And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Bethel,
The lot of the children of Joseph fell, х hagowraal (H1486), the small pebble or calculus used in casting lots, frequently the portion awarded by lot: yaatsaa' (H3318), went forth] - referring either to the lot as drawn out of the urn, or to the tract of land thereby assigned. The first four verses describe the territory allotted to the family of Joseph-namely, the tribe of Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh-in the rich domains of central Palestine. It was drawn in one lot, that the brethren might be contiguously situated; but it was afterward divided. The southern boundary only is described here; that on the north, being irregular and less defined (Joshua 17:10-11), is not mentioned.
From Jordan by Jericho - literally, from Jordan Jericho (cf. Numbers 26:3; Numbers 26:63; Numbers 33:48), meaning the point of the river exactly facing Jericho.
Unto the water of Jericho - the winter stream of the Wady Kelt (Joshua 15:7), which, flowing by Jericho, receives the waters of 'Ain Duk and 'Ain es-Sultan, Elisha's fountain (Robinson's 'Biblical Researches,' 2:, pp. 304, 308, 309; 'Physical Geography,' p. 86). Then, passing through Wady Harith or Wady Suweinit, it ascended "the wilderness" х hamidbaar (H4057)], the untilled pasture-lands, to mount Beth-el - i:e., the shelving ridge or elevated ground around the city of Beth-el (cf. 1 Samuel 13:2; Robinson's 'Physical Geography,' p. 37; Porter's 'Handbook,' p. 218) - and Luz, the Canaanite town probably on the other side of the hill; thence it extended to the borders of х haa-'Arkiy (H757)], the Archite (probably some aboriginal tribe) to Ataroth, or perhaps "Ataroth-addar" (Joshua 16:5), situated thereabouts in the mountains (Robinson's 'Biblical Researches,' 3:, p. 80) х ha-YapleeTiy (H3311)] (another ancient tribe).
Beth-heron the nether (lower: see the note at Joshua 10:11).
And to Gezer (between that and the sea: cf. 1 Kings 9:17). The two opposite extremities of the southern boundary line are, conformably with this description, stated (1 Chronicles 7:28) to have been Beth-el on the east and Gezer on the west, the course of the line from these points running across the country in a northeast by east direction. Having described the position of Joseph's family generally, the historian proceeds to define the territory, first, of Ephraim.