Why did Bnei Yosef receive second?
Bi'ur ha'Gra: Yehudah and Efrayim are always the heads of the Shevatim
Sha'ul, the first king, was from Binyamin! Presumably, he means that the first lasting kingships were from them. (PF)
Where was Bnei Yosef's portion?
Rashi: They received at the north of Yehoshua's conquest. Yehudah was in the south (18:5); other Shevatim were in between, e.g. Binyamin (18:11). 1
Radak (11:23): It was in the north of Eretz Yisrael. 2
Malbim: It was north of Binyamin, from the east of Eretz Yisrael to the west.
Aderes Eliyahu: The Gemara (e.g. Pesachim 52b) says that Eretz Yisrael consists of Yehudah, Galil and Ever ha'Yarden. Binyamin is included in Yehudah (and so is Shimon); it is in the south. From Yosef and to the north is called Galil; it is the north.
What is the meaning of "ha'Midbar Oleh mi'Yericho"?
Rashi: To the Midbar, the border rises from Yericho.
In which direction is the border described?
Rashi: It begins in the east, and goes to the west of Beis Kel.
Was Yericho in Yosef's border?
Bi'ur ha'Gra: No. The border did not turn to Yericho; it went straight, to the Midbar, and from there to Har Beis Kel. Yericho remained in Binyamin's portion.
Malbim: No. Yericho is used to define Binyamin's border. Here it discusses Mei Yericho.
When this region is described regarding Binyamin's border, it mentions Midbar Beis Aven. Why is this not mentioned here?
Malbim: It joins with the Midbar mentioned here.
