יהושע, פרק י״ז, פסוק ב׳

The distribution of the promised land follows an orderly process, turning its attention to the remaining families of the tribe of Manasseh who had not yet received their designated territory. Following earlier land grants, the lottery system determined the portions for the rest of the tribe, which consisted of six distinct ancestral houses [מלבי״ם]. Each of the sons listed became the head of his own independent family unit, and they received their inheritance accordingly [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The primary approach among commentators notes a deliberate emphasis on the gender of these heirs. Specifying that these family heads were male creates a clear distinction in preparation for a unique situation involving women from the same tribe. Because the daughters of Zelophehad would also be granted their own inheritance shortly after, the current record precisely clarifies that this initial group consists exclusively of the male heirs within the families of Manasseh [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].