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.
JOSHUA 17:15KJVWhat does Joshua 17:15 mean?
Joshua 17:15 records Joshua telling the descendants of Joseph that if they are such a large and important group, they should go clear land for themselves in the forested hill country, especially if the territory of Mount Ephraim is too small for them. Joshua points them toward the land of the Perizzites and the "giants" as an area they can claim by their own effort.
In this verse, Joshua is responding to the tribe of Joseph (which includes Ephraim and Manasseh) after they complained that their allotted land was too limited for their numbers. Joshua, as the leader, challenges them to take initiative and expand into the wooded areas that are still inhabited by other peoples. The verse highlights both the practical challenge of settling the land and Joshua’s expectation that a "great people" should be able to overcome obstacles.
The Hebrew behind Joshua 17:15
- "Great" — רַב (rav): This word, translated "great," means numerous or significant in size or importance. Joshua uses it to echo the tribe's own claim about their strength, turning their words back to them as a challenge.
- "Wood" — יַעַר (ya'ar): This refers to forested or wooded country. Joshua is not offering them easy farmland but rather land that will require hard work to clear and settle.
- "Giants" — רְפָאִים (refa'im): This term often refers to a group of ancient people known for their great size or strength. Joshua is pointing out that the land available is not uninhabited or easy to take, but comes with real challenges.
Why Joshua 17:15 matters
- This verse clarifies that Joshua expects the tribes to take responsibility for their own expansion rather than simply asking for more land to be given to them.
- It highlights the ongoing presence of other peoples in Canaan, showing that settling the land involved both hard labor and facing formidable opponents.
- The verse connects to the larger theme in Joshua of faith and courage being required to fully possess what God had promised, rather than expecting it to come without effort.