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Boundaries of Manasseh and Incomplete Conquest
The tribe of Manasseh was allotted land extending from Asher to Issachar, including cities such as Beth-shean, Taanach, and Megiddo. The sons of Manasseh were unable to completely drive out the Canaanites, but when the Israelites grew strong, they put them to forced labor.
Josué 17,7-13
7The border of Manasseh ran from Asher to Michmethath, which lies east of Shechem; then the border went south to the inhabitants of En-tappuah.
וַיְהִ֤י גְבוּל־מְנַשֶּׁה֙ מֵֽאָשֵׁ֔ר הַֽמִּכְמְתָ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֣י שְׁכֶ֑ם וְהָלַ֤ךְ הַגְּבוּל֙ אֶל־הַיָּמִ֔ין אֶל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י עֵ֥ין תַּפּֽוּחַ׃
8The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah itself, on Manasseh's border, belonged to the sons of Ephraim.
לִמְנַשֶּׁ֕ה הָיְתָ֖ה אֶ֣רֶץ תַּפּ֑וּחַ וְתַפּ֛וּחַ אֶל־גְּב֥וּל מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה לִבְ[t]נֵ֥י אֶפְרָֽיִם׃
9Then the border went down to the Wadi Kanah. South of the wadi these towns belonged to Ephraim, among the towns of Manasseh; Manasseh's territory lay north of the wadi, and it ended at the sea.
וְיָרַ֣ד הַגְּבוּל֩ נַ֨חַל קָנָ֜ה נֶ֣גְבָּה לַנַּ֗חַל עָרִ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ לְאֶפְרַ֔יִם בְּת֖וֹךְ עָרֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וּגְב֤וּל מְנַשֶּׁה֙ מִצְּפ֣וֹן לַנַּ֔חַל וַיְהִ֥י תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו הַיָּֽמָּה׃
10The land to the south belonged to Ephraim and the land to the north to Manasseh, with the sea as its border. On the north they bordered Asher, and on the east Issachar.
נֶ֣גְבָּה לְאֶפְרַ֗יִם וְצָפ֙וֹנָה֙ לִמְנַשֶּׁ֔ה וַיְהִ֥י הַיָּ֖ם גְּבוּל֑וֹ וּבְאָשֵׁר֙ יִפְגְּע֣וּן מִצָּפ֔וֹן וּבְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר מִמִּזְרָֽח׃
11Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also held Beth-shean with its villages, Ibleam with its villages, Dor and its villages, En-dor and its villages, Taanach and its villages, and Megiddo and its villages—the three heights.[^1]
[^1]: The meaning of the Hebrew phrase rendered "the three heights" is uncertain; it may refer to three hill districts or high regions associated with these towns.
וַיְהִ֨י לִמְנַשֶּׁ֜ה בְּיִשָּׂשכָ֣ר וּבְאָשֵׁ֗ר בֵּית־שְׁאָ֣ן וּ֠בְנוֹתֶיהָ וְיִבְלְעָ֨ם וּבְנוֹתֶ֜יהָ וְֽאֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֧י דֹ֣אר וּבְנוֹתֶ֗יהָ וְיֹשְׁבֵ֤י עֵֽין־דֹּר֙ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יהָ וְיֹשְׁבֵ֤י תַעְנַךְ֙ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יהָ וְיֹשְׁבֵ֥י מְגִדּ֖וֹ וּבְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת הַנָּֽפֶת׃
12But the descendants of Manasseh could not dispossess these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to go on living in this land.
וְלֹ֤א יָכְלוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה לְהוֹרִ֖ישׁ אֶת־הֶֽעָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיּ֙וֹאֶל֙ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בָּאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּֽאת׃
13When the Israelites grew stronger, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely.
וֽ͏ַיְהִ֗י כִּ֤י חֽ͏ָזְקוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י לָמַ֑ס וְהוֹרֵ֖שׁ לֹ֥א הוֹרִישֽׁוֹ׃ ס