Joshua 17:14 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 14. And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, &c.— The children of Ephraim and Manasseh, just spoken of, came to Joshua, and complained, that the portion which had fallen to them in common was hardly sufficient for one of their tribes, by reason of their great numbers: not that the country assigned to those tribes was so scanty; but it is remarked, that there were many forests to fell towards the mountains, and a number of Canaanites to subdue in the valley. Upon the whole, it is very probable, that the descendants of Joseph flattered themselves that Joshua, who was an Ephraimite, would have a regard for them, and treat them as brothers, without holding them rigidly to those laws which the lot seemed to prescribe in the division of the land of Canaan.