Joshua 14
EasyEnglish Bible
14 Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the Israelite clans gave different parts of the land to each tribe of Israel. This tells about the land that each tribe received. 2 The leaders used lots to decide which parts of the land God had chosen for each of the 9½ tribes. This is what the Lord had told Moses to do. 3 Moses had already given land east of the Jordan River to the other 2½ tribes. But he had not given any land to the Levites. 4 The descendants of Joseph had now become two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim.[a] The leaders gave the Levites towns to live in, with enough land near them to feed their animals. 5 The leaders of the Israelites gave a part of the land to each tribe, as the Lord had told Moses to do.
Joshua gives Hebron to Caleb
6 Some of the men of Judah's tribe came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb spoke to Joshua. He was the son of Jephunneh, a Kenizzite man. Caleb said, ‘You know what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me, at Kadesh-Barnea. 7 I was 40 years old when Moses sent me from there to explore the land of Canaan. I brought back to him a true report. I was sure that we could take the land. 8 The other men who went with me made the people afraid. But I continued to trust the Lord my God. 9 So Moses made a promise to me on that day. He said, “The land that your feet have walked on will always belong to you and to your children. That is because you have trusted the Lord your God.”[b]
10 The Lord has kept me alive for 45 years since Moses said this. During that time, the Israelites were travelling in the desert. Now I am 85 years old. 11 I am still as strong as I was on the day that Moses sent me out. I can fight as well now as I could then. 12 So please give to me this hill country that the Lord promised to me. You heard that the Anakites were living there then, in large, strong cities. But the Lord will help me to chase them out, as he has promised to do.’
13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb, Jephunneh's son. Joshua gave Hebron to him as his part of the land. 14 So since that day, Hebron has belonged to Caleb, son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite. He continued to trust the Lord, Israel's God. So Joshua gave him the land that he wanted. 15 (Before that, Hebron had been called ‘Kiriath Arba’. Arba was a famous Anakite.)
After that, there were no more battles in Canaan.
Footnotes
- 14:4 Manasseh and Ephraim were Joseph's sons.
- 14:9 See Numbers 13:26-33 and Deuteronomy 1:34-36.
Joshua 14
New Life Version
14 These are the lands which the people of Israel received in the land of Canaan. They were given to them as a gift by Eleazar the religious leader, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the families of the people of Israel. 2 Their share was decided upon by drawing names, as the Lord told Moses, for the nine families and the half-family group. 3 For Moses had given land to the two families and the half-family group east of the Jordan. But he did not give land to the Levites among them. 4 Because the sons of Joseph were two families, Manasseh and Ephraim. And they did not give part of the land to the Levites. They only gave them cities to live in, with fields for their animals and whatever they had. 5 The people of Israel did just as the Lord had told Moses. They divided the land.
6 Then the sons of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God about you and me in Kadesh-barnea. 7 I was forty years old when the Lord’s servant Moses sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land. I returned with news for him as it was in my heart. 8 My brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people weak with fear. But I followed the Lord my God with all my heart. 9 So Moses promised on that day, ‘For sure the land where your foot has stepped will be a gift to you and your children forever. Because you have followed the Lord my God with all your heart.’ 10 Now see, the Lord has let me live, as He said, these forty-five years since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel walked in the desert. Today I am eighty-five years old. 11 I am as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me. I am as strong now as I was then, for war, or for anything. 12 So now give me this hill country the Lord spoke about on that day. For you heard then that big powerful men were there, with strong cities with high walls. If the Lord will be with me, I will drive them out just as the Lord said.”
13 So Joshua prayed that God would favor him. And he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his share. 14 Hebron became the land of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day. Because he followed the Lord God of Israel with all his heart. 15 The name of Hebron had been Kiriath-arba. For Arba was the most powerful among the big powerful men. Then the land had rest from war.
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