Joshua 17:14

THE MESSAGE

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."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Joseph’s descendants said to Joshua, “Why did you give us only one tribal allotment as an inheritance? We have many people, because the Lord has been blessing us greatly.”

Hebrew Names Version
The children of Yosef spoke to Yehoshua, saying, Why have you given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people, because hitherto the LORD has blessed me?

King James Version
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 people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?

Lexham English Bible
The descendants of Joseph spoke with Joshua, saying, "Why have you given us one allotment and one share as an inheritance? We are many people, which Yahweh has blessed."

English Standard Version
Then the people of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am a numerous people, since all along the Lord has blessed me?"

New Century Version
The people from the tribes of Joseph said to Joshua, "You gave us only one area of land, but we are many people. Why did you give us only one part of all the land the Lord gave his people?"

New English Translation
The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you assigned us only one tribal allotment? After all, we have many people, for until now the Lord has enabled us to increase in number."

Amplified Bible
The sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given us only one lot and one portion as an inheritance, when we are a numerous people whom the LORD has so far blessed?"

New American Standard Bible
Then the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given me only one lot and one portion as an inheritance, though I am a numerous people whom the LORD has blessed up to this point?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the children of Ioseph spake vnto Ioshua, saying, Why hast thou giuen me but one lot, and one portion to inherite, seeing I am a great people, for as much as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given me only one lot and one portion for an inheritance, since I am a numerous people whom Yahweh has thus far blessed?"

Contemporary English Version
One day the Joseph tribes came to Joshua and asked, "Why didn't you give us more land? The Lord has always been kind to us, and we have too many people for this small region."

Complete Jewish Bible
Then the descendants of Yosef spoke to Y'hoshua; they said, "Why have you given me only one lot and only one portion to inherit? After all, I am a great people, since Adonai has blessed me so."

Darby Translation
And the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me as inheritance one lot and one portion, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as Jehovah has blessed me hitherto?

Easy-to-Read Version
The tribe of Joseph spoke to Joshua and said, "You gave us only one area of land, but we are many people. Why did you give us only one part of all the land that the Lord gave his people?"

George Lamsa Translation
And the descendants of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, Why have you given us but one portion to inherit, seeing we are a numerous people, forasmuch as the LORD has blessed us hitherto?

Good News Translation
The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one part of the land to possess as our own? There are very many of us because the Lord has blessed us."

Literal Translation
And the sons of Joseph spoke with Joshua, saying, Why have you given to me one lot and one portion as an inheritance, since I am a numerous people? For Jehovah has blessed me until now.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then spake the children of Ioseph vnto Iosua, and sayde: Wherfore hast thou geue me but one porcion and one meetlyne of enheritaunce, and I am yet a greate people, as the LORDE hath blessed me so largely?

American Standard Version
And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as hitherto Jehovah hath blessed me?

Bible in Basic English
Then the children of Joseph said to Joshua, Why have you given me only one part and one stretch of land for my heritage? For through the blessing given to me by the Lord up to now, I am a great people.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the children of Ioseph spake vnto Iosuah, saying: Why hast thou geue me but one lotte and one portion to inherite, seyng I am a great people, and forasmuche as the Lorde hath blessed me hytherto?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the children of Joseph spoke unto Joshua, saying: 'Why hast thou given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me thus?'

King James Version (1611)
And the children of Ioseph spake vnto Ioshua, saying, Why hast thou giuen me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the sons of Joseph answered Joshua, saying, Wherefore hast thou caused us to inherit one inheritance, and one line? whereas I am a great people, and God has blessed me.

English Revised Version
And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as hitherto the LORD hath blessed me?

Berean Standard Bible
Then 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."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the sones of Joseph spaken to Josue, and seiden, Whi hast thou youe to me lond in to possessioun of o lot and part, sithen Y am of so greet multitude, and the Lord hath blesside me, `that is, hath alargid me in children?

Young's Literal Translation
And the sons of Joseph speak with Joshua, saying, `Wherefore hast thou given to me an inheritance -- one lot and one portion, and I a numerous people? hitherto hath Jehovah blessed me.'

Update Bible Version
And the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, Why have you given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people, since until now Yahweh has blessed me?

Webster's Bible Translation
And the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me [but] one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I [am] a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath hitherto blessed me?

World English Bible
The children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, Why have you given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people, because hitherto Yahweh has blessed me?

New King James Version
Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given us only one lot and one share to inherit, since we are a great people, inasmuch as the LORD has blessed us until now?"

New Living Translation
The descendants of Joseph came to Joshua and asked, "Why have you given us only one portion of land as our homeland when the Lord has blessed us with so many people?"

New Life Bible
The sons of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one share of the land? We have many people. And the Lord has brought good to us until now."

New Revised Standard
The tribe of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, since we are a numerous people, whom all along the Lord has blessed?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then spake the sons of Joseph unto Joshua, saying, - Why hast thou given me, as an inheritance, but one lot and one portion, seeing that, I, am a numerous people, because hitherto hath Yahweh blessed me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the children of Joseph spoke to Josue, and said: Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to possess, whereas I am of so great a multitude, and the Lord hath blessed me?

