Joshua 17:1-18

17:3-4 | The story of Zelophehad’s daughters appears in Numbers 27:1-11. Women did not traditionally inherit land, but Moses gave these five women land because they had no brothers to inherit the property. This provision was then added to the law and applied to similar situations in the future.

17:12-13 | Clearly, the children of Manasseh had conquered the Canaanites because they put them to forced labor. But for some reason – perhaps a lack of resolve – they did not utterly drive them out.

17:14-18 | Unlike Caleb, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh – the children of Joseph – were initially unwilling to take the land that had been given to them. Yet as the Israelites obeyed God in faith, even iron chariots were no obstacle to them (Deut. 20:1). Sometimes it takes courage and initiative to claim God’s promises.