17:9a-b

From there the border continued southward to the Brook of Kanah. There were cities belonging to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh: There is an interpretation issue in this verse. Scholars do not agree on how the word southward relates to the parts of this verse.

(1) It relates to the phrase the cities in verse 9b. For example:

These cities, to the south of the brook… (English Standard Version)

(English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, King James Version)

(2) It relates to the term border in verse 9a. For example:

Then the boundary continued south to the Kanah Ravine (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, NET Bible, God’s Word)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with the majority of English versions and some commentaries. The border of Manasseh went south of the Kanah River for some distance. However, there were some towns belonging to the clan of Ephraim that were within the borders of the land assigned to Manasseh.

Here is another way to translate this part of the verse:

Some towns that belonged to the clan of Ephraim were south of the river, among the towns that belonged to the clan of Manasseh

17:9a

From there the border continued southward to the Brook of Kanah: You should translate the phrase the Brook of Kanah the same way as you translated it in Joshua 16:8.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

Then the border descended to the southwest to the Kanah River
-or-
The border then continued south downhill to the Kanah streambed

17:9c

but the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook and ended at the Sea: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

The border of Manasseh’s land continued ⌊westward⌋ on the north side of the river and ended at the Mediterranean Sea
-or-
Then the boundary line of Manasseh’s land went along the northern side of the river, and it ended at the Mediterranean Sea

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