Joshua 17:7
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.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Shechem, modern Tell Balata, has been extensively excavated, revealing continuous occupation from the Bronze Age through the Roman period. The site sits in a strategic mountain pass between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, controlling north-south travel through central Canaan. Archaeological evidence shows Shechem was a major Canaanite city-state during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, with massive fortifications. Its inclusion in Manasseh's territory fulfilled Jacob's specific bequest to Joseph (Genesis 48:22). The city became Manasseh's most important urban center and served as Israel's first capital before Jerusalem. The detailed boundary descriptions in Joshua 13-21 show sophisticated geographical knowledge and careful record-keeping, similar to Egyptian and Hittite boundary inscriptions.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the specificity of these boundary descriptions demonstrate that God's promises are concrete and verifiable, not vague spiritual abstractions?
- What spiritual boundaries has God established in your life that require the same careful attention to detail and precision as these geographical borders?
- How does Shechem's prominence in redemptive history (from Abraham to Joshua 24) illustrate God's long-term faithfulness across generations?
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Analysis & Commentary
And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem—The Hebrew gevul (גְּבוּל, "coast" or "boundary") begins the detailed description of Manasseh's western territory. The boundary ran from the territory of Asher (to the north) southward to Michmethah, an otherwise unknown site near Shechem. Shechem itself was one of Canaan's most ancient and important cities, site of Abraham's first altar (Genesis 12:6), Jacob's land purchase (Genesis 33:18-19), and later the covenant renewal ceremony (Joshua 24).
And the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah—The phrase al-yamin (עַל־יָמִין, "on the right hand") indicates southward direction (since Israelites oriented themselves facing east, right hand pointed south). En-tappuah means "spring of the apple" or "spring of Tappuah," indicating a settlement built around a water source. Precise boundary descriptions demonstrate that covenant promises involved specific, verifiable geography—faith was not divorced from historical and physical reality but grounded in it.