English · ASV

Joshua 14

Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

The Initial Division of Canaan 1–5

1
And these are the inheritances which the children of Israel took in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed unto them, ​
2
by the lot of their inheritance, as Jehovah commanded by Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half-tribe. ​
3
For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave no inheritance among them. ​
4
For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: and they gave no portion unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for their cattle and for their substance. ​
5
As Jehovah commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did; and they divided the land.

Caleb Claims His Inheritance 6–15

6
Then the children of Judah drew nigh unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that Jehovah spake unto Moses the man of God concerning me and concerning thee in Kadesh-barnea. ​
7
Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of Jehovah sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. ​
8
Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed Jehovah my God. ​
9
And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy foot hath trodden shall be an inheritance to thee and to thy children for ever, because thou hast wholly followed Jehovah my God. ​
10
And now, behold, Jehovah hath kept me alive, as he spake, these forty and five years, from the time that Jehovah spake this word unto Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. ​
11
As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, and to go out and to come in. ​
12
Now therefore give me this hill-country, whereof Jehovah spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakim were there, and cities great and fortified: it may be that Jehovah will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as Jehovah spake. ​
13
And Joshua blessed him; and he gave Hebron unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. ​
14
Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite unto this day; because that he wholly followed Jehovah, the God of Israel. ​
15
Now the name of Hebron beforetime was Kiriath-arba; which Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Joshua 14

Verse 1

inherited… distributed for inheritance — One verb, nachal, serves for the people who inherit and the leaders who cause them to inherit. The men who divide the land were named by the LORD before the crossing: 'Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun' (Num 34:17), with the tribal heads of v.1 (Num 34:18–29).

Verse 2

By lot was their inheritance — Goral, the lot, was commanded for this division: 'ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families' (Num 33:54), here for 'the nine tribes, and… the half tribe' west of Jordan (Num 34:13). 'The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD' (Prov 16:33).

Verse 3

unto the Levites he gave none inheritance — Two tribes and a half were already settled east of Jordan (Josh 13:8). Levi's lack of land is explained there: 'the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them' (13:33), the word given to Aaron, 'I am thy part and thine inheritance' (Num 18:20).

Verse 4

two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim — Jacob had taken Joseph's sons as his own: 'Ephraim and Manasseh… are mine; as Reuben and Simeon' (Gen 48:5). So Joseph counts twice and Levi, set apart, holds no tribal share. The Levites received 'cities to dwell in' with 'suburbs' (Num 35:2), which are assigned in Josh 21.

Verse 6

Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite — He comes with Judah's men to Gilgal. 'Kenezite' is his title in Num 32:12, and Othniel is called 'the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother' (Judg 1:13). 'The thing that the LORD said… concerning me and thee' is Num 14:24 and 14:30, where only these two were excepted.

Verse 7

Forty years old was I — The age fits v.10: forty then, eighty-five now. 'Espy out' is ragal, to spy; at Kadeshbarnea he 'brought him word again as it was in mine heart', and said, 'Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it' (Num 13:30).

Verse 8

I wholly followed the LORD — 'Wholly' is male', to fill: he filled up after the LORD. The phrase is the LORD's own word of him in Num 14:24, 'followed me fully', and recurs here in vv.8, 9 and 14. 'Made the heart of the people melt' (masas) answers the spies' report, 'We be not able to go up against the people' (Num 13:31).

Verse 9

Moses sware — The oath behind it stands in Deut 1:34–36, where the LORD 'sware' and promised Caleb 'the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD'. 'Trodden' is darak, the verb of Josh 1:3, 'Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon'.

Verse 10

kept me alive, as he said — Chayah, to preserve alive. Forty-five years run from the word at Kadesh to this day, as 40 + 45 = 85. Of that whole generation, 'there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun' (Num 26:65).

Verse 11

both to go out, and to come in — The words are Moses' of himself at a hundred and twenty: 'I can no more go out and come in' (Deut 31:2), though 'his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated' (Deut 34:7). Caleb's claim is to koach, strength, 'for war', as on the day Moses sent him.

Verse 12

give me this mountain — Har, the hill country around Hebron. The Anakims are the sons of Anak the spies had seen, when 'the cities are walled, and very great' (Num 13:28). Joshua had 'cut off the Anakims… from Hebron' (11:21); Caleb 'drove thence the three sons of Anak' (15:14). His condition is 'if so be the LORD will be with me'.

Verse 13

Joshua blessed him — Barak, to bless. The gift followed 'the commandment of the LORD to Joshua' (Josh 15:13). Hebron was where Abram 'built there an altar unto the LORD' (Gen 13:18) and Sarah was buried (Gen 23:19). The city itself later went to the priests as a city of refuge, while its fields stayed Caleb's (21:12–13).

Verse 14

because that he wholly followed — The reason is given a third time, after vv.8 and 9. Num 32:11–12 gives the same ground for the oath, that the rest 'have not wholly followed me' while Caleb the Kenezite and Joshua 'have wholly followed the LORD'. 'Unto this day' marks the possession as lasting.

Verse 15

Kirjatharba — 'City of Arba', named for 'Arba the father of Anak' (Josh 21:11), a 'great man among the Anakims'. The older name is already in Abraham's time: 'Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron' (Gen 23:2). 'The land had rest from war' (shaqat) repeats 11:23 and closes the conquest before the allotments continue.