Bible Strands
Joshua 17:16
“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.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh reply to Joshua after he suggests they clear forest land if their hill country allotment is insufficient. They speak during the initial territorial distribution of the Promised Land.
The words — בַּרְזֶל (barzel) literally means “iron,” specifying the metal of the Canaanite chariots, while הָהָר (hahar) translates to “the hill country,” the terrain the tribes declare inadequate.
The thread — The failure to displace valley-dwelling Canaanites because of their iron chariots reappears in Judges 1:19 and Judges 4:3, while the same geographic corridor of Beth-shean and Jezreel is later governed by Baana in 1 Kings 4:12.
Why it lands — The text records a logistical complaint about terrain and enemy military equipment, requiring the reader to observe how physical resistance was cited by the tribes before the full realization of the land promise.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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 her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.
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.
- Judges 4:3 Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he had harshly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.
- 1 Kings 4:12 Baana son of Ahilud in Taanach, in Megiddo, and in all of Beth-shean next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and on past Jokmeam;
- Joshua 17:18 because 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.”
- Judges 6:33 Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
- Joshua 17:11 Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh was assigned Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor (that is, Naphath), Endor, Taanach, and Megiddo, each with their surrounding settlements.
- Joshua 19:18 Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,
- Judges 4:13 he summoned all nine hundred of his iron chariots and all the men with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the River Kishon.
- 1 Kings 18:46 And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
- 1 Kings 21:1 Some time after these events, Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.