By doing this, he placed Ephraim before Manasseh. Then Israel told Joseph, "Pay attention! I'm about to die, but God will be with you. He'll bring you back to the land that belongs to your ancestors.

Later on, Jeroboam fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. He also expanded from there and built Penuel.

They were given these cities of refuge: Shechem with its surrounding suburbs in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its surrounding suburbs,