²⁵ As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites^(A) coming from Gilead.^(B) Their camels were loaded with spices, balm^(C) and myrrh,^(D) and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.^(E)

²⁹ He said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over the Jordan with you before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you,^(A) you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession.^(B)

⁵ Manasseh’s share consisted of ten tracts of land besides Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan,^{(A) 6} because the daughters of the tribe of Manasseh received an inheritance among the sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

¹² Yet the Manassites were not able^(R) to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. ¹³ However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.^(S)

¹⁴ The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”^(T)

¹⁵ “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest^(U) and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites^(V) and Rephaites.^(W)”

¹⁶ The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron,^(X) both those in Beth Shan^(Y) and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”^(Z)

¹⁷ But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment^{(AA) 18} but the forested hill country^(AB) as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron^(AC) and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”