Topical Bible: Half-tribe

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Topical Encyclopedia

The term "half-tribe" in the Bible refers specifically to the division of the tribe of Manasseh, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This division is a result of the allocation of land on both sides of the Jordan River during the conquest of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. The tribe of Manasseh, a descendant of Joseph, was unique in that it was split into two distinct groups, each receiving its own inheritance.

Biblical Background

The division of the tribe of Manasseh is first mentioned in the context of the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land. As the Israelites approached Canaan, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh requested to settle on the eastern side of the Jordan River, in the land of Gilead and Bashan, which was suitable for their large herds and flocks. Moses granted their request on the condition that they assist the other tribes in conquering the land west of the Jordan (Numbers 32:1-33).

Inheritance and Settlement

The half-tribe of Manasseh that settled east of the Jordan is often referred to as the "eastern half-tribe of Manasseh." This group received a large territory that included the regions of Gilead and Bashan. The Bible records, "Half the tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance" (Joshua 13:29-31). This area was known for its fertile land and strategic location.

The other half of the tribe of Manasseh, known as the "western half-tribe of Manasseh," received its inheritance on the western side of the Jordan River, within the land of Canaan proper. This territory was located in the central part of the land, stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea (Joshua 17:1-11).

Significance in Israel's History

The division of the tribe of Manasseh into two half-tribes had significant implications for the history and unity of Israel. The eastern half-tribe, along with Reuben and Gad, was somewhat isolated from the rest of Israel due to the natural barrier of the Jordan River. This separation occasionally led to tensions and misunderstandings, as seen in the incident of the altar built by the eastern tribes, which was initially misunderstood by the western tribes as an act of rebellion against the LORD (Joshua 22:10-34).

Despite the geographical separation, the half-tribes of Manasseh played important roles in Israel's history. Notably, the eastern half-tribe was known for its valiant warriors and contributed significantly to the military strength of Israel (1 Chronicles 5:18-22).

Spiritual and Theological Insights

The division of the tribe of Manasseh into two half-tribes serves as a reminder of the diversity and unity within the people of God. Each half-tribe had its unique challenges and responsibilities, yet both were integral parts of the nation of Israel. This division also highlights the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as each tribe received its inheritance according to divine providence.

The account of the half-tribe of Manasseh encourages believers to recognize the importance of unity and cooperation among God's people, even when faced with geographical and cultural differences. It underscores the need for mutual support and understanding within the body of Christ, as each member contributes to the greater mission of God's kingdom.

Strong's Hebrew

2677. chatsi -- half
... Word Origin from chatsah Definition half NASB Word Usage half (76), half-tribe
(1), half-tribe* (32), halfway (2), middle (6), midnight* (3), midst (2), two ...
/hebrew/2677.htm - 6k

4294. matteh -- a staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe
... Word Origin from natah Definition a staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe NASB Word
Usage branch (3), branches (1), half-tribe* (13), rod (18), rods (6), scepter ...
/hebrew/4294.htm - 6k

4276. machatsith -- half, middle
... Word Origin from chatsah Definition half, middle NASB Word Usage half (11), half
as much (1), half-tribe* (3), midday* (1). half so much, midday. ...
/hebrew/4276.htm - 6k

7626. shebet -- rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe NASB
Word Usage club (4), correction (1), half-tribe* (22), rod (27), scepter (11 ...
/hebrew/7626.htm - 6k

Library

The End of the War
... 'Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,
2. And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses, the servant of the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the end of the war.htm

Jesus Sets Out from Jud??a for Galilee.
... from the Jordan on the east to the Mediterranean on the west, comprising the country
formerly occupied by the tribe of Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xxvi jesus sets out from 2.htm

That Upon the Slaughter of Ishbosheth by the Treachery of his ...
... and eminent for their strength. Out of the half tribe of Manasseh came eighteen
thousand, of the most potent men. Out of the tribe ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 2 that upon the.htm

How the Hebrews Fought with the Midianites, and Overcame Them.
... 3. At this time it was that the two tribes of Gad and Reuben, and the half tribe
of Manasseh, abounded in a multitude of cattle, as well as in all other kinds ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 how the hebrews.htm

Hazael Makes an Expedition against the People of Israel and the ...
... their king Jehu, and spoiled the eastern parts of the country beyond Jordan, which
belonged to the Reubenites and Gadites, and to [the half tribe of] Manassites ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 hazael makes an.htm

How Joshua, the Commander of the Hebrews, Made War with The
... And calling to him the rulers of the tribe of Reuben, and the governors of the tribe
of Gad, and [the half tribe of] Manasseh, for half of this tribe had been ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 how joshua the.htm

Jesus at the Well.
... Jordan. The district of Samaria comprised the country formerly occupied
by the tribe of Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh. ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/jesus at the well.htm

Letter Lv. To Amandus.
... in Genesis Jacob says: "So shall my righteousness answer for me to-morrow." [1623]
Again when the two tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter lv to amandus.htm

Numbers
... The land east of the Jordan was allotted to Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh,
on condition that they would help the other tribes to conquer the west ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/numbers.htm

