessed them,
Joshua 22 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "To your offspring I will give this land." | Promise of land to Abraham |
| Gen 15:18 | "...to your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates," | Covenant and boundary of promised land |
| Num 32:33 | "And Moses gave to them, to the people of Gad and to the people of Reuben and to the half-tribe of Manasseh..." | Moses assigning eastern territory |
| Deut 3:13-15 | "The rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh..." | Moses allocating Bashan to half-Manasseh |
| Deut 34:1-5 | Moses viewing the promised land before his death | Moses's role in guiding to but not entering |
| Josh 1:2-3 | "Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, cross this Jordan... Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you..." | Joshua's commission to complete the conquest |
| Josh 1:6 | "Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you..." | Joshua's continuation of Moses's legacy |
| Josh 11:23 | "So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel..." | Land conquest completed, given as inheritance |
| Josh 13:29-31 | "To the half-tribe of Manasseh also Moses had given a portion... so that the half-tribe of Manasseh had their inheritance." | Confirmation of Manasseh's eastern portion |
| Josh 17:1-6 | Description of Manasseh's western territory inheritance | Detailing Manasseh's portion in Canaan |
| Josh 21:43-45 | "Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers... Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made... had failed..." | God's faithfulness in fulfilling promises |
| Josh 22:1-6 | Joshua sending the eastern tribes back, emphasizing their faithfulness. | Context of eastern tribes returning home |
| Ezek 47:13 | "This is the boundary by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel..." | Prophetic vision of future land division |
| Eph 1:11 | "In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will..." | Spiritual inheritance in Christ |
| Col 1:12 | "...giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." | Believers' share in spiritual inheritance |
| Heb 11:8-9 | Abraham going out without knowing where, trusting in promised land. | Faith in divine promise of inheritance |
| 1 Pet 1:4 | "...to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you..." | Heavenly and eternal inheritance |
| Matt 5:5 | "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." | Kingdom inheritance |
| Ps 78:55 | "He drove out nations before them; he apportioned their inheritance by measurement and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents." | God's direct role in apportioning land |
| Neh 9:8 | "...and you kept your promise, for you are righteous. You brought them into the land that you had sworn to give to their fathers..." | God's righteous fulfillment of oath |
Joshua 22 verses
Joshua 22 7 Meaning
Joshua 22:7 clarifies the specific land inheritance allocated to the tribe of Manasseh. It states that one half of the tribe had received their inheritance in Bashan, east of the Jordan River, through Moses. The other half was given their portion by Joshua among the other Israelite tribes to the west of the Jordan, within the land of Canaan. This verse distinctly marks the geographical split of Manasseh's territory and attributes the respective allocations to the two key leaders, Moses and Joshua.
Joshua 22 7 Context
Joshua 22:7 is nestled within the concluding chapters of the book of Joshua, specifically at the point where the mission of the trans-Jordanian tribes—Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh—is complete. They had faithfully assisted their brethren in conquering the land of Canaan, fulfilling their vow made to Moses and Joshua. This verse details Manasseh's unique situation among these eastern tribes, distinguishing its two halves by their respective geographic inheritances. The preceding verses (22:1-6) show Joshua commending and dismissing these tribes, instructing them to return to their eastern lands, which leads directly to the core of the verse, reiterating the precise allocations of their inheritances. The immediate historical context is the close of a major phase of the conquest and the transition into a period of tribal settlement, setting the stage for the controversial altar incident that follows (22:10-34), which arose precisely because of the geographical and perceived spiritual distance between the tribes on opposite sides of the Jordan. The accurate account of land distribution emphasizes God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises made to the patriarchs, providing tangible territory to each tribe according to His divine plan.
Joshua 22 7 Word analysis
- Now to the one half: This phrase immediately establishes the particularity of Manasseh. Unlike Reuben and Gad, who settled entirely east of the Jordan, Manasseh was deliberately split, indicating a specific divine arrangement.
- of the tribe of Manasseh: Manasseh (
Menashsheh- "causing to forget"), the elder son of Joseph, ironically ends up with a unique, split inheritance, symbolizing both the fruitfulness promised to Joseph and the complex nature of its distribution. His posterity was numerous, necessitating this dual allocation. - Moses had given possession: Emphasizes the continuity of divine instruction and authority. Moses, as the covenant mediator, was instrumental in assigning the initial territory east of the Jordan, particularly in Bashan and Gilead (Num 32; Deut 3). The Hebrew term
natan(נָתַן), "had given," denotes a settled and authoritative act of divine endowment through his servant. - in Bashan: A specific fertile and strategically important region east of the Jordan. Its inclusion points to the concrete fulfillment of promise and precise territorial allocation. This area was conquered early under Moses (Num 21:33-35).
- but to the other half: Reiterates the divided nature of the tribe and sets up the second part of its inheritance.
- Joshua gave possession: Highlights Joshua's role as Moses' successor in leading the conquest and completing the land distribution. The divine leadership continues uninterrupted through him, fulfilling what Moses began. This demonstrates that both leaders were agents of God's will. The term
nachalah(נַחֲלָה), often translated as "possession" or "inheritance," signifies an inalienable, divinely apportioned lot, indicating both a gift and a responsibility for the people. Thisnachalahwas tied to their tribal identity and spiritual allegiance. - among their brethren beyond the Jordan westward: This defines the location as the land of Canaan proper, the heartland of the promise. The phrase "beyond the Jordan" refers to the perspective of someone standing west of the Jordan, looking eastward. For the original Hebrew reader, the description clearly points to the territory west of the river. This implies living geographically integrated with the other nine-and-a-half tribes. The integration aspect becomes significant for the events that unfold later in the chapter, regarding the altar, highlighting a concern for tribal unity and adherence to the central worship place despite physical distance.
Joshua 22 7 Bonus section
The precise allocation of Manasseh's land, divided by the Jordan River, served multiple purposes within the divine plan. The eastern portion in Bashan and Gilead was rich pastureland, desirable for the half-tribe and ideal for their flocks. The western portion allowed Manasseh to remain numerically strong within the main body of Israel, avoiding isolation. The split could also be seen as an expansive gesture of God's grace, maximizing the territory secured for Israel. From a theological perspective, it reinforced the truth that Israel's possession of the land was not by human might or claim, but by divine apportionment. The leaders, Moses and Joshua, did not act arbitrarily, but meticulously executed God's precise plan for each segment of the nation.
Joshua 22 7 Commentary
Joshua 22:7 succinctly encapsulates God's precise fulfillment of His covenant promises concerning the land inheritance for Israel, specifically through the unique dual portioning of the tribe of Manasseh. It underscores the seamless continuity of divine leadership from Moses to Joshua, both of whom acted as instruments in allocating the nachalah—the inalienable, God-given inheritance. The verse also subtly highlights the practical and theological implications of this split; while God provides for all His people, including a scattered portion of one tribe, it simultaneously foreshadows potential challenges in maintaining tribal unity and religious integrity across significant geographical divides, as exemplified by the very tension over the altar that immediately follows in the narrative. This demonstrates God's faithfulness in provision while recognizing the human challenges of upholding the covenant across diverse physical circumstances.