Joshua 15:14
in Joshua 15And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Caleb drove out thence the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
KJV
And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
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This verse in Joshua 15
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThese giants having either recovered their cities, or defended themselves in the mountains. Three sons of Anak - Either the same who are mentioned, Num. xiii, 33, and so they were long-lived men, such as mainly were in those times and places: or their sons, called by their father's names, which is very usual.
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".
This site's exposition
three sons of Anak
Joshua 11:21 has already said Joshua cut the Anakim off, and Judges 1:10 credits the defeat of the same three names to Judah. Wesley reconciles the accounts by supposing the giants had recovered their towns or held out in the mountains. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read them as Anakim chiefs.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But who are those sons of vain humility whom Caleb drove out? First Sheshai, which is interpreted "outside me," that is, "outside the holy," because the son of vain humility is outside the holy, and indeed outside God. And another is Ahiman, which means "my brother outside counsel" just as if we said, "brother without counsel." For it is certain all brothers who are born from vain humility are outside counsel. Third is Talmai, which means "precipice" or "suspension." This indicates that there is nothing stable in him, but all things are unsettled and rushing headlong into great danger.
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
): He drove thence the three sons of Anak, he and those that he engaged to assist him in this service. This is mentioned here to show that the confidence he had expressed of success in this affair, through the presence of God with him ( ch. xiv.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
drove thence the three sons of Anak--rather three chiefs of the Anakim race. This exploit is recorded to the honor of Caleb, as the success of it was the reward of his trust in God.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The three sons of Anak - See on Jos 14:15 (note).
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
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.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
According to the word of Adonoy to Yehoshua. As the Holy one, blessed is He, said to Yehoshua. 14 See above:9,10.
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
15 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֤רֶשׁ | vaiyoresh | and he dispossessed | H3423 → | 231 times |
| מִשָּׁם֙ | misham | from there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| כָּלֵ֔ב | kalev | Caleb | H3612 → | 35 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׁלוֹשָׁ֖ה | sheloshah | three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הָעֲנָ֑ק | haanak | <the> Anak | H6061 → | 9 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שֵׁשַׁ֤י | sheshai | Sheshai | H8344 → | |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲחִימַן֙ | ʾachiman | Ahiman | H289 → | |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| תַּלְמַ֔י | talmai | Talmai | H8526 → | |
| יְלִידֵ֖י | yelidei | those born of | H3211 → | |
| הָעֲנָֽק׃ | haanak | <the> Anak | H6061 → | 9 times |
וַיֹּ֤רֶשׁand he dispossessed
vaiyoreshH3423 →231 times
מִשָּׁם֙from there
mishamH8033 →834 times
כָּלֵ֔בCaleb
kalevH3612 →35 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שְׁלוֹשָׁ֖הthree
sheloshahH7969 →432 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] sons of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
הָעֲנָ֑ק<the> Anak
haanakH6061 →9 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שֵׁשַׁ֤יSheshai
sheshaiH8344 →
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
אֲחִימַן֙Ahiman
ʾachimanH289 →
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
תַּלְמַ֔יTalmai
talmaiH8526 →
יְלִידֵ֖יthose born of
yelideiH3211 →
הָעֲנָֽק׃<the> Anak
haanakH6061 →9 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Judges 1:20Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak.
it leads to
- Joshua 15:13–14
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.)
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Judges 1:10
Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba), and they struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
- 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.
- Deuteronomy 1:36
except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land on which he has set foot, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.”
- Joshua 15:13–14
Through
Judges 1:10Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba), and they struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
it leads to
- Numbers 13:22
They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, dwelled. It had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 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.
- Numbers 13:22
Through
Joshua 11:21At that time Joshua proceeded to eliminate the Anakim from the hill country of Hebron, Debir, and Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah and of Israel. Joshua devoted them to destruction,…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 9:2
The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them, and you have heard it said, “Who can stand up to the sons of Anak?”
- Deuteronomy 1:28
Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying: ‘The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the heavens. We even saw…
- Deuteronomy 9:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies9
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 20.5 and The Berean Standard Bible, Joshua 15, with the verses cited in the note.