Joshua 17:16

Joseph Beth-shean Valley of Jezreel

¹⁴ Then the sons of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one portion as an inheritance? We have many people, because the LORD has blessed us abundantly.”

¹⁵ Joshua answered them, “If you have so many people that the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go to the forest and clear for yourself an area in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim.”

“The hill country is not enough for us,” they replied, “and all the Canaanites who live in the valley have iron chariots, both in Beth-shean with its towns and in the Valley of Jezreel.”

¹⁷ So Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You have many people and great strength. You shall not have just one allotment,

¹⁸ because the hill country will be yours as well. It is a forest; clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours. Although the Canaanites have iron chariots and although they are strong, you can drive them out.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “The hill country is not enough for us,” they replied, “and all the Canaanites who live in the valley have iron chariots, both in Beth-shean with its towns and in the Valley of Jezreel.”
KJV: And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth-shean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.
WEB: The children of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. All the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth Shean and its towns, and those who are in the valley of Jezreel.”
ASV: And the children of Joseph said, The hill-country is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are in Beth-shean and its towns, and they who are in the valley of Jezreel.
DARBY: And the children of Joseph said, The hill-country will not be enough for us; and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, those that are of Beth-shean and its dependent villages, and those that are in the valley of Jizreel.
BLB: And the sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and a chariot of iron is with every Canaanite who is dwelling in the land of the valley who [are] of Beth-shean and its daughters, and who [are] of the Valley of Jezreel.”

ÅB: Men Josefs barn sa: Fjellbygden strekker ikke til for oss, og kana'anittene som bor i dalbygdene, har alle sammen jernvogner, både de som bor i Bet-Sean med tilhørende småbyer, og de som bor i Jisre'els dal.
OTB: Etterkommerne av Josef sa: "Fjellandet er ikke nok for oss, og alle kanaaneerne som bor på sletten har vogner utstyrt med jern—både de i Bet-Sjean og dets bosetninger og de i Jisre'el-dalen."
B1930: Men Josefs barn sa: Fjellbygden strekker ikke til for oss, og kana'anittene som bor i dalbygdene, har alle sammen jernvogner, både de som bor i Bet-Sean med tilhørende småbyer, og de som bor i Jisre'els dal.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Kings 4:12
Baana son of Ahilud in Taanach, in Megiddo, and in all of Beth-shean next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and on past Jokmeam;
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Judges 4:3
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.
Read in context
Judges 1:19
The LORD was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plains because they had chariots of iron.
Read in context
Joshua 17:18
because the hill country will be yours as well. It is a forest; clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours. Although the Canaanites have iron chariots and although they are strong, you can drive them out.”
Read in context
Judges 6:33
Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
Read in context
2 Kings 9:10
And on the plot of ground at Jezreel the dogs will devour Jezebel, and there will be no one to bury her.’” Then the young prophet opened the door and ran.
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2 Kings 9:37
And Jezebel’s body will lie like dung in the field on the plot of ground at Jezreel, so that no one can say: This is Jezebel.’”
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Joshua 17:11
Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphath), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements.
Read in context