Focused Passage

Joshua 17:14-18

Manasseh’s Inheritance, Zelophehad’s Daughters, and Joseph’s Complaint

Manasseh’s inheritance is assigned, Zelophehad’s daughters receive their promised portion, Manasseh fails to drive out Canaanites from key towns, and Joshua challenges the Joseph tribes to clear the forests and drive out the Canaanites rather than complain about limited space.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

14Then the sons of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one portion as an inheritance? We have many people, because the LORD has blessed us abundantly.”

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,

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 can drive them out.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Original words

Then the sonsבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural constructof Josephיוֹסֵ֔ףH3130Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַֽיְדַבְּרוּ֙H1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltoאֶת־H854PrepositionJoshuaיְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַH3091Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructWhyמַדּוּעַ֩H4069Interrogativehave you givenנָתַ֨תָּהH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularusלִּ֜יPreposition | first person common singular[only]אֶחָד֙H259Number - masculine singular. . .וְחֶ֣בֶלH2256Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularoneאֶחָ֔דH259Number - masculine singularportionגּוֹרָ֤לH1486Noun - masculine singularas an inheritanceנַחֲלָ֗הH5159Noun - feminine singularWeוַֽאֲנִ֣יH589Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularhave manyרָ֔בH7227Adjective - masculine singularpeopleעַם־H5971Noun - masculine singularbecauseעַ֥דH5704Preposition-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularvvvעַד־H5704Prepositionvvvכֹּ֖הH3541Adverbhas blessed us abundantlyבֵּֽרְכַ֥נִיH1288Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular
Verse 15

Original words

Joshuaיְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַH3091Noun - proper - masculine singularansweredוַיֹּ֨אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthemאֲלֵיהֶ֜םH413Preposition | third person masculine pluralIfאִם־H518Conjunctionyouאַתָּה֙H859Pronoun - second person masculine singularhave so manyרַ֤בH7227Adjective - masculine singularpeopleעַם־H5971Noun - masculine singularthatכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe hill countryהַר־H2022Noun - masculine singular constructof Ephraimאֶפְרָֽיִם׃H669Noun - proper - masculine singularis too smallאָ֥ץH213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularfor youלְךָ֖Preposition | second person masculine singulargoעֲלֵ֣הH5927Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singulartoלְךָ֣Preposition | second person masculine singularthe forestהַיַּ֔עְרָהH3293Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singularand clearוּבֵרֵאתָ֤H1254Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularfor yourselfלְךָ֙Preposition | second person masculine singularan areaשָׁ֔םH8033Adverbin the landבְּאֶ֥רֶץH776Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof the Perizzitesהַפְּרִזִּ֖יH6522Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularand the Rephaimוְהָֽרְפָאִ֑יםH7497Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Verse 16

Original words

The hill countryהָהָ֑רH2022Article | Noun - masculine singularis notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleenoughיִמָּ֥צֵאH4672Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfor usלָ֖נוּPreposition | first person common plural[they]בְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יוֹסֵ֔ףH3130Noun - proper - masculine singularrepliedוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraland allבְּכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructthe Canaanitesהַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙H3669Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularwho liveהַיֹּשֵׁ֣בH3427Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularin the valleyהָעֵ֔מֶקH6010Article | Noun - masculine singular-לַֽאֲשֶׁ֤רH834Preposition-l | Pronoun - relativeבְּבֵית־בְּבֵית־H1052Prepositionבְּאֶֽרֶץ־בְּאֶֽרֶץ־H776Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructhave ironבַּרְזֶ֗לH1270Noun - masculine singularchariotsוְרֶ֣כֶבH7393Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructboth in Beth-sheanשְׁאָן֙H1052Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singularwith its townsוּבְנוֹתֶ֔יהָH1323Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular-וְלַֽאֲשֶׁ֖רH834Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Pronoun - relativeand in the Valleyבְּעֵ֥מֶקH6010Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof Jezreelיִזְרְעֶֽאל׃H3157Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 17

Original words

So Joshuaיְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙H3091Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe houseבֵּ֣יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructof Josephיוֹסֵ֔ףH3130Noun - proper - masculine singularto Ephraimלְאֶפְרַ֥יִםH669Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularand Manassehוְלִמְנַשֶּׁ֖הH4519Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct“You have manyרַ֣בH7227Adjective - masculine singular. . .אַתָּ֗הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularpeopleעַם־H5971Noun - masculine singularand greatגָּדוֹל֙H1419Adjective - masculine singular-לָ֔ךְPreposition | second person feminine singularstrengthוְכֹ֤חַH3581Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularYou shall notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlehaveיִהְיֶ֥הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .לְךָ֖Preposition | second person masculine singularjust oneאֶחָֽד׃H259Number - masculine singularallotmentגּוֹרָ֥לH1486Noun - masculine singular
Verse 18

Original words

becauseכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionthe hill countryהַ֤רH2022Noun - masculine singularwill beיִֽהְיֶה־H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularyours as wellלָּךְ֙Preposition | second person feminine singular-כִּֽי־H3588ConjunctionItה֔וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis a forestיַ֣עַרH3293Noun - masculine singularclear itוּבֵ֣רֵאת֔וֹH1254Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singularand its farthest limitsתֹּֽצְאֹתָ֑יוH8444Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularwill beוְהָיָ֥הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularyoursלְךָ֖Preposition | second person masculine singularכִּֽי־כִּֽי־H3588ConjunctionAlthoughכִּ֣יH3588Conjunction[the Canaanites] have ironבַּרְזֶל֙H1270Noun - masculine singularchariotsרֶ֤כֶבH7393Noun - masculine singular constructand althoughכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionthey are strongחָזָ֖קH2389Adjective - masculine singularyou canהֽוּא׃פH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singulardrive [them] outתוֹרִ֣ישׁH3423Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object marker-הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֗יH3669Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.