New English Translation
Joshua 17:14
14The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you assigned us only one tribal allotment? After all, we have many people, for until now the Lord has enabled us to increase in number.”
Joshua 17:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?
- New International Version (NIV)The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the people of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am a numerous people, since all along the Lord has blessed me?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given us only one lot and one share to inherit, since we are a great people, inasmuch as the Lord has blessed us until now?”
Context of Joshua 17:14
12But the men of Manasseh were unable to conquer these cities; the Canaanites managed to remain in those areas. 13Whenever the Israelites were strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them. The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you assigned us only one tribal allotment? After all, we have many people, for until now the Lord has enabled us to increase in number.” 15Joshua replied to them, “Since you have so many people, go up into the forest and clear out a place to live in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites, for the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you.” 16The descendants of Joseph said, “The whole hill country is inadequate for us, and the Canaanites living down in the valley in Beth Shean and its surrounding towns and in the Valley of Jezreel have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels.”
Read all of Joshua 17Joshua 17:14 word by word
וַֽיְדַבְּרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ לֵאמֹ֑ר מַדּוּעַ֩ נָתַ֨תָּה לִּ֜י נַחֲלָ֗ה גּוֹרָ֤ל אֶחָד֙ וְחֶ֣בֶל אֶחָ֔ד וַֽאֲנִ֣י עַם־רָ֔ב עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־עַד־כֹּ֖ה בֵּֽרְכַ֥נִי יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Josephיוֹסֵףyôsêph · JosephH3130
- spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- unto Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Why hast thou givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- lotגּוֹרָלgôrâl gôrâl · allottedH1486
- portionחֶ֫בֶלchebel chêbel · cordH2256
- to inheritנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
- a greatרַבrab · manyH7227
- peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- forasmuch asעַד‛ad · tillH5704
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- hath blessedבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
- me hithertoכֹּהkôh · thusH3541
Cross-references for Joshua 17:14
- Genesis 48:22As one who is above your brothers, I give to you the mountain slope, which I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”
- Numbers 26:34These were the families of Manasseh; those numbered of them were 52,700.
- Deuteronomy 33:13Of Joseph he said: May the Lord bless his land with the harvest produced by the sky, by the dew, and by the depths crouching beneath;
- Genesis 48:19But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude of nations.”
- Genesis 49:22Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough near a spring whose branches climb over the wall.
Commentaries on Joshua 17:14
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Seeing I am a great people - The assertion can hardly have been warranted by facts, for at the census Judges 8:1; Judges 12:1; 2 Samuel 19:41; 2 Chronicles 28:7 etc.). A glance at the map shows that their complaint was in itself unreasonable. Their territory, which measured about 55 miles by 70 miles, was at least as large in proportion to their numbers as that of any other tribe, and moreover comprehended some of the most fertile of the whole promised…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. 14Joshua 16:1–4 describes Joseph’s portion. Those descended from Ephraim and Manasseh received portions. When combined, these were larger than any other tribe's allotment.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 17:14
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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