Jos. 16: Eph 'n Manny

Joshua 16:4 "So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance."

This land belongs to the descendants of Joseph. Through his sons. Because Joseph received a double portion of the inheritance. Because Jacob, Joseph's father, reckoned Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own. So there you have it...confusion allayed. For now. Now the Bible makes complete sense, yes? Perfect. Now what about their land?

This chapter reads much the same as its surrounding chapters. So-and-so gets this land, it extends from whatever unknown ancient city through some boundary, and along the edge of some river by some mountain mentioned only in passing. What's the meaning? What's the bigger picture?

This is prophecy fulfilled. This is God establishing the nation of Israel in a home place. This is other nations only existing in the context of Israel, or Israel in the context of other nations...other wicked nations, who God needed wiped out, and has Israel do it. Israel is displacing...removing these other nations...assuming a rightful, provisional place. Other nations have been a substitute for Israel in Israel's homeland long enough.

The Ephraimites and Manassites could not boot the Canaanites though. Rather they enslaved them. Israel took captive what they could not remove. And, assuming God keeps His word, the blame for this falls on Eph and Manny failing to keep some portion of the covenant.