The lot of the children of Joseph goes out from the Jordan by Jericho: the border of the children of Ephraim by their families, with cities set apart for them in the midst of the inheritance of Manasseh.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And the lot for the children of Joseph went out from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, going up from Jericho through the hill-country to the wilderness, even to Beth-el.
verse value 2991
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 62 letters. The shortest word is "to·water·of" (לְמֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·Jericho" (מִירִיח֛וֹ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 234: Jericho, Jericho. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joshua. Unique to this verse in Joshua (hapax): "from·Jordan" (מִיַּרְדֵּ֣ן), "to·water·of" (לְמֵ֥י). The root יריחו appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·sons·of" (root בן, 156x in Joshua); "from·Jordan" (root ירדן, 70x in Joshua); "Beth-el" (root בית, 65x in Joshua). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'east', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּצֵ֨א [and·he·went·out] (107) + הַגּוֹרָ֜ל [lot] (244) + לִבְנֵ֤י [to·sons·of] (92) + יוֹסֵף֙ [Joseph] (156) + מִיַּרְדֵּ֣ן [from·Jordan] (304) + יְרִיח֔וֹ [Jericho] (234) + לְמֵ֥י [to·water·of] (80) + יְרִיח֖וֹ [Jericho] (234) + מִזְרָ֑חָה [east] (260) + הַמִּדְבָּ֗ר [the·wilderness] (251) + עֹלֶ֧ה [going·up] (105) + מִירִיח֛וֹ [from·Jericho] (274) + בָּהָ֖ר [in·the·mountain] (207) + בֵּֽית־אֵֽל [Beth-el] (443) = 2991.
Rashi
And the lot came out for the children of Joseph. In the northern border marking the completion of Joshua's conquest their lot fell, as it is written below: and the children of Joseph stood upon their border northward. And much of the land was between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph, which the other tribes took after them (meaning: between them), as we find in the tribe of Benjamin (below 18:11): and their border went forth between the children of Judah and between the children of Joseph.
"From the Jordan by Jericho, to the waters of Jericho, eastward." The border began to the east.
The wilderness going up from Jericho. To the wilderness the border goes up from Jericho, and it came to the west side to Bethel.
Metzudat David
"To the sons of Joseph." They are Manasseh and Ephraim, and they took their portions adjacent to one another, yet each took his share separately. Moreover, their inheritance extended across the entire length of the Land of Israel, from east to west, just like the inheritance of Judah.
"From the Jordan at Jericho." From the Jordan opposite Jericho, the boundary began to be drawn, and it came to the east of the waters of Jericho; and this is the southern boundary, running from the east toward the west.
"The wilderness ascends from Jericho." This means to say: From the waters of Jericho it ascended to the wilderness, and came to the mountain of Bethel. And this is not the Bethel that is called Luz.
And it went out from Beth-el-luz, and passed along to the border of the Archites to Ataroth.
verse value 1909
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "and·he·went·out" (וְיָצָ֥א, 4 letters) and the longest is "from·Beth-el" (מִבֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joshua. Unique to this verse in Joshua (hapax): "from·Beth-el" (מִבֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל), "Archite" (הָאַרְכִּ֖י). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·border" (root גבול, 84x in Joshua); "and·passed" (root עבר, 82x in Joshua); "from·Beth-el" (root בית, 65x in Joshua). First appearance of the root לוז ("Luz") in Joshua. First appearance of the root עטרות ("Ataroth") in Joshua. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Luz', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְיָצָ֥א [and·he·went·out] (107) + מִבֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל [from·Beth-el] (483) + ל֑וּזָה [Luz] (48) + וְעָבַ֛ר [and·passed] (278) + אֶל־גְּב֥וּל [to·border] (72) + הָאַרְכִּ֖י [Archite] (236) + עֲטָרֽוֹת [Ataroth] (685) = 1909.
