Joshua 17:16
in Joshua 17“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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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.
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.
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This verse in Joshua 17
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThe hill is not enough for us - The mountain of Gilboa being that which had fallen to them by lot. Chariots of iron - We cannot possess the plain country, because that is occupied by the Canaanites; and we cannot conquer them, because they have chariots of iron, that is, very strong chariots, and armed with scythes, as is generally supposed.
This site's exposition
Why have you given us only one portion
on Joshua 17:14-18
Joshua, an Ephraimite by Numbers 13:8, sends his own kinsmen to clear the forest in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim. Albert Barnes weighs their claim against Numbers 26, where Ephraim and Manasseh together are not much larger than Judah alone, and beside their complaints at Judges 8:1 and 12:1. Joshua grants their strength and says they can drive out the Canaanites despite iron chariots.
This site's exposition
iron chariots
Barnes describes the plain of Jezreel as the natural battlefield of the land, and he places Midian's camp in this valley when Gideon attacked at Judges 7:1. Wesley reads the complaint as fear of fighting in woods where the defenders hold the advantage. Israel later fell on nearby Gilboa at 1 Samuel 31:1.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Is not enough - Hebrew. the hill will not be found, that is, obtained by us; those fierce and strong people the Perizzites and the giants will easily defend themselves, and frustrate our attempts, having the advantage of the woods and mountains.
The Inheritance of Joseph's Children. 1 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:96%@v1-2
And the children of Joseph said, the hill is not enough for us,....
They urge that though they had a good portion assigned them, yet it was in bad hands, and they could not come to the possession of it, wishing to have their lot in those countries that were more thoroughly reduced than this was.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The possession by the Canaanites of chariots strengthened and tipped with iron, such as were used by the Egyptians Exo 14:7, is named here by the children of Joseph as a reason why they could not possess themselves of the plains. “The valley of Jezreel” is the broad low valley which sweeps from “Zerin” between the mountains of Gilboa and the range of little Hermon eastward down to the Jordan. It was most likely in this valley that the host of the Midianites was encamped, when attacked by Gideon Jdg 7:1, Jdg 7:8. The great plain of Jezreel, called the plain of Esdraelon (Esdrelom, Judith 1:8), extends from Carmel on the west to the hills of Gilboa, little Hermon, and Tabor on the east, a distance of full sixteen miles; and its breadth between the rocky mass of southern Palestine and the bolder mountains of Galilee on the north, is about twelve miles. Its position as well as its open area make it the natural battlefield of Palestine.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
If you are indeed such a multitude of people— then you have the strength to cut down forests and to clear them, as expressed in old French, essarter, and there you will be able to build cities.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יוֹסֵ֔ף | yosef | Joseph | H3130 → | 213 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִמָּ֥צֵא | yimatze' | it will be found | H4672 → | 455 times |
| לָ֖נוּ | lanu | for <the> us | ||
| הָהָ֑ר | hahar | the hill country | H2022 → | 546 times |
| וְרֶ֣כֶב | verekhev | and chariotry of | H7393 → | 119 times |
| בַּרְזֶ֗ל | barzel | iron | H1270 → | 76 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | [is] among all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ | hakenaani | the Canaanite[s] | H3669 → | 73 times |
| הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב | haiyoshev | who dwells | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בְּאֶֽרֶץ־ | beeretz- | in [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| הָעֵ֔מֶק | haemek | the valley | H6010 → | 69 times |
| לַֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר | laasher | to [those] who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בְּבֵית־ | beveit- | [are] in Beth | H1052 → | 18 times |
| שְׁאָן֙ | shean | Shean | H1052 → | 18 times |
| וּבְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ | uvenoteiha | and daughters its | H1323 → | 588 times |
| וְלַֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר | velaasher | and to [those] who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בְּעֵ֥מֶק | beemek | [are] in [the] valley of | H6010 → | 69 times |
| יִזְרְעֶֽאל׃ | yizreel | Jezreel | H3157 → | 36 times |
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙and they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] descendants of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יוֹסֵ֔ףJoseph
yosefH3130 →213 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יִמָּ֥צֵאit will be found
yimatze'H4672 →455 times
לָ֖נוּfor <the> us
lanu
הָהָ֑רthe hill country
haharH2022 →546 times
וְרֶ֣כֶבand chariotry of
verekhevH7393 →119 times
בַּרְזֶ֗לiron
barzelH1270 →76 times
בְּכָל־[is] among all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙the Canaanite[s]
hakenaaniH3669 →73 times
הַיֹּשֵׁ֣בwho dwells
haiyoshevH3427 →1079 times
בְּאֶֽרֶץ־in [the] land of
beeretz-H776 →2504 times
הָעֵ֔מֶקthe valley
haemekH6010 →69 times
לַֽאֲשֶׁ֤רto [those] who
laasherH834 →5497 times
בְּבֵית־[are] in Beth
beveit-H1052 →18 times
שְׁאָן֙Shean
sheanH1052 →18 times
וּבְנוֹתֶ֔יהָand daughters its
uvenoteihaH1323 →588 times
וְלַֽאֲשֶׁ֖רand to [those] who
velaasherH834 →5497 times
בְּעֵ֥מֶק[are] in [the] valley of
beemekH6010 →69 times
יִזְרְעֶֽאל׃Jezreel
yizreelH3157 →36 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 17:18because 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…
it leads to
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
- Romans 8:31
Through
Judges 4:3Then 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.
it leads to
- 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.
- Judges 1:19
Through
Judges 6:33Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
it leads to
- Judges 6:3
Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them,
- Judges 6:3
Through
1 Kings 4:12Baana 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;
it leads to
- 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.
- Judges 5:19
Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver.
- Joshua 17:11
Through
Judges 1:19The 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.
it leads to
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Psalms 60:12
With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies.
- Isaiah 41:10
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and The Berean Standard Bible, Joshua 17, with the verses cited in the note.