Joshua Fourteen

by Dr. Henry M. Morris

(taken from the Defender's Study Bible)

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Joshua 14:1 And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.

Joshua 14:2 By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.

Joshua 14:3 For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.

Joshua 14:4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.

Joshua 14:5 As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.

Joshua 14:6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.

Joshua 14:7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

Joshua 14:8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

Joshua 14:9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.

Joshua 14:10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

forty and five years. This verse tells us that Caleb was forty years old when he served as one of the two spies (Joshua himself being the other) who had tried unsuccessfully to persuade the fearful Israelites that they could conquer the land. It also indicates that the Canaanite conquest had occupied five years up to that time following the forty years in the wilderness. Because of Caleb's unique contribution, he was given first choice in the land subdivision; he then chose that which was probably the most difficult of all to conquer.

Joshua 14:11 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, both to go out, and to come in.

Joshua 14:12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

Joshua 14:13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

Caleb. Caleb had been the representative of the tribe of Judah selected as one of the twelve spies when they were first approaching the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:6). Joshua was the spy representing the tribe of Ephraim (Numbers 13:8). Joshua and Caleb were the only ones who wanted to take the land, in spite of the giants there. Consequently, they were the only ones over twenty years old at that time who had been allowed to live long enough to enter the promised land. Caleb was still courageous and confident in the Lord, willing to fight the giants still remaining in the land (Joshua 14:12).

Joshua 14:14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.

the inheritance of Caleb. Hebron had been the burial place of Abraham and Jacob (Genesis 23:19; 25:9; 50:13). Caleb volunteered for the hardest assignment of all in the conquest of the land, and he was the only one to complete his job (note Joshua 15:14).

wholly followed the Lord. Six times the Bible says that Caleb “wholly followed the Lord” (Numbers 14:24; 32:12; Deuteronomy 1:36; Joshua 14:8, 9, 14).

Joshua 14:15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.