Radak
“From Bethel to Luz.” This was a place whose name was Bethel, and it is not the place that our forefather Jacob called Bethel, for that place’s name was Luz. And here it states that the boundary extended from Bethel to Luz, and Luz was part of the boundary of the tribe of Benjamin, as it says regarding the inheritance of Benjamin: “And from there the boundary went over to Luz, to the shoulder of Luz, southward, which is Bethel.”
Metzudat David
Lozah. This means that it is south of Luz, as it is written in the border of Benjamin:
Malbim
"And it went out." Luz did not stand opposite the mountain of Beth-el; rather, it was set back toward the south, for it states (18:12), "and its ends were at the wilderness of Beth-aven" (indicating that there the latitudinal border-line ended), and from there the border passed to Luz; thus it was set back inward to the south. Therefore it says, "and it went out from Beth-el to Luz." And Luz belonged to Joseph.
“And he passed.” In a straight line:
"To the border of the Archite." This means, concerning the border of the length [i.e., the longitudinal border] — this is itself the border that belonged to Benjamin on its north, [namely] Ataroth-addar (ib. 18:13). And it says "the border of the Archite" because there was yet another Ataroth on the border of the width, which is on the east of the inheritance of Joseph, as stated in verse 7, "and it went down from Janoah to Ataroth."
And it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, to the border of Beth-horon the nether, even to Gezer; and the goings out thereof were at the sea.
verse value 3415
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 55 letters. The shortest word is "until" (עַ֣ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·went·down·westward" (וְיָֽרַד־יָ֜מָּה, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joshua. Unique to this verse in Joshua (hapax): "and·went·down·westward" (וְיָֽרַד־יָ֜מָּה), "the·Japhletite" (הַיַּפְלֵטִ֗י), "and·until·Gezer" (וְעַד־גָּ֑זֶר). The root גבול appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·shall·be" (root היה, 150x in Joshua); "to·border" (root גבול, 84x in Joshua); "Beth-horon" (root בית, 65x in Joshua). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·until·Gezer', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְיָֽרַד־יָ֜מָּה [and·went·down·westward] (275) + אֶל־גְּב֣וּל [to·border] (72) + הַיַּפְלֵטִ֗י [the·Japhletite] (144) + עַ֣ד [until] (74) + גְּב֧וּל [border] (41) + בֵּית־חוֹרֹ֛ן [Beth-horon] (676) + תַּחְתּ֖וֹן [lower] (864) + וְעַד־גָּ֑זֶר [and·until·Gezer] (290) + וְהָי֥וּ [and·they·shall·be] (27) + תֹצְאֹתָ֖ו [his·limits] (897) + יָֽמָּה [sea] (55) = 3415.
Metzudat David
Yam. To the west:
“Until the border, etc.”: This means south of Lower Beth Horon.
Its boundaries. The end of the border extends to the Great Sea.
Malbim
And he went down to the sea. From there, the border went down westward to the Great Sea.
And the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
verse value 1060
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "Manasseh" (מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Joseph" (בְנֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף, 7 letters). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Manasseh" (root מנשה, 42x in Joshua). Full calculation: וַיִּנְחֲל֥וּ [and·they·inherited] (110) + בְנֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף [sons·of·Joseph] (218) + מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה [Manasseh] (395) + וְאֶפְרָֽיִם [and·Ephraim] (337) = 1060.
Metzudat David
"And they inherited." Through that strip [of land], Manasseh and Ephraim inherited.
Malbim
"And they inherited." Now, the sons of Ephraim had a distinct lot, and half of Manasseh had a distinct lot; only because they emerged adjacent to one another within a single territory were they called "one lot." Here, he explains that Manasseh and Ephraim inherited, each according to his own distinct lot.
