Bible/Joshua/17

Joshua 17:18

17:17 And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:
But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

KJV

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but the hill country shall be yours. Although it is a forest, you shall cut it down, and it’s farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”

But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

But the mountain shall be yours; for it is a wood, and you shall cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be yours: for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

What does Joshua 17:18 mean?

Joshua 17:18 is a verse in the book of Joshua, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include הַר (har), יַעַר (yaʻar), בָּרָא (bârâʼ). It connects to 19 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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But
the
mountainהַרhar/har/H2022a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
shall
be
thine;
for
it
is
a
wood,יַעַרyaʻar/yah'-ar/H3293a copse of bushes; hence, a forest; hence, honey in the comb (as hived in trees)
and
thou
shalt
cut
it
down:בָּרָאbârâʼ/baw-raw'/H1254(absolutely) to create; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select, feed (as formative processes)
and
the
outgoingsתּוֹצָאָהtôwtsâʼâh/to-tsaw-aw'/H8444(only in plural collective) exit, i.e. (geographical) boundary, or (figuratively) deliverance, (actively) source
of
it
shall
be
thine:
for
thou
shalt
drive
outיָרַשׁyârash/yaw-rash'/H3423to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruin
the
Canaanites,כְּנַעַנִיKᵉnaʻanîy/ken-ah-an-ee'/H3669a Kenaanite or inhabitant of Kenaan; by implication, a pedlar (the Canaanites standing for their neighbors the Ishmaelites, who conducted mercantile caravans)
though
they
have
ironבַּרְזֶלbarzel/bar-zel'/H1270iron (as cutting); by extension, an iron implement
chariots,רֶכֶבrekeb/reh'-keb/H7393a vehicle; by implication, a team; by extension, cavalry; by analogy a rider, i.e. the upper millstone
and
though
they
be
strong.חָזָקchâzâq/khaw-zawk'/H2389strong (usu. in a bad sense, hard, bold, violent)

Commentary on Joshua 17:18

HENRY_FULL · Joshua 17:15–18
. ( b. c. 1450.) 10 And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms. 11 And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire. 12 And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded. 13 But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn. 14 And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe. We have here the same improvement made of this victory as was made of that in the foregoing chapter. 1. The destruction of Hazor is particularly recorded, because in it, and by the king thereof, this daring design against Israel was laid, v. 10, 11 . The king of Hazor, it seems, escaped with his life out of the battle, and thought himself safe when he had got back into his own city, and Joshua had gone in pursuit of the scattered troops another way. But it proved that that which he thought would be for his welfare was his trap; in it he was taken as in an evil net; there he was slain, and his city, for his sake, burned. Yet we find that the remains of it being not well looked after by Israel the Canaanites rebuilt it, and settled there under another king of the same name, Judg. iv. 2 . 2. The rest of the cities of that part of the country are spoken of only in general, that Joshua got them all into his hands, but did not burn them as he did Hazor, for Israel was to dwell in great and goodly cities which they builded not ( Deut. vi. 10 ) and in these among the rest. And here we find Israel rolling in blood and treasure. (1.) In the blood of their enemies; they smote all the souls ( v. 1 ), neither left they any to breathe ( v. 14 ), that there might be none to infect them with the abominations of Canaan, and none to disturb them in the possession of it. The children were cut off, lest they should afterwards lay claim to any part of this land in the right of their parents. (2.) In the wealth of their enemies. The spoil, and the cattle, they took for a prey to themselves, v. 14 . As they were enriched with the spoil of their oppressors when they came out of Egypt, wherewith to defray the charges of their apprenticeship in the wilderness, so they were now enriched with the spoil of their enemies for a stock wherewith to set up in the land of Canaan. Thus is the wealth of the sinner laid up for the just.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Exodus 34:11

Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

Exodus 39:42

According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.

Exodus 39:43

And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.

Deuteronomy 4:2

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Deuteronomy 4:5

Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.

Deuteronomy 7:2

And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

Deuteronomy 12:32

What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Deuteronomy 31:7

And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.

Joshua 1:7

Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. prosper: or, do wisely

Joshua 17:12

Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

1 Samuel 15:1

Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.

1 Samuel 15:8

And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

1 Samuel 15:9

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. fatlings: or, second sort

1 Samuel 15:11

It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

1 Samuel 15:19

Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

2 Chronicles 30:12

Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.

Matthew 23:23

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. anise: Gr. dill

Luke 11:42

But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Acts 20:20

And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,

Topics

AvariceCanaanitesSamaria, Ancient

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Joshua 17:18.

2 Kings 6:17

And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Deuteronomy 19:5

As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: head: Heb. iron helve: Heb. wood lighteth: Heb. findeth

Joshua 17:15

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 narrow for thee. giants: or, Rephaims

Joshua 17:16

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 Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

Judges 1:19

And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. drave: or, possessed the mountain

Judges 4:13

And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. together: Heb. by cry, or, proclamation

Judges 4:3

And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

Obadiah 1:20

And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south. which: or, shall possess that which is in

Frequently asked questions

What does Joshua 17:18 say?

Joshua 17:18 (King James Version) reads: "But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong."

Is Joshua 17:18 in the Old or New Testament?

Joshua 17:18 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Joshua.

Reflect

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