[1] According to Jewish tradition the book was attributed to Joshua, with additions by the high priests Eleazar and Phinehas,[2][3] but modern scholars view it as part of the Deuteronomistic History, which spans the books of Deuteronomy to 2 Kings, attributed to nationalistic and devotedly Yahwistic writers during the time of the reformer Judean king Josiah in 7th century BCE.

[7] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q48 (4QJoshb; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 1–5, 11–15.

[8][9][10][11] Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B;

[16] The allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as a whole include the Transjordan territory (17:1–6), containing genealogical information closely related to Numbers 26:29–34.

[17] Of the eleven names (six sons of Gilead and five daughters of Zelophehad) six appear on ostraca (potsherds) found at Samaria, as place-names.