Joshua 14: The land is divided by lot, and Caleb asks for Hebron
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Eleazar the priest, Joshua and the heads of the tribes begin to give out the land west of the Jordan by lot to the nine and a half tribes. The people of Judah come to Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb reminds him of the promise Moses made at Kadesh Barnea, forty-five years before: the land Caleb walked on would be his, because he followed Yahweh completely. Now eighty-five and still strong, Caleb asks for the hill country where the Anakim live, and Joshua blesses him and gives him Hebron.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the chapter. Caleb speaks to Joshua in verses 6 to 12, and in verse 9 he repeats what Moses swore to him. Caleb speaks of what Yahweh said, but these are Caleb's words, so no verse is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1These 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,
In plain English: These are the lands the Israelites received as their inheritance 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 Israel gave out to them,
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
2by the lot of their inheritance, as Yahweh commanded by Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half-tribe.
In plain English: by lot for their inheritance, as Yahweh had commanded through Moses (literally: by the hand of Moses), for the nine tribes and the half-tribe.
The Hebrew word: "Lot" is goral, which the dictionary gives as "properly, a pebble, i.e. a lot (small stones being used for that purpose)". The land is given out by drawing lots, as Yahweh told Moses in : "the land shall be divided by lot".
How it is translated: In Joshua this Bible says "lot" in 21 of the 24 verses that use goral, and "lots" in 3.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
3For 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.
In plain English: For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe on the other side of the Jordan. But to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
4For 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.
In plain English: For the descendants of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites were given no share in the land, only cities to live in, with their pasture lands for their livestock and their goods.
Good to know: Verses 3 and 4 explain how the tribes are counted: the Levites get towns to live in but no share of land, and Joseph's descendants count as two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. In Jacob says, "Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
5The children of Israel did as Yahweh commanded Moses, and they divided the land.
In plain English: The Israelites did as Yahweh had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
6Then 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.
In plain English: Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know what Yahweh said to Moses the man of God about me and about you at Kadesh Barnea.
Good to know: Kadesh Barnea is where Moses sent the spies from (). Caleb and Joshua were two of the spies. In Yahweh says the others will not come into the land, "except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun". In Yahweh says of "my servant Caleb" that "he had another spirit with him".
The Hebrew word: "Kenizzite" is qenizzi, which the dictionary gives as "a Kenizzite or descendant of Kenaz". names the Kenizzites among the peoples of the land promised to Abram. The text does not say how Caleb's family is linked to them. names Othniel, of Caleb's family, as "the son of Kenaz".
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
7I 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.
In plain English: I was forty years old when Moses the servant of Yahweh sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. I brought him back word as it was in my heart.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
8Nevertheless, my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed Yahweh my God.
In plain English: But my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt. But I followed Yahweh my God completely (literally: I filled after Yahweh my God).
The Hebrew words: "Wholly followed" is literally "filled after" Yahweh, using male, which the dictionary gives as "to fill".
Good to know: These words are said of Caleb three times in this chapter (verses 8, 9 and 14), and in , and .
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
9Moses 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.’
In plain English: On that day Moses swore, saying, 'The land your foot has walked on will surely be an inheritance for you and for your children forever, because you have followed Yahweh my God completely.'
Good to know: Caleb's words are close to , where Moses tells what Yahweh said: "I will give the land that he has trodden on to him and to his children, because he has wholly followed Yahweh."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
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.
In plain English: "Now look, Yahweh has kept me alive, as he said, these forty-five years, from the time Yahweh spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now look, I am eighty-five years old today.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
11As 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.
In plain English: I am still as strong today as I was on the day Moses sent me. As my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war, and for going out and coming in.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
12Now 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.”
In plain English: So now give me this hill country that Yahweh spoke of on that day. For you heard on that day that the Anakim were there, with great walled cities. Perhaps (this Bible: it may be that) Yahweh will be with me, and I will drive them out, as Yahweh said."
Good to know: The Anakim are the people the spies were afraid of: "we saw the children of Anak there" (), and "we were in our own sight as grasshoppers" ().
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
13Joshua blessed him; and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.
In plain English: Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
14Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he followed Yahweh, the God of Israel wholeheartedly.
In plain English: So Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he followed Yahweh, the God of Israel, completely.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
15Now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba, after the greatest man among the Anakim. Then the land had rest from war.
In plain English: Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba. Arba was the greatest man (or: the great man) among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war.
Good to know: The text gives the reason for the old name: Hebron was once "Kiriath Arba", after Arba, a great man of the Anakim. Kiriath is a form of qiryah, which the dictionary gives as "building; a city". says Kiriath Arba was "named after the father of Anak". says Sarah died "in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron)".
Good to know: "The land had rest from war" are the same words as in .
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.