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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Joshua 17:15

Verse Joshua 17:15. If 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.

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See also Joshua 17:15 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    Joshua 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...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    5. THE PORTION OF MANASSEH CHAPTER 17 _ 1. Their names (Joshua 17:1)_ 2. Their border (Joshua 17:7) 3. The complaint and the answer (Joshua 17:14) Half of the tribe of Manasseh had their inheritan

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _And Joshua answered them_ They expected of their fellow-tribesman a better guardianship of their interests. _If thou be a great people_ There is a kind of delicate irony in Joshua's reply. "Yes, it...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Complaint of the Children of Joseph 14. _And the children of Joseph_ The descendants of Joseph, i.e. the patriarchs of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, were not satisfied with the portion which Jos...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _VER._ 15. _AND JOSHUA ANSWERED THEM, IF THOU BE A GREAT PEOPLE,_ &C.— Joshua was not a man calculated to sacrifice his duty to the caprice of the people of his own tribe, and to abuse the authority d...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _The Complaint of the Children of Joseph Joshua 17:14-18_ 14 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 pe...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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 NARR...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    17:15 down (b-21) Or 'clear it.' giants, (c-34) Or 'Rephaim.' see ch. 18.16; Deuteronomy 2:11 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    TERRITORIES OF THE WESTERN TRIBES Chs. 14-19 inclusive describe the allotment of territories to the Western Tribes. There are two assignments. The first, embracing Judah and Joseph, is described as ta...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    COME IN, AND RECEIVE GOD’S PROMISES! JOSHUA _BRIAN ROWLANDS_ Maps to help you to study this book are on the Internet at www.easyenglish.info. CHAPTER 17 V1 Joshua gave part of the land west of...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם יְהֹושֻׁ֗עַ אִם ־עַם ־ר

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXV. THE INHERITANCE OF JOSEPH. Joshua Chs. 16, 17. NEXT to Judah, the most important tribe was Joseph; that is, the double tribe to which his two sons gave names, Ephraim and Manasseh. In p...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    AN ENLARGED INHERITANCE Joshua 17:14 The greatness of the children of Joseph did not arise from their numbers; for, according to Numbers 26:1, the two tribes, united, did not much exceed the tribe of...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    It is interesting to note that in the territory allotted to Manasseh, some of the cities of Ephraim are included; and, moreover, that some of the cities of Manasseh are within the territory of Asher a...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    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, (i) if mount Ephraim be...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    The narrowness of Joseph's boundaries may serve to teach us that even in Canaan causes arise to displease. Alas! there is nothing perfect here below! In the Canaan above Jesus hath ample space, and ma...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    In the wars of Jehovah it was not always a question of hostile power. Indeed this is not the most serious evil which the people of God have to encounter in this world. The very same principle which wa...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 12 THROUGH 24. Chapter 12 is only a summary of their conquests. The Holy Ghost not only gives us the victory over our enemies, but makes us understand and kno...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND JOSHUA ANSWERED THEM,.... By retorting their own argument upon them: IF THOU [BE] A GREAT PEOPLE; which he does not deny, as they were for numbers and power: [THEN] GET THEE UP TO THE WOOD [COUN...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _If thou be a great people_ Though Joshua was of their tribe he would not humour them, or abuse his authority to gratify their inclinations; but retorts their own argument: seeing thou art a great and...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The lot of Manasseh. 8 His coast. 12 The Canaanites not driuen out. 14 The children of Ioseph obtaine another lot. 1 THERE was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; ([NOTE: Genesis 41:51; Genesis...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Joshua's Advice to the Children of Joseph...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Joshua answered them, in a well-deserved reproof, IF THOU BE A GREAT PEOPLE, THEN GET THEE UP TO THE WOOD COUNTRY, the wooded range of hills, either to the northeast toward Mount Gilboa, or to the...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE WESTERN HALF TRIBE OF MANASSEH (vs.1-13) Manasseh's territory was immediately north of Ephraim, spreading from the Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea. Manasseh means "forgetting reminding us of Paul...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    GIANTS: Or, Rephaims...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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. Josh...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    He retorts their own argument: Seeing thou art a great and numerous people, turn thy complaints into actions and valiant exploits, and enlarge thy borders by thy own hand, to which thou mayst confiden...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Joshua 17:15 Joshua H3091 answered H559 (H8799) great H7227 people H5971 up H5927 (H8798) forest H3293 place...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘ And Joshua said to them, “If you are a great people, get yourselves up to the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim, since the hill country of E...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    GIANTS Or, Rephaims....

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Land divisions; portion for Manasseh. CHARACTERS: God, Joshua, Eleazar, Moses, Zoplehad's daughter. CONCLUSION: (Joshua 17:14). Many covet larger possessions who do not cultivate and make...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Joshua 17:14. _Why hast thou given me but one lot?_ Joshua added mount Ephraim: though it was a military country, and though the Canaanites had chariots of iron; yet with the help of Ephraim, they mus...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Zelophehad _. .. _ had no sons, but daughters._ THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN The question decided by their case was the right of females to inherit property in land when there were no heirs male in the famil...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    JOSHUA 17:1. A LOT FOR THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH] The families of the tribe as a whole are here taken into account, the notice of them extending to the close of the sixth verse. MACHIR] Cf. on chap. Joshu...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOSHUA 17:1 THERE WAS ALSO A LOT. The preferable translation is, "_and_ _the lot for the tribe of Manasseh—for he was the firstborn of Joseph—was _(_or fell_)_ to Machir the son of Manasse...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let's turn now to Joshua, chapter seventeen, as we begin our study this evening. As we get into the seventeenth chapter, we find that the land has continued to be divided by Joshua, and the portion th...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Samuel 5:18; 2 Samuel 5:22; Exodus 33:2; Ezra 9:1; Genesis 13:7;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    A great people — He retorts their own argument; seeing thou art a great and numerous people, turn thy complaints into action, and enlarge thy borders by thy own hand, to which thou mayest confidently...

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