Were Christ and the Apostles Mistaken?
... Joshua 21:8.). 17. "And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and
the half tribe of Manasseh returned, ... according to the ...
/.../concerning the assumptions of destructive criticism/iv were christ and the.htm

Thesaurus

Gadite (14 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 29:8 and we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance to the
Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites. ...
/g/gadite.htm - 11k

Reubenite (16 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 29:8 and we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance to the
Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites. ...
/r/reubenite.htm - 11k

Gadites (32 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 29:8 and we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance to the
Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites. ...
/g/gadites.htm - 17k

Reubenites (37 Occurrences)
... Numbers 32:33 And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the
children of Reuben, and unto the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the ...
/r/reubenites.htm - 19k

Manas'sites (10 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 29:8 And we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto the
Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites. ...
/m/manas'sites.htm - 9k

Pasturelands (42 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Joshua 21:25 Out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its suburbs,
and Gath Rimmon with its suburbs; two cities. (See NIV). ...
/p/pasturelands.htm - 16k

Allotted (54 Occurrences)
... Joshua 13:29 Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was for
the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families. ...
/a/allotted.htm - 22k

Manas'seh (123 Occurrences)
... Numbers 32:33 And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the
children of Reuben, and unto the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the ...
/m/manas'seh.htm - 35k

Og (22 Occurrences)
... The conquered territory was subsequently bestowed on the Reubenites, Gadites, and
the half-tribe of Manasseh (Numbers 32:33 Deuteronomy 3:12, 13). ...
/o/og.htm - 17k

Bashan (54 Occurrences)
... Along with the half of Gilead it was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Joshua
13:29-31). Golan, one of its cities, became a "city of refuge" (Joshua 21:27). ...
/b/bashan.htm - 32k

Resources

Why did Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh want to live on the east of the Jordan? | GotQuestions.org

What can we learn from the tribe of Manasseh? | GotQuestions.org

What can we learn from the tribe of Gad? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Half-tribe (38 Occurrences)

Numbers 32:33
Moses gave to them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, according to the cities of it with their borders, even the cities of the surrounding land.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV)

Numbers 34:13
Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, "This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which Yahweh has commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe;
(WEB JPS ASV BBE RSV)

Numbers 34:14
for the tribe of the children of Reuben according to their fathers' houses, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to their fathers' houses, have received, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received, their inheritance:
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 34:15
the two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise."
(WEB JPS ASV BBE RSV)

Deuteronomy 3:13
and the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, gave I to the half-tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, even all Bashan. (The same is called the land of Rephaim.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV)

Deuteronomy 29:8
and we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 1:12
Joshua spoke to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, saying,
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 4:12
The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 12:6
Moses the servant of Yahweh and the children of Israel struck them. Moses the servant of Yahweh gave it for a possession to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 13:7
Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh."
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS)

Joshua 13:8
With him the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond the Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them:
(See NAS)

Joshua 13:29
Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was for the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 14:2
by the lot of their inheritance, as Yahweh commanded by Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half-tribe.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS)

Joshua 14:3
For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS)

Joshua 18:7
For the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of Yahweh is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them."
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS NIV)

Joshua 21:5
The rest of the children of Kohath had ten cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV)

Joshua 21:6
The children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, out of the tribe of Asher, out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 21:25
Out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its suburbs, and Gath Rimmon with its suburbs; two cities.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV)

Joshua 21:27
They gave to the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half-tribe of Manasseh Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Be Eshterah with its suburbs; two cities.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:1
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV)

Joshua 22:7
Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given inheritance in Bashan; but to the other half gave Joshua among their brothers beyond the Jordan westward. Moreover when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them,
(WEB JPS ASV NAS NIV)

Joshua 22:9
The children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they owned, according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:10
When they came to the region about the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to look at.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:11
The children of Israel heard this, "Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar in the forefront of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that pertains to the children of Israel."
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV)

Joshua 22:13
The children of Israel sent to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:15
They came to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying,
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 22:21
Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel,
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 5:18
The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty, that were able to go forth to war.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 5:23
The children of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land: they increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon and Senir and Mount Hermon.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 5:26
The God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river of Gozan, to this day.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 6:61
To the rest of the sons of Kohath were given by lot, out of the family of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV)

1 Chronicles 6:70
and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its suburbs, and Bileam with its suburbs, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV)

1 Chronicles 6:71
To the sons of Gershom were given, out of the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, and Ashtaroth with its suburbs;
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 12:31
Of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were mentioned by name, to come and make David king.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV)

1 Chronicles 12:37
On the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, one hundred twenty thousand.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 26:32
His brothers, men of valor, were two thousand seven hundred, heads of fathers' houses, whom king David made overseers over the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God, and for the affairs of the king. Ezra
(WEB JPS ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 27:20
of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah: of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah:
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV)

1 Chronicles 27:21
of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner:
(WEB JPS BBE NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Half-tribe

Related Terms

Ledge (7 Occurrences)

Grate (6 Occurrences)

Assur (2 Occurrences)

Asshur (133 Occurrences)

Sherghat

Beneath (73 Occurrences)

Halfway (4 Occurrences)

Network (19 Occurrences)

Features (3 Occurrences)