Joshua 17:16
New International Version
The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”

New Living Translation
The descendants of Joseph responded, “It’s true that the hill country is not large enough for us. But all the Canaanites in the lowlands have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shan and its surrounding settlements and those in the valley of Jezreel. They are too strong for us.”

English Standard Version
The people of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. Yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”

Berean Standard Bible
“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.”

King James Bible
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 Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

New King James Version
But the children of Joseph said, “The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel.”

New American Standard Bible
The sons of Joseph then said, “The hill country is not enough for us, but all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have iron chariots, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those who are in the Valley of Jezreel.”

NASB 1995
The sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those who are in the valley of Jezreel.”

NASB 1977
And the sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns, and those who are in the valley of Jezreel.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And the sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those who are in the valley of Jezreel.”

Amplified Bible
The sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley have iron chariots, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”

Christian Standard Bible
But the descendants of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who inhabit the valley area have iron chariots, both at Beth-shean with its surrounding villages and in the Jezreel Valley.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But the descendants of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who inhabit the valley area have iron chariots, both at Beth-shean with its towns and in the Jezreel Valley.”

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
"Even if we do that," they answered, "there still won't be enough land for us in the hill country. And we can't move down into Jezreel Valley, because the Canaanites who live in Beth-Shan and in other parts of the valley have iron chariots."

English Revised Version
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 her towns, and they who are in the valley of Jezreel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Joseph'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."

Good News Translation
They replied, "The hill country is not big enough for us, but the Canaanites in the plains have iron chariots, both those who live in Beth Shan and its surrounding towns and those who live in Jezreel Valley."

International Standard Version
The descendants of Joseph replied, "The hill country isn't sufficient for us, but all the Canaanites who live on the plain have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shean and its villages as well as the inhabitants of the Jezreel Valley."

Majority Standard Bible
?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.?

NET Bible
The 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."

New Heart English Bible
The people 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."

Webster's Bible Translation
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 its towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

World English Bible
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.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the sons of Joseph say, “The mountain is not enough for us, and a chariot of iron [is] with every Canaanite who is dwelling in the land of the valley—to him who [is] in Beth-Shean and its towns, and to him who [is] in the Valley of Jezreel.”

Young's Literal Translation
And the sons of Joseph say, 'The hill is not found to us, and a chariot of iron is with every Canaanite who is dwelling in the land of the valley -- to him who is in Beth-Shean and its towns, and to him who is in the valley of Jezreel.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the sons of Joseph will say, The mountain will not suffice to us: and the chariot of iron among all the Canaanites dwelling in the land of the valley, to whom in the House of Rest and her daughters, and to whom in the valley of Jezreel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the children of Joseph answered him: We cannot go up to the mountains, for the Chanaanites that dwell in the low lands, wherein are situate Bethsan with its towns, and Jezrael in the midst of the valley, have chariots of iron

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the sons of Joseph responded to him: “We are not able to ascend to the mountains, since the Canaanites, who live in the plains, in which are situated Bethshean, with its villages, and Jezreel, possessing the middle of the valley, use chariots of iron.”

New American Bible
For the Josephites said, “Our mountain regions are not enough for us; on the other hand, the Canaanites living in the valley region all have iron chariots, in particular those in Beth-shean and its towns, and those in the valley of Jezreel.”

New Revised Standard Version
The tribe of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us; yet all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the descendants of Joseph said, The mountain and the cities of the Perizzites are not enough for us; for the Canaanites still dwell in the land of the valley, and in Beth-shean and its towns, and in the valley of Jezreel.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the children of Yoseph said: “The mountain and the cities of the Parizites are not enough for us, because the Canaanites dwell in the land of the Deep Valley and in Bayth Yashan, and in its villages, and in the Deep Valley of Yizrael!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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, both they who are in Beth-shean and its towns, and they who are in the valley of Jezreel.'

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

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Manasseh's Inheritance
15Joshua 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.” 16“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.” 17So 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,…

Cross References
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.

Joshua 11:4-6
So these kings came out with all their armies, a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore, along with a great number of horses and chariots. / All these kings joined forces and encamped at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel. / Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for by this time tomorrow I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots.”

Deuteronomy 20:1
When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you.

1 Samuel 13:5
Now the Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

2 Samuel 8:4
David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots.

1 Kings 10:26
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:1
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.

Jeremiah 12:5
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in a peaceful land, how will you do in the thickets of the Jordan?

Zechariah 9:10
And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.

Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Psalm 33:16-17
No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength. / A horse is a vain hope for salvation; even its great strength cannot save.

Isaiah 2:7
Their land is full of silver and gold, with no limit to their treasures; their land is full of horses, with no limit to their chariots.

Isaiah 31:3
But the Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand, the helper will stumble, and the one he helps will fall; both will perish together.

Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.


Treasury of Scripture

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 Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

chariots

Joshua 17:18
But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

Judges 1:19
And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

Judges 4:3
And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

Beth-shean

Joshua 17:11
And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.

