Giosuè 17:15

La Nuova Diodati

Giosu disse loro: "Se siete un popolo numeroso, salite alla foresta e dissodatela per farvi del posto nel paese dei Perezei e dei giganti, perch la regione montuosa di Efraim troppo ristretta per voi".

Parallel Translations

Riveduta Bibbia
E Giosuè disse loro: "Se siete un popolo numeroso, salite alla foresta, e dissodatela per farvi del posto nel paese dei Ferezei e dei Refaim, giacché la contrada montuosa d’Efraim è troppo stretta per voi".

Giovanni Diodati Bibbia
E Giosuè disse loro: Se tu sei un gran popolo, sali al bosco, e sboscati delle terre nel paese de’ Ferizzei, e dei Rafei, poichè il monte di Efraim è troppo stretto per te.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

If thou be: Luke 12:48

the Perizzites: Genesis 13:7, Exodus 33:2, Ezra 9:1

giants: or, Rephaims, Genesis 14:5, Genesis 15:20, 2 Samuel 5:18, 2 Samuel 5:22

Reciprocal: Joshua 17:18 - the mountain Judges 3:27 - mountain Judges 18:2 - mount 2 Samuel 18:6 - wood of Ephraim 2 Chronicles 19:4 - mount Jeremiah 4:15 - mount Ephraim Jeremiah 50:19 - mount

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Joshua answered them,.... By retorting their own argument upon them:

if thou [be] a great people; which he does not deny, as they were for numbers and power:

[then] get thee up to the wood [country]; which was near them, and within their borders, and lay on hills and mountains, perhaps the mountains of Gilboa, and therefore are bid to go up:

and cut down for thyself there; cut down the trees of the wood, clear the ground of them, and so make it habitable, and by that means enlarge the places of their habitation:

in the land of the Perizzites, and of the giants; or Rephaim; the former of these were one of the seven nations of the Canaanites, who from their name seem to have dwelt not in the cities, and walled towns, but in villages, and scattered houses, in desert places, and among the woods, where also the giants had retired and dwelt after Joshua had driven them out of the cities; and by driving these out of their present habitations, they would gain more room to dwell in, and would find their lot sufficient for them:

if Mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee; either meaning all Ephraim, and even the whole lot of the sons of Joseph, or rattler the mount particularly so called; for the words may be rendered, "for Mount Ephraim hastens for thee" q; was clear or open for thee; ready to be delivered to thee, and thou mayest possess it at once.

q Vid Gusset. Ebr. Comment, p. 21.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Joshua was himself of the tribe of Ephraim, but far from supporting the demands of his kinsmen he reproves them, and calls upon them to make good their great words by corresponding deeds of valor. He bids them clear the country of its woods and thus make room for settling their people. The “wood country” means probably the range which runs along the northern border of Manasseh, and which connects the mountains of Gilboa with Carmel. Mount Ephraim, (a name perhaps used by anticipation) called “the hill” Joshua 17:16, and “the mountain of Israel” Joshua 11:16, is the eastern portion of the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh extending toward the Jordan. This was a hilly, though by no means barren, district.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 17:15. If thou be a great people — Joshua takes them at their own word; they said, Joshua 17:14, that they were a great people; then said he, If thou be a great people or seeing thou art a great people, go to the wood country, and clear away for thyself. Joshua would not reverse the decision of the lot; but as there was much woodland country, he gave them permission to clear away as much of it as they found necessary to extend themselves as far as they pleased.