The Book of Joshua

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- Chapter 14 -

This is what the sons of Israel possessed in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar, the priest, and Joshua, the son of Nun, and the leaders of the families, by the tribes of Israel, gave to them,

dividing all by lot, just as the Lord had instructed by the hand of Moses, to the nine tribes and to the one half tribe.

For to the two and one half tribes, Moses had given a possession beyond the Jordan, aside from the Levites, who received no land among their brothers.

For by succession, the sons of Joseph, in their place, were divided into two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. But the Levites did not receive another portion of land, except cities in which to live, and their suburbs, so as to feed their beasts of burden and cattle.(a)

Just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did, and they divided the land.

Caleb Requests Hebron

And so, the sons of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb, the son of Jephone, the Kenizzite, spoke to him: “You know what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, at Kadesh-barnea, about me and you.

I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh-barnea, so that I might consider the land. And I reported to him what seemed to me to be true.

But my brothers, who had ascended with me, broke the heart of the people. And I nevertheless followed the Lord my God.

And Moses swore, on that day, saying: ‘The land that your foot has tread upon shall be your possession, and that of your sons, unto eternity. For you have followed the Lord my God.’

Therefore, the Lord has granted life to me, just as he promised, even to the present day. It has been forty-five years since the Lord spoke this word to Moses, when Israel was wandering through the wilderness. Today, I am eighty-five years old,

being just as strong as I was at that time, when I was sent to explore the land. The fortitude in me at that time continues even until today, as much to fight as to march.

Therefore, grant to me this mountain, which the Lord has promised in your hearing also, on which are the Anakim, and cities, great and fortified. Perhaps it may be that the Lord will be with me, and I will be able to destroy them, just as he promised to me.”

And Joshua blessed him, and he delivered Hebron to him as a possession.

And from then on, Hebron was for Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, even to the present day. For he followed the Lord, the God of Israel.

Previously, the name Hebron was called Kiriath-Arba. Adam, the greatest among the Anakim, was laid there. And the land ceased from battles.

Footnotes

(a)14:4 Hebron belonged, etc:All the country thereabouts, depending on Hebron, was given to Caleb; but the city itself with the suburbs, was one of those that were given to the priests to dwell in.(Challoner)

These are the inheritances which the children of Israel took in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed to them,

by the lot of their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half-tribe.

For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them.

For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. They gave no portion to the Levites in the land, except cities to dwell in, with their pasture lands for their livestock and for their property.

The children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses, and they divided the land.

Caleb Requests Hebron

Then the children of Judah came near to Joshua in Gilgal. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the thing that the LORD spoke to Moses the man of God concerning me and concerning you in Kadesh Barnea.

I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. I brought him word again as it was in my heart.

Nevertheless, my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where you walked shall be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’

“Now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as he spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. Now, behold, I am eighty-five years old, today.

As yet I am as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me. As my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war, to go out and to come in.

Now therefore give me this hill country, of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and great and fortified cities. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as the LORD said.”

Joshua blessed him; and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.

Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel wholeheartedly.

Now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba, after the greatest man among the Anakim. Then the land had rest from war.