because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead was allotted to the rest of the people of Manasseh.
Manasseh was Joseph's firstborn, yet Jacob preferred Ephraim; so he received a double portion, half already settled beyond Jordan under Machir, a man of war who won Gilead and Bashan through valor. The other half, on this side Jordan, was divided among ten families descended from Gilead's six sons, though one line failed and passed to five daughters of Zelophehad, each inheriting her share.
AI summary
Commenting on Joshua 17:1-6
Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons,.... Which occasioned such a number of portions; the daughters of Zelophehad are meant, who descended from Manasseh: and the rest of Manasseh, some had the land of Gilead; that is, those besides the six families before expressed, namely, the two families of the Machirites and Gileadites, Num 26:29.
The historian marks plainly that Manasseh received a double inheritance: one already given in Gilead and Bashan through Machir's warlike prowess, one now assigned in Canaan proper. Machir here means the family, not a single man, and he earned those eastern lands by the valor he displayed in their conquest, claiming them by right of strength.
AI summary
Commenting on Joshua 17:1-6