Inheritance of Ephraim

The territory of Ephraim

The next tribes came forward to cast their lots. Joseph was chosen. His sons Ephraim and Manasseh received the double portion allotted to the firstborn son of the wife Jacob wanted to marry.

Ephraim was given territory starting along the Jordan river at Jericho. It followed the Jordan north to Michmethah near Shechem. It enclosed a central area of the land that Jacob himself had dwelt in near Shiloh and Shechem, Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, and the land on which Joshua's altar sat. This was prime real estate and would later become the capital of Israel when it split from Judah after the reign of Solomon.

The western border of Ephraim was the territory of Dan. The northern border was Manasseh, the southern border was Benjamin and Dan. Gilgal, Jericho, Bethel on its border, Upper Beth Horon, Shaalbim, Aphek, Tappuah, Shiloh, and other towns were the possession of Ephraim. This had been the former city state of Shechem.

Shiloh was the 'capital' of the land of Israel until King David's time as well. The whole congregation assembled there and set up the Tabernacle after the conquest of the land. It remained in Shiloh for 369 years until the Ark of the Covenant was taken into battle at Ebenezer and captured by the Philistines, around 1090 BC., when the evil sons of the high priest Eli were killed for their wickedness.

Half of the tribe of Manasseh had already received a portion east of the Jordan with the sons of Reuben and Gad. Their portion was east and north of the Sea of Galilee up to Mount Hermon. The other half received their portion with Ephraim to the west of the Jordan river.

Sadly, the sons of Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites at Gezer. They did serve Ephraim as forced laborers and lived among the ever since. Not only does this portion of Joshua tell us what each tribe came to possess, it tells of their failures to drive out people they were supposed to. This is important for the rest of the Old Testament narrative, showing the disobedience of Israel and how God used those peoples as judgment against them.