Joshua 17:17

Iron, armed with scythes, who will obstruct our passage to the mountains, as we dare not encounter them in the open field. (Haydock) (4 Kings xx. 23.) --- Hebrew, "the hill is not enough for us, (or it will not be found, or be attacked by us) and all the Chanaanites," &c. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "the mountain of Ephraim will not contain us; all the Chanaanites who dwell in the land of Emek, (of of the valley) in Bethsan, and its villages, and in the vale of Jezrael, have chosen cavalry and iron." (Haydock) --- They are invincible. (Calmet) --- The slothful man saith there is a lion without, Proverbs xxii. 13. Josue over-rules the cowardly objection, and argues, from their own boasting, that they were numerous enough to overcome all their opponents. He was himself of the tribe of Ephraim. (Haydock) --- Valley, extending about 10,000 paces from Bethsan to Legion. Jezrael ws in the middle of it, and is attributed to Issachar, chap. xix. 18. But it was probably on the frontiers of Manasses, who seems to have spoken as if it would belong to the first who had driven out the Chanaanites. The kings of Israel had a palace at Jezrael, and the vineyard of Naboth being contiguous to it, gave occasion to the sin of Jazabel, and to the destruction of Achab's family, 3 Kings xxi. 1. In this vale, Gedeon routed the Madianites, Judges vi. 33.