במדבר, פרק י״ג, פסוק י״א

The roster of men sent to scout the Land of Israel reveals a deep connection between the actions of ancestors and the fate of their descendants. During the introduction of the representative from the tribe of Manasseh, a surprising historical link is made. Instead of the usual pattern where the patriarch Joseph is associated with the tribe of Ephraim, Joseph is tied directly to Manasseh. The primary approach among commentators is that this shift points to a negative parallel regarding the spreading of a bad report. Just as Joseph once brought a negative report about his brothers, the representative of Manasseh chose to follow in his ancestor's footsteps by spreading a bad report about the Land of Israel. Because of this shared behavior, the two are explicitly linked [רבנו בחיי, תולדות יצחק, פענח רזא, דעת זקנים, חזקוני, הדר זקנים, צאינה וראינה].

In contrast, the representative for the tribe of Ephraim, Joshua, refused to participate in this slander. To distance the righteous Joshua from this ancestral sin, Ephraim and Manasseh are separated in the roster, and Joseph's name is kept far from Ephraim [רבנו בחיי, תולדות יצחק, חזקוני, צאינה וראינה]. This historical burden also sheds light on why Moses changed Joshua's name before the mission. Moses prayed that God would save Joshua from the corrupt influence of the other spies, ensuring he would not stumble and speak poorly as his ancestor had done. Alternatively, Moses prayed that God would protect Joshua from being physically harmed by the wicked men around him [תולדות יצחק, הדר זקנים]. The overwhelming fear that drove the spies to such wickedness is captured in a vivid account of their journey. Overcome by the immense size of the local inhabitants, the spies reportedly hid inside a discarded pomegranate shell thrown away by a giant's daughter. This sheer terror ultimately caused them to speak against the land [הדר זקנים].

Other commentators view the mention of Joseph in an entirely different light, seeing it as a highlight of a tragic missed opportunity. Joseph was famous for his deep love of the Land of Israel, famously requesting that his bones be brought there for burial—a devotion later echoed by his descendants, the daughters of Zelophehad. Evoking Joseph's name here amplifies the tragedy of Manasseh's leader, who failed to learn from his ancestor's profound love for the land and instead joined the spies' disastrous plan [פני דוד].

A completely different approach suggests that the connection to Manasseh has nothing to do with the sin of the spies. Instead, it reflects a major transition in how the Israelites were to be led. During their time in the desert, under God's miraculous guidance, the tribe of Ephraim held the leading role. However, the upcoming entry into the Land of Israel signaled a shift toward living within the bounds of the natural world. In terms of natural size and military strength, the tribe of Manasseh was the greater of the two. Therefore, at the very moment they were preparing to enter the land and adopt a natural way of life, Manasseh was granted the overarching title of the tribe of Joseph [העמק דבר].