Revised Standard Version
And the tribe of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am a numerous people, since hitherto the LORD has blessed me?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given me only one lot and one portion for an inheritance, since I am a numerous people whom the LORD has thus far blessed?"

Contextual Overview

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." ¹⁷Joshua said to the family of Joseph (to Ephraim and Manasseh): "Yes, there are a lot of you, and you are very strong. One lot is not enough for you. You also get the hill country. It's nothing but trees now, but you will clear the land and make it your own from one end to the other. The powerful Canaanites, even with their iron chariots, won't stand a chance against you."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

one lot: Genesis 48:22, Numbers 26:34-37, Deuteronomy 33:13-17

a great: Genesis 48:19, Genesis 49:22-26

Reciprocal: Numbers 26:54 - many Numbers 26:55 - by lot Joshua 16:4 - General Joshua 17:5 - ten portions Joshua 17:17 - Thou art a great Judges 17:1 - mount 2 Kings 6:1 - too strait for us 1 Chronicles 4:10 - enlarge Isaiah 49:20 - The place Ezekiel 48:5 - Ephraim 2 Timothy 3:12 - shall

Cross-References

Genesis 17:20
"And Ishmael? Yes, I heard your prayer for him. I'll also bless him; I'll make sure he has plenty of children—a huge family. He'll father twelve princes; I'll make him a great nation. But I'll establish my covenant with Isaac whom Sarah will give you about this time next year."

Genesis 17:24
Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised. His son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised. Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised the same day together with all the servants of his household, those born there and those purchased from outsiders—all were circumcised with him.

Leviticus 18:29
"Those who do any of these abhorrent things will be cut off from their people. Keep to what I tell you; don't engage in any of the abhorrent acts that were practiced before you came. Don't pollute yourselves with them. I am God , your God."

Psalms 55:20
And this, my best friend, betrayed his best friends; his life betrayed his word. All my life I've been charmed by his speech, never dreaming he'd turn on me. His words, which were music to my ears, turned to daggers in my heart.

Isaiah 24:5
Earth is polluted by its very own people, who have broken its laws, Disrupted its order, violated the sacred and eternal covenant. Therefore a curse, like a cancer, ravages the earth. Its people pay the price of their sacrilege. They dwindle away, dying out one by one. No more wine, no more vineyards, no more songs or singers. The laughter of castanets is gone, the shouts of celebrants, gone, the laughter of fiddles, gone. No more parties with toasts of champagne. Serious drinkers gag on their drinks. The chaotic cities are unlivable. Anarchy reigns. Every house is boarded up, condemned. People riot in the streets for wine, but the good times are gone forever— no more joy for this old world. The city is dead and deserted, bulldozed into piles of rubble. That's the way it will be on this earth. This is the fate of all nations: An olive tree shaken clean of its olives, a grapevine picked clean of its grapes.

1 Corinthians 11:27
Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of "remembrance" you want to be part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe.

1 Corinthians 11:29
If you give no thought (or worse, don't care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you're running the risk of serious consequences. That's why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we won't have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua,.... Which some understand of the children of Manasseh only; and, indeed, the complaint and arguments used, as well as some circumstances in the account, best agree with them; yet certain it is, that the children of Ephraim accompanied the children of Manasseh, and were present at this interview, as appears from Joshua 17:17; and if they did not join with them in the request and complaint expressly, they countenanced and encouraged the same by their presence:

saying, why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit: this seems to suit better with one than both; for there was a lot for the tribe of Manasseh also, as well as for Ephraim, Joshua 17:1; by which it should seem that there were two, and if both made this expostulation, it was not fact; but it may be, that the inheritance which came to them by lot was not as yet divided, and so they called it one lot and one portion, and then it might with propriety be said by them both; and their sense be, that the lot or portion assigned them was only sufficient for one of them, and not for both:

seeing I [am] a great people; as especially both tribes put together were;

forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto? this best agrees with the tribe of Manasseh, which, since their coming out of Egypt, was increased twenty thousand five hundred, whereas the tribe of Ephraim was decreased; compare Numbers 1:33 with Numbers 26:34. Now it might have been expected by them, that as Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim, that he would have favoured their cause on that account, and that they should have obtained the grant of an addition by that means; but Joshua was impartial in his administration, and showed no favour and affection on that score, as appears by what follows.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Seeing I am a great people - The assertion can hardly have been warranted by facts, for at the census Numbers 26:0 the two tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim together were not greatly more numerous than the single tribe of Judah; and now that half the Manassites were provided for on the eastern side of Jordan, the remaining children of Joseph could hardly be stronger than the Danites or the Issacharites. The children of Joseph seem therefore to exhibit here that arrogant and jealous spirit which elsewhere characterises their conduct (Judges 8:1; Judges 12:1; 2 Samuel 19:41; 2 Chronicles 28:7 etc.). A glance at the map shows that their complaint was in itself unreasonable. Their territory, which measured about 55 miles by 70 miles, was at least as large in proportion to their numbers as that of any other tribe, and moreover comprehended some of the most fertile of the whole promised land.