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7. Asher to Michmethah. The south border of Manasseh is first described, that is, the border next to Ephraim. The description begis with the town Asher, which, as nearly as we can ascertain, lay somewhere on the road between Shechem and Bethshan (Scythopolis), if in fact it was a town, rather than the territory of the tribe. From this point the border went to Michmethah, which was before Shechem, or a little to the east (see ch. 16:6). Shechem is near the modern Nablus situated between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal.

Along on the right hand. The Hebrews thought of their directions from the standpoint of facing east, which was the front side. To the right would be south, especially when the Hebrew word for “right,” yamin, is preceded by the article and the preposition ’el (toward), as here. So from Michmethah the boundary turned south to the inhabitants of En-tappuah. The city of Tappuah belonged to Ephraim, but the country adjoining belonged to Manasseh. The line evidently approached the outer limits of the city and from there turned westward.