Joshua 17:11

“And Manasseh had in Issachar, and in Asher, Bethshean, and her towns, etc.] As Ephraim had cities in Manasseh, so had Manasseh cities in these two tribes, which in some parts bordered on it, before described, even the cities following, and the first that is named is Bethshean: this lay in the tribe of Issachar, and was the uttermost border of Manasseh that way; it was, as Josephus f389 says, called Scythopolis; but not from the Scythians, as Pliny f390 suggests, but from Succoth, a place where Jacob resided, and which was not far from it, (<013317>Genesis 33:17 <110412>1 Kings 4:12 7:46); it lay before the great plain of Jezreel, and was at the entrance into it, “After this went they over…”

“Beth-shean and her towns--Greek, "Scythopolis" (now Beisan), in the valley of the Jordan, towards the east end of the plain of Jezreel. "Beth-shean" means "house of rest," so called from its being the halting place for caravans travelling between Syria or Midian, and Egypt, and the great station for the commerce between these countries for many centuries. Ibleam and her towns--in the neighborhood of Megiddo (Kg2 9:27). the inhabitants of Dor and her towns--(now Tantoura), anciently a strong fortress; a wall of wild precipitous rock defended the shore fortifications against attack from the land side. En-dor and her towns--situated on a rocky eminence, four Roman miles south of Tabor. Taanach…”

“Perhaps Beth-shean (in Issachar) and the other five towns (in Asher) were given to the Manassites in compensation for towns in the Manassite territory allotted to the Ephraimites. (See Joshua 17:9. Compare Joshua 21:9.) To the wall of Beth-shean, or Bethshah (“Beisan,” about 5 miles west of the Jordan), the bodies of Saul and his sons were fastened by the Philistines after the battle on Mount Gilboa. After the exile it received the Greek name of Scythopolis, perhaps because it was principally tenanted by a rude and pagan population, styled in contempt Scythians. It was a border city of Galilee, and the chief town of the Decapolis. In Christian times it was the see of a bishop, who is…”

“Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher - As Ephraim had some cities in the tribe of Manasseh, and as it was not unusual, when the place allotted to any tribe was too narrow for it, and the next too large, to give away part from the larger to the less portion; nay, sometimes one whole tribe was taken into another; as Simeon's was into Judah's portion, when it was found too large for Judah. Inhabitants of Dor - Not the places only, but the people; whom they spared and used for servants. Three countries - The words may be rendered, the third part of that country; and so the meaning may be, that the cities and towns here mentioned are a third part of that country, that is, of that part of…”

“17:11-13 All the towns mentioned here except Endor were important, but the military strength of the Canaanites prevented the tribe of Manasseh from inhabiting them for a time.”

“Manasseh: Jos 16:9; Ch1 7:29; Beth-shean, the Scythopolis of the Greek and Roman writers, was situated in the plain of Jordan, west of that river, 120 furlongs (south) from Tiberias, according to Josephus, and 600 furlongs (north) from Jerusalem (2; Mac Ch1 12:29). It was the largest city of the Decapolis, and the only one on that side of Jordan. It is now called Bisan, 8 hours or 24 miles from Tiberias; and described by Dr. Richardson, exclusive of its ruins, as a "collection of miserable hovels, containing 200 inhabitants." Sa1 31:10, Sa1 31:12, Beth-shan, Kg1 4:12 Ibleam: Kg2 9:27; Ch1 6:70, Bileam Dor: Dor, according to Eusebius, was situated on the Mediterranean, nine miles from Cesarea…”