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.
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Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Gill's Exposition
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…
Barnes' Notes
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…
Adam Clarke
If thou be a great people - Joshua takes them at their own word; they said, Jos 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…
Here, I. The children of Joseph quarrel with their lot; if they had had any just cause to quarrel with it, we have reason to think Joshua would have relieved them, by adding to it, or altering it,…
Cambridge Bible
And Joshua answered them They expected of their fellow-tribesman a better guardianship of their interests.
If thou be a great people There is a kind of delicate irony in Joshua's reply. "Yes, it is…
Cross References
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