Joshua 17:17

17 And Joshua spoke unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, "Thou art a great people and hast great power. Thou shalt not have one lot only;

Joshua 17:17 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 17:17

And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, [even] to Ephraim
and to Manasseh
From whence it is clear that some of both were present; and they being brethren, and their interests united, and their cities intermixed, it would be to their mutual advantage to have an enlargement; which the tribe of Manasseh wanted more especially, more of their cities that fell to their lot being in the hands of the Canaanites, than of any other:

saying, thou [art] a great people, and hast great power;
were very numerous, and so able to contend with the Canaanites, and make themselves more room:

thou shalt not have one lot [only];
or only have what they were possessed of, but should have more; and, as they wanted more, they were able enough to get more; and if they exerted their power, relying on the providence of God, through his blessing on their endeavours, they would certainly have an increase of their portion.

Joshua 17:17 In-Context

15 And Joshua answered them, "If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if Mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee."

16 And the children of Joseph said, "The hill is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Bethshean and her towns, and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel."

17 And Joshua spoke unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, "Thou art a great people and hast great power. Thou shalt not have one lot only;

18 but the mountain shall be thine, for it is a wood and thou shalt cut it down. And the boundaries of it shall be thine; for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and though they be strong."