Neville Goddard on Joshua 17:7-13 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Joshua 17 in context

Scripture Focus

7And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of Entappuah.

8Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim;

9And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:

10Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh's, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.

11And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.

12Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

13Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out.

Joshua 17:7-13

Biblical Context

Manasseh’s territory runs along borders with Ephraim and others; the people could not drive out the inhabitants, and later they paid tribute without fully eradicating them. This passage shows how some inner patterns persist even as the broader self grows; boundaries and loyalties are tested, and full conquest is not achieved.

Neville's Inner Vision

Observe that Joshua’s map is the map of your inner weather. Manasseh’s coast, from Asher to Michmethah and down to the Kanah, shows how your self-imposed boundaries trace the lines of your awareness. The Canaanites living there are the stubborn habits you have not yet cast out. Though Israel grows strong, they impose tribute on these patterns but do not utterly drive them away; this mirrors the times you permit a thought or feeling because it seems convenient. The true work is not conquest by force but a transformation of your identification: claim the land as yours by affirming I AM awareness, and revise until the border becomes the life you desire. The northern and southern edges and the sea represent emotional currents and capacities that answer to a single decision. The three regions named—Issachar, Asher, Manasseh—symbolize faculties that must submit to one sovereign will. Persist in the awareness that the land is governed by your I AM, and the outer life will reflect that sovereignty.

Practice This Now

Tonight, sit quietly, map your inner land, and declare, 'I AM the ruler of this territory; all old inhabitants are removed by my choice.' Then feel the relief as you imagine the land cleared and boundless, letting that feeling of mastery dwell for a few minutes.