Joshua 14:13

14:6-15 Caleb's request is, Give me this mountain, or Hebron, because it was formerly in God's promise to him, and he would let Israel knows how much he valued the promise. Those who live by faith value that which is given by God's promise, far above what is given by his providence only. It was now in the Anakims' possession, and Caleb would let Israel know how little he feared the enemy, and that he would encourage them to push on their conquests. Caleb answered to his name, which signifies all heart. Hebron was settled on Caleb and his heirs, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. Happy are we if we follow him. Singular piety shall be crowned with singular favour.

And Joshua blessed him,.... By granting him his request, congratulating him upon it, and praying for and wishing him success in his attempt to drive out the giants, and possess their country: and gave unto Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, Hebron for an inheritance; being satisfied of the justness of his suit, of its being the will of God, and the order of Moses, that he should have this for an inheritance, which he had heard himself, had knowledge of, and well remembered: this is to be understood not of the city of Hebron itself, for that was given to the Levites, and was a city of refuge, but the country round about in the fields and villages annexed to it, as appears from Joshua 21:12.

Joshua either, 1. Prayed to God to bless and help him according to his own desire. Or, 2. Acknowledged his praiseworthy carriage in the matter of the spies, and the reasonableness of his request. Or, 3. Consented to his desire, and, as it follows, gave it to him; as God’s blessing is oft put for his actual conferring of favours upon men.

13, 14. Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb Hebron for an inheritance—Joshua, who was fully cognizant of all the circumstances, not only admitted the claim, but in a public and earnest manner prayed for the divine blessing to succor the efforts of Caleb in driving out the idolatrous occupiers.

The Anakims had in the course of Joshua's campaigns in the south been expelled from "this mountain," i. e. the mountain country round Hebron, but they had only withdrawn to the neighboring cities of Philistia Joshua 11:22 . Thence, they had, as must be inferred from the text here, returned and reoccupied Hebron, probably when Joshua and the main force of the Israelites had marched northward to deal with Jabin and his confederates. Caleb finally drove out this formidable race and occupied Hebron and its dependent towns and district permanently. See Joshua 15:13 following.

Then Joshua blessed Caleb, i.e., implored the blessing of God upon his undertaking, and gave him Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron is mentioned as the chief city, to which the surrounding country belonged; for Caleb had asked for the mountains ( Joshua 14:9 ), i.e., the mountainous country with and around Hebron, which included, for example, the fortified town of Debir also ( Joshua 15:15 ).

[Bible] 14:13. And Josue blessed him, and gave him Hebron in possession. 14:14. And from that time Hebron belonged to Caleb the son of Jephone the Cenezite, until this present day: because he followed the Lord the God of Israel. 14:15. The name of Hebron before was called Cariath-Arbe: Adam the greatest among the Enacims was laid there and the land rested from wars. Josue Chapter 15 The borders of the lot of Juda. Caleb's portion and conquest. The cities of Juda. 15:1. Now the lot of the children of Juda by their kindreds was this: From the frontier of Edom, to the desert of Sin southward, and to the uttermost part of the south coast. 15:2. Its beginning was from the top of the most salt sea, and from the bay thereof, that looketh to the south. 15:3. And it goeth out towards the ascent of the Scorpion, and passeth on to Sina: and ascendeth into Cadesbarne, and reacheth into Esron, going up to Addar, and compassing Carcaa. 15:4. And from thence passing along into Asemona, and reaching the torrent of Egypt: and the bounds thereof shall be the great sea, this shall be the limit of the south coast. 15:5. But on the east side the beginning shall be the most salt sea even to the end of the Jordan: and towards the north from the bay of the sea unto the same river Jordan. 15:6. And the border goeth up into Beth-Hagla, and passeth by the north into Beth-Araba: going up to the stone of Boen the son of Ruben. 15:7. And reaching as far as the borders of Debara from the valley of Achor, and so northward looking towards Galgal, which is opposite to the ascent of Adommin, on the south side of the torrent, and the border passeth the waters that are called the fountain of the sun: and the goings out thereof shall be at the fountain Rogel. 15:8. And it goeth up by the valley of the son of Ennom on the side of the Jebusite towards the south, the same is Jerusalem: and thence ascending to the top of the mountain, which is over against Geennom to the west in the end of the valley of Raphaim, northward.

[Bible] 14:3. For to two tribes and a half Moses had given possession beyond the Jordan: besides the Levites, who received no land among their brethren: 14:4. But in their place succeeded the children of Joseph divided into two tribes, of Manasses and Ephraim: neither did the Levites receive other portion of land, but cities to dwell in, and their suburbs to feed their beasts and flocks. 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. 14:5. As the Lord had commanded Moses so did the children of Israel, and they divided the land. 14:6. Then the children of Juda came to Josue in Galgal, and Caleb the son of Jephone the Cenezite spoke to him: Thou knowest what the Lord spoke to Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Cadesbarne. 14:7. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Cadesbarne, to view the land, and I brought him word again as to me seemed true, 14:8. But my brethren, that had gone up with me, discouraged the heart of the people: and I nevertheless followed the Lord my God. 14:9. And Moses swore in that day, saying: The land which thy foot hath trodden upon shall be thy possession, and thy children for ever, because thou hast followed the Lord my God. 14:10. The Lord therefore hath granted me life, as he promised until this present day, It is forty and five years since the Lord spoke this word to Moses, when Israel journeyed through the wilderness: this day I am eighty-five years old, 14:11. As strong as I was at that time when I was sent to view the land: the strength of that time continueth in me until this day, as well to fight as to march. 14:12. Give me therefore this mountain, which the Lord promised, in thy hearing also, wherein are the Enacims, and cities great and strong: if so be the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to destroy them, as he promised me.

And my brethren that had gone up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed Jehovah my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, The land whereon thy feet have trodden shall assuredly be thine inheritance, and thy children`s for ever! for thou hast wholly followed Jehovah my God. And now behold, Jehovah has kept me alive, as he said, these forty-five years, since Jehovah spoke this word to Moses, when Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still this day strong, as 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. And now give me this mountain, of which Jehovah spoke in that day; for thou heardest in that day that Anakim are there, and great fortified cities. If so be Jehovah shall be with me, then I shall dispossess them, as Jehovah said. And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed Jehovah the God of Israel. Now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-Arba; the great man among the Anakim. And the land rested from war. Chapter 15 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was: to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin, southward, in the extreme south.