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The Land Allotted West of the Jordan

14 These are the territories that the Israelites[a] inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of the Israelites[b] gave as an inheritance to them. Their inheritance was by lot, just as Yahweh commanded through the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe. For Moses had given an inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan, but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them. For the descendants[c] of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and they did not give a plot of ground to the Levites in the land, only cities to live in, with their pastureland for their flocks and for their goods. Just as Yahweh commanded Moses, so the Israelites[d] did; and they allotted the land.

Caleb Receives Hebron

Then the descendants[e] of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal; and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word that Yahweh said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea concerning you and me. I was forty years old[f] when Moses Yahweh’s servant sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I returned with an honest report.[g] My companions who went up with me made the hearts[h] of the people melt, but I remained true to Yahweh my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land that your foot has trodden on will be an inheritance to you and your sons forever, because you remained true to Yahweh my God.’ 10 So then, look, Yahweh has kept me alive just as he promised these forty-five years,[i] from the time that Yahweh spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered[j] in the wilderness. Now look, today I am eighty-five years old.[k] 11 Today I am still strong, just as on the day that Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so now also is my strength for war and for daily activities.[l] 12 So now give me this hill country that Yahweh spoke of on that day, for you heard on that day that the Anakites were there, with great and fortified cities. Perhaps Yahweh is with me, and I will drive them out just as Yahweh promised.”[m]

13 And Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. 14 Thus Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he remained true to Yahweh the God of Israel. 15 And the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath Arba;[n] Arba was the greatest person among the Anakites. And the land rested from war.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 14:1 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  2. Joshua 14:1 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  3. Joshua 14:4 Or “sons”
  4. Joshua 14:5 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  5. Joshua 14:6 Or “sons”
  6. Joshua 14:7 Literally “I was a son of forty years
  7. Joshua 14:7 Literally “with a word just as was with my heart”
  8. Joshua 14:8 Hebrew “heart”
  9. Joshua 14:10 Hebrew “year”
  10. Joshua 14:10 Literally “went”
  11. Joshua 14:10 Literally “I am a son of eighty-five years
  12. Joshua 14:11 Literally “for going out and for coming in
  13. Joshua 14:12 Or “said”
  14. Joshua 14:15 Or “the city of Arba”

14 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh commanded Moses, and they divided the land.

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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh my God.’

10 “Now, behold, Yahweh has kept me alive, as he spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that Yahweh spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. Now, behold, I am eighty-five years old, today. 11 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. 12 Now therefore give me this hill country, of which Yahweh spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and great and fortified cities. It may be that Yahweh will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as Yahweh said.”

13 Joshua blessed him; and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. 14 Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he followed Yahweh, the God of Israel wholeheartedly. 15 Now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba, after the greatest man among the Anakim. Then the land had rest from war.