And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus; even the border of their inheritance eastward was Atroth-addar, to Beth-horon the upper.
verse value 4029
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 63 letters. The shortest word is "Addar" (אַדָּ֔ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Ephraim" (בְּנֵֽי־אֶפְרַ֖יִם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 41: border, border. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joshua. Unique to this verse in Joshua (hapax): "until·Beth-" (עַד־בֵּ֥ית), "upper" (עֶלְיֽוֹן). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of·Ephraim" (root בן, 156x in Joshua); "and·it·was" (root היה, 150x in Joshua); "border" (root גבול, 84x in Joshua). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'by·their·clans', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 9 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֛י [and·it·was] (31) + גְּב֥וּל [border] (41) + בְּנֵֽי־אֶפְרַ֖יִם [sons·of·Ephraim] (393) + לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם [by·their·clans] (898) + וַיְהִ֞י [and·it·was] (31) + גְּב֤וּל [border] (41) + נַחֲלָתָם֙ [their·inheritance] (528) + מִזְרָ֔חָה [east] (260) + עַטְר֣וֹת [Atroth] (685) + אַדָּ֔ר [Addar] (205) + עַד־בֵּ֥ית [until·Beth-] (486) + חוֹרֹ֖ן [Horon] (264) + עֶלְיֽוֹן [upper] (166) = 4029.
Rashi
Its border on the east side was Ataroth-addar. To the east it begins from Ataroth-addar, and from there the width of its boundary until Beth-horon. Behold its width.
Metzudat David
“According to their families.” To the inheritance that is divided among all their families:
"Eastward." The boundary of the width facing the east was from Ataroth Adar, which stood in the north of Benjamin, until
Upper Beth Horon, which stood in the territory of Ephraim. And since from Upper Beth Horon the boundary was extended further westward, as stated in the matter, therefore there too the boundary ran east-west. Hence it says “on the east,” meaning the boundary running east-west that faces east, and not the boundary that faces west.
Malbim
"And it came to pass." Behold, from this general boundary which fills the entire length of the Land of Israel from east to west, the children of Ephraim took half of the length on the eastern side, and Manasseh took half of the length on the western side. Only, from half of the length belonging to Manasseh, there were still cities that were allotted to the children of Ephraim, as is enumerated here.
"And the border" of the children of Ephraim, etc. "And the border." Since here two types of borders are mentioned, it first stated "And the border of the children of Ephraim," meaning all that pertains to them, and this includes also the cities that separate. And now it began to explain the border of their primary inheritance, which was on the eastern side, which was only for Ephraim, and in verse 8 it will explain the cities that separate.
"The border of their inheritance was toward the east." This means that their boundary was on the eastern half of the length, for the western half belonged to Manasseh.
"Atroth-addar unto Beth-horon." This was the width of their inheritance from south to north. Both Lower Beth-horon and Upper Beth-horon belonged to Ephraim, as stated in 1 Chronicles 7:24:
And the border went out westward, Mich-methath being on the north; and the border turned about eastward to Taanath-shiloh, and passed along it on the east of Janoah.
verse value 4059
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 63 letters. The shortest word is "Shiloh" (שִׁלֹ֑ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "Michmethath" (הַֽמִּכְמְתָת֙, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 46: border, border. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joshua. Unique to this verse in Joshua (hapax): "Taanath-shiloh" (תַּאֲנַ֣ת), "Janoah" (יָנֽוֹחָה). The root גבול appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "border" (root גבול, 84x in Joshua); "and·passed" (root עבר, 82x in Joshua); "and·he·went·out" (root יצא, 52x in Joshua). First appearance of the root שלה ("Shiloh") in Joshua. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Shiloh', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְיָצָ֨א [and·he·went·out] (107) + הַגְּב֜וּל [border] (46) + הַיָּ֗מָּה [sea] (60) + הַֽמִּכְמְתָת֙ [Michmethath] (905) + מִצָּפ֔וֹן [north] (266) + וְנָסַ֧ב [and·shall·turn] (118) + הַגְּב֛וּל [border] (46) + מִזְרָ֖חָה [east] (260) + תַּאֲנַ֣ת [Taanath-shiloh] (851) + שִׁלֹ֑ה [Shiloh] (335) + וְעָבַ֣ר [and·passed] (278) + אוֹת֔וֹ [him] (413) + מִמִּזְרַ֖ח [to·the·east·of] (295) + יָנֽוֹחָה [Janoah] (79) = 4059.
