Joshua 17:16

16 The sons of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have 1chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those who are in the valley of Jezreel."

Joshua 17:16 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 17:16

And the children of Joseph said, the hill is not enough for
us
Meaning either Mount Ephraim, and all included in it; or it may be rather the wood country on the hills and mountains they were bid to go up to; signifying, that if they could gain that out of the hands of the Perizzites and giants, and clear it of the wood, and make it habitable, even that would not be sufficient for them; or that hill and mountain cannot be "found by us" F18 or obtained and possessed by us; we are not able to get it into our hands; there being a valley between us and that:

and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have
chariots of iron;
not chariots made of iron, but chariots with iron scythes fastened to the sides, or axle trees of them, which when driven with great force and fury, would cut down the infantry in battle, as grass is cut down with scythes, see ( Judges 4:2 Judges 4:3 ) ;

[both they] who [are] of Bethshean and her towns, and [they] who [are]
of the valley of Jezreel;
both which belonged to the tribe of Manasseh, or were on the borders of it, though as yet they had not got possession, see ( Joshua 17:11 ) ; and this circumstance seems to favour the notion, that tribe of Manasseh were at least chiefly concerned in this address.


FOOTNOTES:

F18 (wnl aumy al) "non invenietur nobis", Montanus; "non possumus montem istum assequi", Tigurine version; "non obtinebitur a nobis", Masius.

Joshua 17:16 In-Context

14 Then the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given me only one lot and one portion for an inheritance, since I am a numerous people whom the LORD has thus far blessed?"
15 Joshua said to them, "If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you."
16 The sons of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those who are in the valley of Jezreel."
17 Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, saying, "You are a numerous people and have great power; you shall not have one lot only,
18 but the hill country shall be yours. For though it is a forest, you shall clear it, and to its farthest borders it shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, even though they have chariots of iron and though they are strong."

Cross References 1

  • 1. Joshua 17:18; Judges 1:19; Judges 4:3, 13
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