◄ Joshua 17:17 ►
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, Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Joshua 17:17? 2. How does Joshua 17:17 encourage us to trust in God's provision and strength? 3. What does "you are numerous and very powerful" teach about God's blessings? 4. How can we apply Joshua's encouragement to overcome obstacles in our lives today? 5. How does Joshua 17:17 connect to God's promises to Abraham's descendants? 6. In what ways can we rely on God's strength when facing challenges? 7. How does Joshua 17:17 reflect God's promise to the tribes of Joseph? 8. What historical evidence supports the land allocation in Joshua 17:17? 9. How does Joshua 17:17 demonstrate God's faithfulness to Israel? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Joshua 17? 11. What is the significance of the Tribe of Joseph? 12. Genesis 48:5 – Why does Jacob adopt Joseph’s sons as his own, and does this practice have any verifiable historical precedent? 13. Joshua 17:14-15: If the tribe's population was huge, why was their allotment so limited, and is this numerically believable? 14. Joshua 17:7-10: Do these boundary descriptions align with any archaeological evidence, or do they contradict known data about ancient Canaan? Discussion Questions 1. How does the promise of land to Ephraim and Manasseh reflect God's faithfulness to His promises? Can you think of other instances in the Bible where God fulfilled His promises? 2. In what ways can we recognize and utilize the strengths and resources God has given us in our personal lives and communities? 3. How can the unity and cooperation between Ephraim and Manasseh serve as a model for relationships within the church today? 4. What are some practical ways we can trust in God's provision when facing challenges or uncertainties in our lives? 5. How can we be good stewards of the gifts and blessings God has given us, ensuring they are used for His purposes and the benefit of others? Joshua 17 Bible Study Questions 1. How does the division of land among Manasseh's descendants reflect the fulfilment of God's promise? 2. Discuss the significance of the daughters of Zelophehad receiving an inheritance. What does this say about the status of women during this period? 3. In the context of Zelophehad's daughters, how does this passage address the issue of gender equality? What contemporary applications can you draw from this? 4. How do the detailed descriptions of the borders and cities contribute to the narrative and what do they symbolize? 5. Why were the descendants of Manasseh unable to fully occupy their cities, and what does this tell us about the importance of obedience in God's plan? 6. How does the dialogue between the sons of Joseph and Joshua demonstrate the balance between faith and action? 7. If you were in Joshua's position, how would you handle the complaints of the sons of Joseph? 8. Can you find parallels in the modern world where God's blessings, like the land in this passage, are in abundance but require work and bravery to fully claim? 9. In your life, have you experienced a time when, like the sons of Joseph, you were blessed abundantly but felt it wasn't enough? How did you address this feeling? 10. How does Joshua's response to the sons of Joseph challenge our understanding of problems and solutions? Can this be applied to challenges in your life? 11. If you were among the descendants of Manasseh, how would you address the issue of the persistent Canaanites? 12. How can we apply Joshua's encouragement to "clear the forest" in our modern lives? 13. How does the fear of the Canaanites and their iron chariots reflect our own fears when facing formidable obstacles? 14. In the face of fear and doubt, like the sons of Joseph faced with the Canaanites, how can we rely on God's promise and strength? 15. Can you identify situations in today's society where people are not fully claiming their 'inheritance' or potential because of fear or complacency? 16. How do the intertwined territories of Manasseh and Ephraim speak to the interconnectedness of human lives and communities? 17. How might the narrative change if the sons of Joseph didn’t speak up about their need for more land? How does this encourage communication and asserting one's needs? 18. The Canaanites are portrayed as obstacles to the tribes fully claiming their inheritance. What are the 'Canaanites' in your life, and how can you confront them? 19. How do faith and action play a part in overcoming the obstacles represented by the Canaanites and the iron chariots? 20. How can the story of Manasseh's inheritance inspire us to boldly claim God's promises, despite the challenges we face? Links Joshua 17:17 NIV Joshua 17:17 NLT Joshua 17:17 ESV Joshua 17:17 NASB Joshua 17:17 KJV Joshua 17:17 Commentaries Bible Hub