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Joshua 15:13

in Joshua 15

According to the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah—Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Jehovah to Joshua, even Kiriath-arba, which Arba was the father of Anak (the same is Hebron).

KJV

And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.

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This verse in Joshua 15

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion

on Joshua 15:13-15

Caleb receives Hebron by the LORD's command rather than by lot, discharging the promise of Numbers 14:24 that he claimed at Joshua 14:12. The three he drives out are the three the spies saw at Hebron in Numbers 13:22, when the report said the land "devours its inhabitants".

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Origen of Alexandria

HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 20.5 · Written before 253.

proposed

First, therefore, let us investigate why Caleb received the capital city, the capital of Anak, the one first called a capital among all the rest in the land of promise. Anak means "vain humility" or "vain reply." Therefore, Caleb received the capital of "vain humility." It is certain that there are two humilities. One is laudable, about which the Savior said, "Learn from me because I am meek and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls."

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah,.... That is, Joshua gave it to him.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua. Though Caleb, in his petition, had made out a very good title to it by promise, yet, because God had ordered Joshua to divide the land by lot, he would not in this one single instance, no, not to gratify his old friend Caleb, do otherwise, without orders from God, whose oracle, it is probable, he consulted upon this occasion.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

And unto Caleb - he gave a part - See the notes on Jos 14:14, etc.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

According to the word of Adonoy to Yehoshua. As the Holy one, blessed is He, said to Yehoshua. 14 See above:9,10.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Joshua 15:13:1, via Sefaria, The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And Caleiv drove out from there. This happened after the death of Yehoshua, for during the days of Yehoshua Chevron had not yet been captured, as it is said in the book of Shoftim. 15 See Shoftim:20.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Joshua 15:14:1, via Sefaria, The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

19 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וּלְכָלֵ֣בand to Caleb

    ulekhalevH3612 →35 times

  • בֶּן־[the] son of

    ben-H1121 →4930 times

  • יְפֻנֶּ֗הJephunneh

    yefunehH3312 →16 times

  • נָ֤תַןsomeone gave

    natanH5414 →2011 times

  • חֵ֙לֶק֙a portion

    chelekH2506 →67 times

  • בְּת֣וֹךְin among

    betokhH8432 →418 times

  • בְּנֵֽי־[the] descendants of

    benei-H1121 →4930 times

  • יְהוּדָ֔הJudah

    yehudahH3063 →819 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • פִּ֥י[the] mouth of

    piH6310 →498 times

  • יְהוָ֖הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • לִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֑עַto Joshua

    lihoshua'H3091 →218 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • קִרְיַ֥תKiriath

    kiryatH7153 →18 times

  • אַרְבַּ֛עArba

    ʾarba'H7153 →18 times

  • אֲבִ֥י[the] father of

    ʾaviH1 →1212 times

  • הָעֲנָ֖ק<the> Anak

    haanakH6061 →9 times

  • הִ֥יאthat

    hi'H1931 →1879 times

  • חֶבְרֽוֹן׃[is] Hebron

    chevronH2275 →72 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

13 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Joshua 14:15(Hebron used to be called Kiriath-arba, after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim.) Then the land had rest from war.4 worksJoshua 10:36Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it.4 works1 Samuel 30:14We raided the Negev of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we burned down Ziklag.”4 worksJoshua 14:13Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.3 worksJoshua 15:54Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—nine cities, along with their villages.3 works1 Chronicles 6:56But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.3 works
The other 7 cross-references, with their words ▾
Genesis 35:27Jacob returned to his father Isaac at Mamre, near Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.3 worksNumbers 13:30Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly conquer it!”2 worksNumbers 14:23–24not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it.2 worksDeuteronomy 1:34–36When the LORD heard your words, He grew angry and swore an oath, saying,2 worksJoshua 14:6–15Then the sons of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh-barnea about you and me.2 works1 Chronicles 6:55They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands.2 works1 Samuel 25:3His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.-1 works

The walk

5 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Numbers 13:30

    Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly conquer it!”

    it leads to

    • Numbers 14:24

      But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it.

    • Romans 8:31

      What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

    • Philippians 4:13

      I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

    • Psalms 60:12

      With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies.

    • Numbers 14:6–9

      Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes

Where this verse is studied

About Joshua

Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon, John Martin, 1816, National Gallery of Art. Public domain.
Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon, John Martin, 1816, National Gallery of Art. Public domain.
Joshua: the study guide →Read Joshua 15 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 20.5.

Read on in Joshua 15 →