Joshua 14:6-15

Joshua 14:6-15

[6] Then the children  of Judah  came  unto Joshua  in Gilgal:  and Caleb  the son  of Jephunneh  the Kenezite  said  unto him, Thou knowest  the thing  said  unto Moses  the man  of God  concerning me  in Kadeshbarnea.  [7] Forty  years  old  was I when Moses  the servant  of the LORD  sent  me from Kadeshbarnea  to espy out  the land;  him word  again  as it was in mine heart.  [8] Nevertheless my brethren  that went up  with me made the heart  of the people  melt:  but I wholly  followed  the LORD  my God.  [9] And Moses  sware  on that day,  saying,  Surely the land  whereon thy feet  have trodden  shall be thine inheritance,  and thy children's  for  ever,  because thou hast wholly  followed  the LORD  my God.  [10] And now, behold, the LORD  hath kept me alive,  as he said,  these forty  and five  years,  even since  the LORD  spake  this word  unto Moses,  while the children of Israel  wandered  in the wilderness:  and now, lo, I am this day  fourscore  and five  years  old.  [11] As yet I am as strong  this day  that Moses  sent  me: as my strength  now, for war,  both to go out,  and to come in.  [12] Now therefore give  me this mountain,  whereof the LORD  spake  in that day;  for thou heardest  in that day  how the Anakims  were there, and that the cities  were great  and fenced:  if so be  the LORD  will be with  me, then I shall be able to drive them out,  as the LORD  said.  [13] And Joshua  blessed  him, and gave  unto Caleb  the son  of Jephunneh  Hebron  for an inheritance.  [14] Hebron  therefore became the inheritance  of Caleb  the son  of Jephunneh  the Kenezite  unto this day,  because that he wholly  followed  the LORD  God  of Israel.  [15] And the name  of Hebron  before  was Kirjatharba;  which Arba was a great  man  among the Anakims.  And the land  had rest  from war. 

What does Joshua 14:6-15 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Before the casting of lots began, Caleb came to Joshua with his fellow tribesmen from Judah to request the inheritance that Moses had promised him ( Joshua 14:9; Deuteronomy 1:36; cf. Numbers 14:26-38). Moses had promised Caleb land in Canaan but had not specified its location. The reason for this special blessing was Caleb"s faithfulness to God when he served as one of the12spies. Joshua also received a personal allotment later ( Joshua 19:49-50).
"Caleb represents all of Israel as one who receives an allotment and takes the land for himself." [1]
Caleb was a member of the clan in Judah called the Kenizzites ( Joshua 14:6; Joshua 14:14). He was probably not a descendant of the Kenizzites who were early inhabitants of Canaan ( Genesis 15:19). Another view is that the early Canaanite Kenizzites joined the tribe of Judah before the Exodus. [2]
The references to Caleb"s age enable us to determine the length of the conquest of Canaan. Caleb had received the promise of a portion in the land at Kadesh Barnea38 years before the Israelites crossed the Jordan and entered Canaan ( Numbers 14:24). Caleb was40 years old then ( Joshua 14:7). He was now85 ( Joshua 14:10). Forty-five years had elapsed, and Caleb had spent38 of them in the wilderness. Therefore the conquest must have taken the remaining seven years.
The portion Caleb requested was within the tribal allotment of Judah, his tribe. He asked for part of the hill country that the giants who had discouraged his fellow spies still inhabited. In making his request ( Joshua 14:12), Caleb referred to the very things that the unbelieving spies had pointed out to discourage the Israelites from entering the land: hill country, Anakim, and large fortified cities (cf. Numbers 13:28-29). Joshua gave him the town of Hebron that was, and still Isaiah , an important city. The notation that the ancient name of Hebron was Kiriath-arba, the city of Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim (giants), is significant ( Joshua 14:15). It recalls God"s faithfulness in giving this giant"s city to Caleb, who had believed God could do Song of Solomon 45 years earlier.
Caleb was still strong in faith as well as in body, even though he was old. He continued to trust in God to fulfill His promise concerning the land rather than in his personal physical ability to take it from the enemy. His name means "according to the heart."
"It would have been natural for Caleb to ask for a "soft spot"-a portion of land already conquered where he could settle down and spend the rest of his life raising a few vegetables or flowers. Instead, at85 , he asked for the very section that had struck terror into the hearts of the ten spies....
"This courageous old warrior, who did not expect to receive his inheritance without exerting himself, is a splendid example for an age which increasingly looks for cradle-to-casket protection." [3]
John Cawood identified Caleb"s outstanding features as uncompromising convictions, unreserved commitment, unalterable courage, and unwavering confidence. [4]
" Joshua 14thus sets forth two major points, which continue to have value for the people of God. Life in all its dimensions is to be lived according to the plans set forth by God, not by the greedy, selfish plans designed by man. Blessing comes ultimately to the man who totally follows God." [5]