Thus saith the Lord GOD; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.
This shall be the border whereby ye shall inherit the land, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. The re-division of the land: the boundaries. The latter are substantially the same as those given by Moses in Numbers 34:1-29: they here begin with the north, but in Numbers 34:1-29 they begin with the south. It is only Canaan proper, exclusive of the possession of the two and a half tribes beyond Jordan, that is here divided.
Joseph shall have two portions - according to the original promise of Jacob to Joseph (Genesis 48:5; Genesis 48:22). Joseph's sons were given the birthright, forfeited by Reuben the first-born because he defiled his father's bed (1 Chronicles 5:1 ). Therefore the former is here put first. His two sons having distinct portions, make up the whole number, twelve portions, as he had just before specified "twelve tribes of Israel;" for Levi had no separate inheritance, so that he is not reckoned in the twelve.