Joshua 17:16

16 The children of Yosef said, The hill-country is not enough for us: and all the Kana`anim who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are in Beit-She'an and its towns, and they who are in the valley of Yizre`el.

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.

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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 The children of Yosef spoke to Yehoshua, saying, Why have you given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people, because hitherto the LORD has blessed me?

15 Yehoshua said to them, If you are a great people, go up to the forest, and cut down for yourself there in the land of the Perizzi and of the Refa'im; since the hill-country of Efrayim is too narrow for you.

16 The children of Yosef said, The hill-country is not enough for us: and all the Kana`anim who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are in Beit-She'an and its towns, and they who are in the valley of Yizre`el.

17 Yehoshua spoke to the house of Yosef, even to Efrayim and to Menashsheh, saying, You are a great 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 cut it down, and the goings out of it shall be your; for you shall drive out the Kana`anim, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.