Joshua 17:17

17 And Joshua said to the sons of Joseph, If thou art a great people, and hast great strength, thou shalt not have one inheritance.

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 said to them, If thou be a great people, go up to the forest, and clear for thyself, If mount Ephraim be too little for thee.

16 And they said, The mount of Ephraim does not please us, and the Chananite dwelling in it in Baethsan, and in its villages, in the valley of Jezrael, has choice cavalry and iron.

17 And Joshua said to the sons of Joseph, If thou art a great people, and hast great strength, thou shalt not have one inheritance.

18 For thou shalt have the wood, for there is a wood, and thou shalt clear it, and shall be thine; even when thou shalt have utterly destroyed the Chananite, for he has chosen cavalry; yet thou art stronger than he.