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Manasseh -
Twelve Tribes of Israel
The Tribe of
Manasseh (Hebrew alphabet מְנַשֶּׁה, Samaritan
Hebrew Manatch, from נשני naššānî "who makes to
forget"
Manasseh is one of the
Hebrew tribes, which the Bible claims was founded by
Manasseh, the son of Joseph. They were associated with
the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin during the wanderings
in the wilderness, and encamped on the west side of the
tabernacle. According to the census taken at Mount
Sinai, this tribe then numbered 32,200 (Numbers 1:10,
35; 2:20, 21). Forty years afterwards its numbers had
increased to 52,700 (26:34, 37), and it was at this time
the most distinguished of all the tribes.
The half of this tribe, along with Reuben and Gad, had
their territory assigned them by Moses on the east of
the Jordan (Joshua 13:7-14); but it was left for Joshua
to define the limits of each tribe. This territory on
the east of the River Jordan was more valuable and of
larger extent than all that was allotted to the nine and
a half tribes in the land of Palestine. It is sometimes
called "the land of Gilead," and is also spoken of as
"on the other side of Jordan." The portion given to the
half tribe of Manasseh was the largest on the east of
Jordan. It embraced the whole of Bashan. It was bounded
on the south by Mahanaim, and extended north to the foot
of Lebanon. Argob, with its sixty cities, that "ocean of
basaltic rocks and boulders tossed about in the wildest
confusion," lay in the midst of this territory.
The whole "land of Gilead" having been conquered, the
two and a half tribes left their wives and families in
the fortified cities there, and accompanied the other
tribes across the Jordan, and took part with them in the
wars of conquest. The allotment of the land having been
completed, Joshua dismissed the two and a half tribes,
commending them for their heroic service (Josh.
22:1-34). Thus dismissed, they returned over Jordan to
their own inheritance.
On the west of Jordan the other half of the tribe of
Manasseh was associated with Ephraim, and they had their
portion in the very center of Palestine, an area of
about 1,300 square miles (3400 km²), the most valuable
part of the whole country, abounding in springs of
water. Manasseh's portion was immediately to the north
of that of Ephraim (Josh. 16). Thus the western Manasseh
defended the passes of Esdraelon as the eastern kept the
passes of the Hauran.
See also
House of Joseph. |
