God’s Word Translation
Joshua 17:15
15Joshua replied, “If there are so many of you, go into the forest! Clear ground for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaim if the mountains of Ephraim are too confining for you.”
Joshua 17:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)“If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Joshua said to them, "If you are a numerous people, go up by yourselves to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Joshua answered them, “If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you.”
Context of Joshua 17:15
13When the Israelites became strong enough, they made the Canaanites do forced labor, since they didn’t force all of them out. 14Joseph’s descendants asked Joshua, “Why did you give us only one region for an inheritance? We have a lot of people because the Lord has blessed us.” Joshua replied, “If there are so many of you, go into the forest! Clear ground for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaim if the mountains of Ephraim are too confining for you.” 16Joseph’s descendants responded, “The mountains are not enough for us either. Besides, all the Canaanites living in the valley, in Beth Shean and its villages, and in the valley of Jezreel have chariots made of iron.” 17Then Joshua said to the descendants of Joseph, ⌞the tribes of⌟ Ephraim and Manasseh, “You are an important and very powerful people. One region is really not enough for you.
Read all of Joshua 17Joshua 17:15 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ אִם־עַם־רַ֤ב אַתָּה֙ עֲלֵ֣ה לְךָ֣ הַיַּ֔עְרָה וּבֵרֵאתָ֤ לְךָ֙ שָׁ֔ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַפְּרִזִּ֖י וְהָֽרְפָאִ֑ים כִּֽי־אָ֥ץ לְךָ֖ הַר־אֶפְרָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
- answeredאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- a greatרַבrab · manyH7227
- peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- get thee upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- to the woodיַ֫עַרya‛ar · woodH3293
- and cut downבָּרָאbârâ' · to createH1254
- for thyself there in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of the Perizzitesפְּרִזִּיperizzîy · PerizziteH6522
- and of the giantsרְפָאִיםrâphâ' râphâh · RephaimH7497
- if mountהַרhar · mountain: hill countryH2022
- Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- be too narrowאוּץ'ûts · to hastenH213
Cross-references for Joshua 17:15
- Luke 12:48But the servant who didn’t know ⌞what his master wanted⌟ and did things for which he deserved punishment will receive a light beating. A lot will be expected from everyone who has been given a lot. More will be demanded from everyone who has been entrusted with a lot.
- Genesis 13:7Quarrels broke out between Abram’s herders and Lot’s herders. (Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in that area.)
- Exodus 33:2I will send a Messenger ahead of you, and I will force out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
- Ezra 9:1After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have failed to keep themselves separate from the neighboring groups of people and from the disgusting practices of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.
- Genesis 14:5In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and his allies came and defeated the Rephaim at Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim at Ham, the Emim at Shaveh Kiriathaim,
- Genesis 15:20the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
- 2 Samuel 5:18The Philistines had come and overrun the valley of Rephaim.
Commentaries on Joshua 17:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15If thou be a great people - Joshua takes them at their own word; they said, Joshua 17:14, that they were a great people; then said he, If thou be a great people or seeing thou art a great people, go to the wood country, and clear away for thyself. Joshua would not reverse the decision of the lot; but as there was much woodland country, he gave them permission to clear away as much of it as they found necessary to extend themselves as far as they pleased.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Joshua was himself of the tribe of Ephraim, but far from supporting the demands of his kinsmen he reproves them, and calls upon them to make good their great words by corresponding deeds of valor. He bids them clear the country of its woods and thus make room for settling their people. The “wood country” means probably the range which runs along the northern border of Manasseh, and which connects the mountains of Gilboa with Carmel. Mount Ephraim, (a name…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-18Verses 14-18 Joshua, as a public person, had no more regard to his own tribe than to any other, but would govern without favour or affection; wherein he has left a good example to all in public trusts. Joshua tells them, that what was fallen to their share would be a sufficient lot for them, if they would but work and fight. Men excuse themselves from labour by any pretence; and nothing serves the purpose better than having rich and powerful relations…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15The Perizzites lived in Canaan when Israel's conquest started. Rephaim: See study note on 12:4; see also Deuteronomy 2:10–11, 20–21; 3:11.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1814-18. the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua--The two tribes join in laying a complaint before the leader, as to the narrow boundaries of their allotment and its insufficiency to be the residence of tribes so vastly increased. But Joshua's answer was full of wisdom as well as patriotism. Knowing their character, he treated them accordingly, and sarcastically turned all their arguments against themselves. Thus he rebuked their unbelief and cowardice.Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 17:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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