Rashi
And the border went out westward. Its length was to the west to Michmethath, from the north of Michmethath the line goes.
And the border compassed. The width of the boundary spreads to the north, and the line goes in its protrusion on the east side of Taanath-shiloh.
"And passed beyond it." And the border passed Taanath-shiloh, and the line passed to the east of Janoah. All this is the protrusion of the width, until it went out to the Jordan, and there is a city, and its name is Tappuah. And from there the line turns to the measure of the length of the border, westward, to the brook of Kanah.
Metzudat David
"And the border went out toward the sea": From Upper Beth Horon, the border proceeded to extend further westward, north of Michmethath, which was part of the inheritance of Manasseh.
"And the border went around." This refers to the width, toward the north, on the eastern side of Taanath-shiloh, and it traversed the entire length of Taanath-shiloh. It did not pass immediately adjacent to it, but rather on the eastern side of Janoah, which stood to the east of Taanath-shiloh. Neither Taanath-shiloh nor Janoah belonged to the inheritance of Ephraim; they belonged to the inheritance of Manasseh.
Malbim
"And it went out." On the north side of the border, meaning from the northern corner, which is from Upper Beth Horon, the boundary went out, extended, and proceeded westward until it reached Michmethath.
"And the border went around." Now it specifies the northern line, from Beth Horon to the end of all the east. "The border went around" eastward, meaning toward the eastern side (for here it counts from west to east), and the line proceeded in a circuit of two directions (which is the definition of "went around," that it went in the shape of a ד). And it explains how it was: for it went diagonally from Beth Horon to Taanath-shiloh (which was at the border opposite Bethel to its north, as stated in Judges 21:19). And this line was from west to east, and from there it crossed over and came to the east of Janoah; the line went from north to south until it passed through the eastern corner of Janoah. And by this you will understand what our Sages of blessed memory said (Zevachim 118b): "In three places the Divine Presence rested, and all of them were in the portion of Benjamin." And how can it be that Shiloh was in the portion of Benjamin, since Shiloh is north of Bethel, and thus the portion of Joseph would have been intervening between them? But according to what was stated above, from Taanath-shiloh and from Jericho toward the east did not belong to Joseph, and from there a strip extended across all the eastern side of the inheritance of Joseph up to Shiloh, which belonged to Benjamin, and in this strip the Tabernacle was built. And by this you will understand what is stated (Judges 21:19): "Behold, the feast of the Lord is in Shiloh from ancient times, which is north of Bethel, east of the sun, on the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem." For this feast they held in the east of Shiloh, on this road which belonged to Benjamin, and therefore they had permission to seize from the dancers there after they had entered the boundary of their inheritance.
And it went down from Janoah to Ataroth, and to Naarah, and reached to Jericho, and went out at the Jordan.
verse value 2526
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "and·shall·descend" (וְיָרַ֥ד, 4 letters) and the longest is "from·Janoah" (מִיָּנ֖וֹחָה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joshua. Unique to this verse in Joshua (hapax): "from·Janoah" (מִיָּנ֖וֹחָה), "and·Naarah" (וְנַעֲרָ֑תָה). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Jordan" (root ירדן, 70x in Joshua); "and·he·went·out" (root יצא, 52x in Joshua); "at·Jericho" (root יריחו, 23x in Joshua). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·Naarah', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְיָרַ֥ד [and·shall·descend] (220) + מִיָּנ֖וֹחָה [from·Janoah] (119) + עֲטָר֣וֹת [Ataroth] (685) + וְנַעֲרָ֑תָה [and·Naarah] (731) + וּפָגַע֙ [and·will·encounter] (159) + בִּֽירִיח֔וֹ [at·Jericho] (236) + וְיָצָ֖א [and·he·went·out] (107) + הַיַּרְדֵּֽן [Jordan] (269) = 2526.
Metzudat David
"And it went down." For there the width ended, and from there it went down toward the east to Ataroth.
