Joshua 17:14-16
The Message
14 The people of Joseph spoke to Joshua: “Why did you give us just one allotment, one solitary share? There are a lot of us, and growing—God has extravagantly blessed us.”
15 Joshua responded, “Since there are so many of you, and you find the hill country of Ephraim too confining, climb into the forest and clear ground there for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim.”
16 But the people of Joseph said, “There’s not enough hill country for us; and the Canaanites who live down in the plain, both those in Beth Shan and its villages and in the Valley of Jezreel, have iron chariots.”
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Joshua 17:14-16
New International Version
14 The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”(A)
15 “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest(B) and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites(C) and Rephaites.(D)”
16 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,(E) both those in Beth Shan(F) and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”(G)
Joshua 17:14-16
New King James Version
More Land for Ephraim and Manasseh
14 (A)Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given us only (B)one [a]lot and one share to inherit, since we are (C)a great people, inasmuch as the Lord has blessed us until now?”
15 So Joshua answered them, “If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you.”
16 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 (D)chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are (E)of the Valley of Jezreel.”
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- Joshua 17:14 allotment
Joshua 17:14-16
English Standard Version
14 Then (A)the people of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me but (B)one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am (C)a numerous people, since all along the Lord has blessed me?” 15 And Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up by yourselves to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and (D)the Rephaim, since (E)the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.” 16 The people of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. Yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have (F)chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in (G)the Valley of Jezreel.”
Read full chapterCopyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.


