The Meaning of Joshua 17:18 Explained

Joshua 17:18

KJV: 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.

YLT: because the mountain is thine; because it is a forest -- thou hast prepared it, and its outgoings have been thine; because thou dost dispossess the Canaanite, though it hath chariots of iron -- though it is strong.'

Darby: but the hill-country shall be thine, as it is a wood, thou shalt cut it down, and its outgoings shall be thine; for thou shalt dispossess the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots; for they are powerful.

ASV: but the hill-country shall be thine; for though it is a forest, thou shalt cut it down, and the goings out thereof shall be thine; for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Joshua 17:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 17:14-18 - An Enlarged Inheritance
The greatness of the children of Joseph did not arise from their numbers; for, according to Numbers 26:1-65, the two tribes, united, did not much exceed the tribe of Judah. Also one-half of Manasseh was already settled on the other side of Jordan. But they based their claims on the special promises made decades before to Joseph, Deuteronomy 33:13.
Very rightly Joshua bade them prove their greatness by their deeds. It is a vast misfortune when children live in the achievements of their parents, instead of standing on their own feet. Besides, they had land enough, if only they would drive out the Canaanites and cut down the shaggy forests that encumbered the soil. All around us are uncleared forests! What a precious promise for us all in Joshua 17:18! Let us cut down the wood! [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 17

1  The lot of Manasseh
7  His coast
12  The Canaanites not driven out
14  The children of Joseph obtain another lot

What do the individual words in Joshua 17:18 mean?

But the mountain country shall be yours Although wooded it [is] and you shall cut it down and shall be yours its farthest extent for you shall drive out - the Canaanite though chariots iron they have [and] strong are -
כִּ֣י הַ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה־ לָּךְ֙ כִּֽי־ יַ֣עַר ה֔וּא וּבֵ֣רֵאת֔וֹ וְהָיָ֥ה לְךָ֖ תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֑יו כִּֽי־ תוֹרִ֣ישׁ אֶת־ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֗י כִּ֣י רֶ֤כֶב בַּרְזֶל֙ ל֔וֹ חָזָ֖ק הֽוּא פ

הַ֤ר  the  mountain  country 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
יִֽהְיֶה־  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָּךְ֙  yours 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
כִּֽי־  Although 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יַ֣עַר  wooded 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעַר 
Sense: forest, wood, thicket, wooded height.
ה֔וּא  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וּבֵ֣רֵאת֔וֹ  and  you  shall  cut  it  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרָא 
Sense: to create, shape, form.
וְהָיָ֥ה  and  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְךָ֖  yours 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֑יו  its  farthest  extent 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: תֹּוצָאֹות  
Sense: outgoing, border, a going out, extremity, end, source, escape.
תוֹרִ֣ישׁ  you  shall  drive  out 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֗י  the  Canaanite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כִּנְעָן 
Sense: descendant of inhabitant of Canaan n.
כִּ֣י  though 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
רֶ֤כֶב  chariots 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֶכֶב  
Sense: a team, chariot, chariotry, mill-stone, riders.
בַּרְזֶל֙  iron 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּרְזֶל  
Sense: iron.
ל֔וֹ  they  have 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
חָזָ֖ק  [and]  strong 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָזָק  
Sense: strong, stout, mighty.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation