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The Land West of the Jordan River

14 1-5 (A) Nine and a half tribes still did not have any land, although two and a half tribes had already received land east of the Jordan River. Moses had divided that land among them, and he had also said that the Levi tribe would not receive a large region like the other tribes. Instead, the people of Levi would receive towns and the nearby pastures for their sheep, goats, and cattle. And since the descendants of Joseph had become the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, there were still nine and a half tribes that needed land. The Lord had told Moses that he would show those tribes[a] how to divide up the land of Canaan.

When the priest Eleazar, Joshua, and the leaders of the families and tribes of Israel met to divide up the land of Canaan, the Lord showed them how to do it.

Joshua Gives Hebron to Caleb

(B) One day while the Israelites were still camped at Gilgal, Caleb the son of Jephunneh went to talk with Joshua. Caleb belonged to the Kenaz clan, and many other people from the Judah tribe went with Caleb. He told Joshua:

You know that back in Kadesh-Barnea the Lord talked to his prophet Moses about you and me. (C) I was 40 years old at the time Moses sent me from Kadesh-Barnea into Canaan as a spy. When I came back and told him about the land, everything I said was true. The other spies said things that made our people afraid, but I completely trusted the Lord God. (D) The same day I came back, Moses told me, “Since you were faithful to the Lord God, I promise that the places where you went as a spy will belong to you and your descendants forever.”

10 Joshua, it was 45 years ago that the Lord told Moses to make that promise, and now I am 85. Even though Israel has moved from place to place in the desert, the Lord has kept me alive all this time as he said he would. 11 I'm just as strong today as I was then, and I can still fight as well in battle.

12 So I'm asking you for the hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You were there. You heard the other spies talk about that part of the hill country and the large, walled towns where the Anakim[b] live. But maybe the Lord will help me take their land, just as he promised.

13 Joshua prayed that God would help Caleb, then he gave Hebron to Caleb and his descendants. 14 And Hebron still belongs to Caleb's descendants, because he was faithful to the Lord God of Israel.

15 Hebron used to be called Arba's Town,[c] because Arba had been one of the greatest[d] of the Anakim.

There was peace in the land.

Footnotes

  1. 14.1-5 he would show those tribes: The Hebrew text has “those tribes must cast lots to find out.” Pieces of wood or stone (called “lots”) were used to find out what God wanted his people to do.
  2. 14.12 Anakim: See the note at 11.21.
  3. 14.15 Arba's Town: Or “Kiriath-Arba.”
  4. 14.15 Arba's Town, because … greatest: Hebrew; one ancient translation “Arba's Town. It was one of the main towns.”

Division of the Land West of the Jordan

14 Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance(A) in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar(B) the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel(C) allotted(D) to them.(E) Their inheritances were assigned by lot(F) to the nine and a half tribes,(G) as the Lord had commanded through Moses. Moses had granted the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan(H) but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest,(I) for Joseph’s descendants had become two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim.(J) The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.(K) So the Israelites divided the land, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.(L)

Allotment for Caleb

Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal,(M) and Caleb son of Jephunneh(N) the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God(O) at Kadesh Barnea(P) about you and me.(Q) I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea(R) to explore the land.(S) And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,(T) but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear.(U) I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.(V) So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance(W) and that of your children(X) forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’[a]

10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised,(Y) he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved(Z) about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!(AA) 11 I am still as strong(AB) today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous(AC) to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day.(AD) You yourself heard then that the Anakites(AE) were there and their cities were large and fortified,(AF) but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”

13 Then Joshua blessed(AG) Caleb son of Jephunneh(AH) and gave him Hebron(AI) as his inheritance.(AJ) 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.(AK) 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba(AL) after Arba,(AM) who was the greatest man among the Anakites.)

Then the land had rest(AN) from war.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 14:9 Deut. 1:36

14 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.

By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.

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.

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.

As the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.