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Caleb’s Inheritance

Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal, and (A)Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which Yahweh spoke to Moses the man of God concerning [a]you and me in Kadesh-barnea. I was forty years old when (B)Moses the servant of Yahweh sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless, my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people [b]melt with fear; but (C)I followed Yahweh my God fully. So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely (D)the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your children forever because you have followed Yahweh my God fully.’ 10 So now behold, Yahweh has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that Yahweh spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; so now behold, I am eighty-five years old today. 11 (E)I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for (F)going out and coming in. 12 So now, give me this hill country about which Yahweh spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that (G)Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps Yahweh will be with me, and I will dispossess them as Yahweh has spoken.”

13 So Joshua (H)blessed him and (I)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 until this day because he fully followed Yahweh, the God of Israel. 15 Now the name of Hebron was formerly [c]Kiriath-arba; for Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. (J)Then the land was quiet from war.

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 14:6 Lit me and concerning you
  2. Joshua 14:8 Lit become demoralized
  3. Joshua 14:15 Lit the city of Arba

Caleb receives Hebron

In Gilgal, the people of Judah approached Joshua. Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses, man of God, about you and me when we were in Kadesh-barnea. I was 40 years old when Moses the Lord’s servant sent me from Kadesh-barnea to scout out the land. I brought back a report to him of what I really thought. My companions who had gone up with me made the people’s heart melt. But I remained loyal to the Lord my God. So Moses pledged on that day, ‘The land on which you have walked will forever be a legacy for you and your children. This is because you remained loyal to the Lord my God.’ 10 Now look. The Lord has kept me alive, exactly as he promised. It is forty-five years since the Lord spoke about this to Moses. It was while Israel was journeying in the desert. Now look. Today I’m 85 years old. 11 I’m just as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. My strength then was as my strength is now, whether for war or for everyday activities. 12 So now, give me this highland that the Lord promised me that day. True, the Anakim are there with large fortified cities, as you yourself heard that day. But if the Lord is with me, I should be able to remove them, exactly as the Lord promised.”

13 So Joshua blessed him. He gave Hebron to Caleb, Jephunneh’s son, as a legacy. 14 So Hebron still belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as a legacy today. This was because he remained loyal to the Lord God of Israel. 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath-arba. Arba had been the greatest of the Anakim.) Then the land rested from war.

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