1 Kings 4:12
Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:

Jezreel

Joshua 19:18
And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem,

Judges 6:33
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

1 Kings 4:12
Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:

Jump to Previous
Beth Bethshean Beth-Shean Beth-She'an Canaanites Chariots Children Country Dwell Enough Hill Hill-Country Iron Jezreel Joseph Live Plain Settlements Shan Shean Towns Tribe Valley Villages
Jump to Next
Beth Bethshean Beth-Shean Beth-She'an Canaanites Chariots Children Country Dwell Enough Hill Hill-Country Iron Jezreel Joseph Live Plain Settlements Shan Shean Towns Tribe Valley Villages
Joshua 17
1. The lot of Manasseh
7. His coast
12. The Canaanites not driven out
14. The children of Joseph obtain another lot














The hill country is not enough for us
This phrase reflects the complaint of the descendants of Joseph, specifically the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. The Hebrew word for "hill country" is "har," which often denotes a mountainous region. Historically, the hill country of Ephraim was a fertile and strategic area, yet the tribes felt constrained by its size. This complaint reveals a lack of contentment and trust in God's provision. It serves as a reminder that God's blessings may not always align with our expectations, and we are called to trust in His sufficiency.

and all the Canaanites who dwell in the valley
The Canaanites were the original inhabitants of the land, and their presence in the valley posed a significant challenge. The Hebrew term for "valley" is "emeq," indicating a broad, flat area. The Canaanites' continued presence highlights the Israelites' incomplete conquest of the land, a recurring theme in the Book of Joshua. This situation underscores the need for faith and obedience to God's commands to fully possess the promises He has given.

have chariots of iron
Chariots of iron were a formidable military technology of the time, representing strength and power. The Hebrew word for "chariots" is "rekeb," and "iron" is "barzel." The mention of iron chariots emphasizes the perceived invincibility of the Canaanites, contributing to the Israelites' fear and reluctance to engage in battle. This phrase challenges believers to confront their fears and trust in God's power, which surpasses any earthly might.

both those in Beth-shean and its villages
Beth-shean was a significant Canaanite city located in the Jordan Valley. The Hebrew name "Beth-shean" means "house of security," indicating its strategic importance. The reference to "villages" or "daughters" (Hebrew: "bath") suggests the surrounding settlements under Beth-shean's influence. This highlights the extent of Canaanite control and the challenge facing the Israelites. It serves as a call to believers to rely on God's strength to overcome entrenched opposition.

and those in the Valley of Jezreel
The Valley of Jezreel, known in Hebrew as "Yizre'el," meaning "God sows," was a fertile and expansive region. It was a critical area for agriculture and trade, making it highly desirable. The presence of Canaanites in this valley further illustrates the incomplete conquest and the need for Israel to fully trust in God's promises. For modern believers, it is a reminder that God sows His purposes in our lives, and we must be diligent in cultivating faith and obedience to see His plans come to fruition.

Verse 16. - And the children of Joseph said. This reply justifies Joshua's sarcasm. The Ephraimites and Manassites blame Joshua when they ought to be blaming themselves. They excuse themselves from a task which they are too idle to execute, and wish Joshua to make arrangements for them which are wholly unnecessary. The hill is not enough for us. Literally, the hill is not found for us - that is, is not sufficient (see Numbers 11:9.2; Zechariah 10:10). Of the valley of Jezreel. Rather, in the valley of Jezreel. The word for valley in this verse is עֶמֶק (see note on Joshua 8:13). Jezreel abutted on the great plain of Esdraelon, a name which is but a corruption of Jezreel (see note on Joshua 19:18), where the chariots of iron could be used with effect, a thing impossible in the mountain districts. Hence the fact that the hill country of Palestine was more rapidly and permanently occupied than the plains (see Ewald, 'History,' 22 C., and Ritter's 'Geography of Palestine,' 2:328. Cf. Judges 1:19, and note on Joshua 11:6). Here, once more, we have a proof that we have real history before us, and not a collection of poetic myths.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“The hill country
הָהָ֑ר (hā·hār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

is not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

enough
יִמָּ֥צֵא (yim·mā·ṣê)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

for us,”
לָ֖נוּ (lā·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's Hebrew

[they]
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

replied,
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“and all
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the Canaanites
הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ (hak·kə·na·‘ă·nî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3669: Canaanite -- inhabitant of Canaan

who live
הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב (hay·yō·šêḇ)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in the valley
הָעֵ֔מֶק (hā·‘ê·meq)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6010: A vale

have iron
בַּרְזֶ֗ל (bar·zel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1270: Iron, an iron implement

chariots,
וְרֶ֣כֶב (wə·re·ḵeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

both in Beth-shean
שְׁאָן֙ (šə·’ān)
Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1052: Beth-shean -- 'place of quiet', a place in Manasseh, West of the Jordan

with its towns
וּבְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ (ū·ḇə·nō·w·ṯe·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1323: A daughter

and in the valley
בְּעֵ֥מֶק (bə·‘ê·meq)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6010: A vale

of Jezreel.”
יִזְרְעֶֽאל׃ (yiz·rə·‘el)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3157: Jezreel -- 'God sows', two Israelites, also two cities in Israel, also a valley in Northern Israel


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OT History: Joshua 17:16 The children of Joseph said The hill (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 17:15
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