The territory of the people of Ephraim by their clans was as follows: the boundary of their inheritance on the east was Ataroth-addar as far as Upper Beth-horon,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Scripture doesn't just list boundaries; it emphasizes that this land was given by lot, a divine assurance that this was their inheritance, not just a territorial claim. Even though we might not recognize these ancient place names today, their precision in the text served as a foundation for Ephraim's secure and lasting possession.
The territory of the people of Ephraim by their clans was as follows: the boundary of their inheritance on the east was Ataroth-addar as far as Upper Beth-horon,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The book is detailing the land allocations to the tribes of Israel, and this passage focuses specifically on the territory assigned to the descendants of Joseph, namely the tribes of Ephraim and the half-tribe of Manasseh. This section meticulously describes the boundaries of Ephraim's inheritance, explaining where their land officially began and ended on the eastern side, as a part of the larger division of the land. It's important to remember that the tribes were receiving their allotted lands by lot, and these descriptions are the official record of those divisions.
Have you ever felt like you got less than you deserved in a land division? The Israelites faced a similar situation, and understanding how God's people received their inheritance sheds light on His faithfulness, even when the boundaries seem unclear.
The Book of Joshua details how the Promised Land was divided among the twelve tribes. This wasn't a haphazard process but a divinely orchestrated distribution through the casting of lots. Even though the text can be difficult for us to follow geographically today, the certainty for the Israelites was that this was God's plan for their inheritance.
The Bible doesn't shy away from the messy details of life, including the struggles of settling a new land. This verse hints at a reality that unfolded for the tribe of Ephraim.
Joshua 16:5 specifically mentions the eastern boundary of Ephraim's inheritance, stretching from Ataroth-addar to Upper Beth-horon. However, later in the chapter (and in the commentary), a crucial detail emerges: the Ephraimites didn't fully drive out the Canaanites from their territory, specifically from Gezer.
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Understand the original words
mishpachah · Hebrew Noun
A grouping based on common ancestry or kinship, functioning as the primary social and organizational unit within the tribes of Israel. Clans played a central role in the administration, census, and distribution of the land among the Israelites.
gebul · Hebrew Noun
The physical, demarcated edge or outer limit of a territory or property. In the distribution of the Promised Land, these markers were essential for maintaining the integrity of the tribal territories established by God.
This verse marks the formal allocation of land to the tribe of Ephraim after the initial conquest. While the boundaries are described, later historical accounts reveal that Ephraim, like other tribes, struggled to fully dispossess the original inhabitants, highlighting a recurring theme of incomplete obedience and its consequences.
c. 1400 BC
Joshua Leads Israelites into Canaan
Following Moses' death, Joshua takes command of the Israelites and leads them across the Jordan River to begin the conquest of the Promised Land.
c. 1390 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Joshua and the Israelites engage in a series of military campaigns to conquer the Canaanite city-states, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham.
c. 1380 BC
Division of Land by Lot
After the conquest, the Promised Land is divided among the twelve tribes of Israel through the casting of lots, with Joshua overseeing the process.
c. 1380 BC— this verse
Ephraim's Inheritance Assigned
The tribe of Ephraim, descendants of Joseph, receives its allotted territory within the central hill country of Canaan.
c. 1380 BC - 1070 BC
Ephraim's Struggle with Canaanites
Despite the land division, the Ephraimites fail to drive out all the Canaanites living within their territory, leading to ongoing conflict and cultural influence.
This passage shows Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, being blessed by Jacob, who prophesied that the younger, Ephraim, would become a greater nation than his older brother, Manasseh. This sets the stage for Ephraim's significant inheritance.
Numbers 1:33This verse lists the military strength of the tribe of Ephraim at the time of the census in the wilderness. Ephraim was a large and prominent tribe, which helps explain the detailed descriptions of their inheritance.
Judges 1:22-26This passage recounts how the tribe of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) went up against Bethel, and the inhabitants showed them a way to enter the city. It highlights their initial actions in taking possession of their allotted land.
Psalm 78:67-72This psalm reflects on God's faithfulness, contrasting the rejection of Joseph (and specifically Ephraim) with the choice of Judah and David. It speaks to the foundational significance of Joseph's tribes in Israel's history.
1 Samuel 1:1This verse introduces Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, and identifies her husband Elkanah as an Ephraimite. This shows the continued presence and significance of the tribe of Ephraim in the later history of Israel.
calvinJoshua 16:1-10: "And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Bethel,"
Neque expulerunt Chananaeum habitantem in Gazer. Itaque habitavit Chananaeus in medio Ephraim usque ad diem hanc, et fuit tributo serviens.
And the lot of the children of Joseph fell, etc The sacred writer first states what the lot was which fell to the two children of Joseph, and then describes…
gillJoshua 16:5: "And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the upper;"
And the border of the children of Ephraim, according to their families, was thus,.... Or what follows is the description of it: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the upper; the first was on the south of the inheritance, and the latter on the north, as M…
The Scripture doesn't just list boundaries; it emphasizes that this land was given by lot, a divine assurance that this was their inheritance, not just a territorial claim. Even though we might not recognize these ancient place names today, their precision in the text served as a foundation for Ephraim's secure and lasting possession.
The book is detailing the land allocations to the tribes of Israel, and this passage focuses specifically on the territory assigned to the descendants of Joseph, namely the tribes of Ephraim and the half-tribe of Manasseh. This section meticulously describes the boundaries of Ephraim's inheritance, explaining where their land officially began and ended on the eastern side, as a part of the larger division of the land. It's important to remember that the tribes were receiving their allotted lands by lot, and these descriptions are the official record of those divisions.
The book is detailing the land allocations to the tribes of Israel, and this passage focuses specifically on the territory assigned to the descendants of Joseph, namely the tribes of Ephraim and the half-tribe of Manasseh. This section meticulously describes the boundaries of Ephraim's inheritance, explaining where their land officially began and ended on the eastern side, as a part of the larger division of the land. It's important to remember that the tribes were receiving their allotted lands by lot, and these descriptions are the official record of those divisions.
"The territory of the people of Ephraim by their clans was as follows: the boundary of their inheritance on the east was Ataroth-addar as far as Upper Beth-horon," — The Scripture doesn't just list boundaries; it emphasizes that this land was given by lot, a divine assurance that this was their inheritance, not just a territorial claim. Even though we might not r…
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Last reviewed October 2026