"And it touched Jericho." The boundary touched Jericho, meaning, it reached the waters of Jericho, and passed through them, and the boundary terminated at the Jordan.
Malbim
"And he went down, etc." And in this manner, the entire boundary proceeded diagonally, such that the northern line met the southern line that had emerged from the waters of Jericho. And this is what the verse states: "and it met Jericho," for there it met the first line, and there it had only a narrow strip extending to the Jordan. Now, by this we know the boundaries of Ephraim from all four directions: from Ataroth Adar to the Jordan in the south, and from Beth Horon to the Jordan in the north; and on the western side, from south to north, it extended from Ataroth Adar to Beth Horon; and on the eastern side, the two boundaries met each other diagonally, leaving only a small strip, apart from the additional territory it possessed from Beth Horon to Michmethath in the north.
From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families;
verse value 4173
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 61 letters. Verse gematria: 4173 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "went" (יֵלֵ֨ךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Ephraim" (בְנֵֽי־אֶפְרַ֖יִם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 60: went, sea. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joshua. Unique to this verse in Joshua (hapax): "from·Tappuah" (מִתַּפּ֜וּחַ), "went" (יֵלֵ֨ךְ). The root ים appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of·Ephraim" (root בן, 156x in Joshua); "and·they·shall·be" (root היה, 150x in Joshua); "border" (root גבול, 84x in Joshua). First appearance of the root קנה ("purchased") in Joshua. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'sea', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words. Full calculation: מִתַּפּ֜וּחַ [from·Tappuah] (534) + יֵלֵ֨ךְ [went] (60) + הַגְּב֥וּל [border] (46) + יָ֙מָּה֙ [sea] (55) + נַ֣חַל [torrent] (88) + קָנָ֔ה [purchased] (155) + וְהָי֥וּ [and·they·shall·be] (27) + תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו [his·limits] (907) + הַיָּ֑מָּה [sea] (60) + זֹ֗את [this] (408) + נַחֲלַ֛ת [possession] (488) + מַטֵּ֥ה [staff] (54) + בְנֵֽי־אֶפְרַ֖יִם [sons·of·Ephraim] (393) + לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם [by·their·clans] (898) = 4173.
Metzudat David
From Tappuah. It stood by the Jordan, on the border of Manasseh, but it belonged to Ephraim, as it is stated in the matter: "And from there the border extended westward and came to Wadi Kanah on the south, and its end was at the sea." And in the verse that follows, it explains what is the nature of this border.
"This"—meaning, the boundary mentioned in the preceding verses, surrounding the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim, as it is divided among each family and family:
Malbim
"From Tappuah." Now he enumerates the cities that separate the descendants of Ephraim within the territory of Manasseh, on the southern side. For from Ataroth Addar and downward toward the west belonged to Manasseh, and the boundary of Ephraim was interrupted; for the entire half-length from Beth-horon (except for the strip extending to Michmethath) and westward, and from Ataroth Addar and westward to the sea, belonged to Manasseh. Only at Tappuah, which was on the southern side of Manasseh, did the cities that separate the descendants of Ephraim begin (and he calls them "separating" because the boundary of Ephraim had already been interrupted, and from Ataroth to Tappuah belonged to Manasseh). Now, the land of Tappuah, meaning the region to the north of Tappuah, belonged to Manasseh, as stated below (17); only Tappuah itself belonged to Ephraim. And from there the boundary of the separating cities went toward the sea to Wadi Kanah (meaning south of the wadi, for the north of the wadi belonged to Manasseh, as will be stated below [17:10]), and it extended to the sea, for the entire southern side there belonged to Ephraim; therefore, Gezer also belonged to Ephraim.
