Bible Strands

Joshua 17:2

So this allotment was for the rest of the descendants of Manasseh—the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Joshua records the territorial distribution to the Israelite tribes, specifying the portion designated for the remaining family lines of Manasseh after the initial grant to Machir. (Joshua 17:1–2)

The words — The Hebrew וַיְהִי (va-yehi) literally means "and it was/became," linking the clause directly to the preceding allotment. לִבְנֵי הַנּוֹתָרִים (livnei ha-notarim) translates to "to the descendants of the remaining [ones]," identifying the six named clans as the recipients of the territory.

The thread — This enumeration matches the genealogical list in Numbers 26:29 and the clan records in 1 Chronicles 7:18, while the Abiezrite line later provides the setting for the narrative in Judges 6:11.

Why it lands — The text states that land inheritance was administered through documented family branches rather than undifferentiated tribal groups. It requires the reader to track how specific genealogical records ground territorial claims and subsequent historical events.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַ֠יְהִיVa/y.hiand/ it belongedלִבְנֵ֨יli/v.Neito/ [the] descendants ofמְנַשֶּׁ֥הme.na.ShehManassehהַנּוֹתָרִים֮ha./no.ta.Rimwho/ remainedלְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒le./mish.pe.cho.Ta/mto/ clans/ theirלִבְנֵ֨יli/v.Neito/ [the] descendants ofאֲבִיעֶ֜זֶר'a.vi.'E.zerAbiezerוְלִבְנֵי־ve./li/v.nei-and/ to/ [the] descendants ofחֵ֗לֶקChe.lekHelekוְלִבְנֵ֤יve./li/v.Neiand/ to/ [the] descendants ofאַשְׂרִיאֵל֙'as.ri.'ElAsrielוְלִבְנֵי־ve./li/v.nei-and/ to/ [the] descendants ofשֶׁ֔כֶםShe.khemShechemוְלִבְנֵי־ve./li/v.nei-and/ to/ [the] descendants ofחֵ֖פֶרChe.ferHepherוְלִבְנֵ֣יve./li/v.Neiand/ to/ [the] descendants ofשְׁמִידָ֑עshe.mi.Da'Shemidaאֵ֠לֶּה'E.lehtheseבְּנֵ֨יbe.Nei[were] [the] descendants ofמְנַשֶּׁ֧הme.na.ShehManassehבֶּן־ben-[the] son ofיוֹסֵ֛ףyo.SefJosephהַזְּכָרִ֖יםha./ze.kha.Rimthe/ malesלְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃le./mish.pe.cho.Ta/mto/ clans/ their

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

People named

Joseph