together with the cities which were separated for the children of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
verse value 3358
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "to·sons·of" (לִבְנֵ֣י, 4 letters) and the longest is "the·separated" (הַמִּבְדָּלוֹת֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 331: and·the·cities, Ephraim. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joshua. Unique to this verse in Joshua (hapax): "and·the·cities" (וְהֶעָרִ֗ים), "the·separated" (הַמִּבְדָּלוֹת֙). The root עיר appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·sons·of" (root בן, 156x in Joshua); "and·the·cities" (root עיר, 138x in Joshua); "possession" (root נחלה, 50x in Joshua). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'sons·of·Manasseh', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְהֶעָרִ֗ים [and·the·cities] (331) + הַמִּבְדָּלוֹת֙ [the·separated] (487) + לִבְנֵ֣י [to·sons·of] (92) + אֶפְרַ֔יִם [Ephraim] (331) + בְּת֖וֹךְ [in·midst·of] (428) + נַחֲלַ֣ת [possession] (488) + בְּנֵֽי־מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה [sons·of·Manasseh] (457) + כׇּל־הֶעָרִ֖ים [all·the·cities] (375) + וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן [and·their·villages] (369) = 3358.
Rashi
And the separated cities. And this is also from Ephraim's inheritance. Cities were theirs separated from their boundary and absorbed within the inheritance of the children of Manasseh.
Radak
The word "ha-mivdalot" (the cities set apart). With a chirik under the mem, and it is an adjective; or, the chirik takes the place of a shureq, and it is a passive participle (pa'ul) of the Hif'il conjugation. The meaning is: "the cities that are set apart," because he said, "This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim," he said further: "And they also had cities within the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Manasseh, which are set apart, distinct, and known to them," as it is written and as he explains them in the account of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh.
Metzudat David
"And the cities that were separated." This means that the cities of the sons of Ephraim, which were separated and detached from the boundary of their inheritance, stood within the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh, in the boundary mentioned in the preceding verse.
"All the cities that stood within the length of that border, they and their suburbs, were of the children of Ephraim."
Malbim
"And the cities." The proper parsing of the verse is: "This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, etc., and the cities set apart," meaning that here the text distinguishes between the inheritance of the tribe of Ephraim, which was contiguous with the eastern portion of the inheritance of Joseph, regarding which their border was enumerated (verses 5, 6, and 7), and the cities set apart, which were separated by the inheritance of Manasseh between them, and they were located in the western portion of the inheritance of Joseph, in the south.
"All the cities." That are in this portion, and the courtyards that belong to them. And the word "mivdalot" is like "muvdalot," with a shuruk.
And they drove not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in the midst of Ephraim, to this day, and became servants to do taskwork.
verse value 3252
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 64 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "Canaanite" (אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Joshua. Unique to this verse in Joshua (hapax): "in·Gezer" (בְּגָ֑זֶר), "a·toiling·serf" (לְמַס־עֹבֵֽד). The root ישב appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·was" (root היה, 150x in Joshua); "until·the·day" (root יום, 79x in Joshua); "that·dwells" (root ישב, 51x in Joshua). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Gezer', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 8 words. Full calculation: וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + הוֹרִ֔ישׁוּ [drove·out] (527) + אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י [Canaanite] (606) + הַיּוֹשֵׁ֣ב [that·dwells] (323) + בְּגָ֑זֶר [in·Gezer] (212) + וַיֵּ֨שֶׁב [and·dwelt] (318) + הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֜י [Canaanite] (205) + בְּקֶ֤רֶב [in·midst·of] (304) + אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ [Ephraim] (331) + עַד־הַיּ֣וֹם [until·the·day] (135) + הַזֶּ֔ה [this] (17) + וַיְהִ֖י [and·it·was] (31) + לְמַס־עֹבֵֽד [a·toiling·serf] (206) = 3252.
Metzudat David
"And they did not dispossess." This refers back to the sons of Ephraim, for Gezer was part of their inheritance, among the cities that stood along the boundary line running from Tappuah to the sea.
"For forced labor." This means: not a monetary tax, but rather a labor tax imposed on the person himself.
Malbim
"And they did not dispossess [them]." For Gezer was part of the portion of Ephraim, among the separated cities.
Rashi
Metzudat David