UNROLL
At dawn in the hill country of Hebron, an old man with a staff, seen from behind, stands on a rocky ridge among old vines, looking across a deep valley to a walled town on a rounded hill.

The Book of

Joshua 14

Forty-five years after the spies came home, the old spy asks for the hardest hill in the land.

15 verses≈ 3 min3 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–5Crossing overInto the land
  2. 6–12Taking the landThe LORD fights for Israel
  3. 13–21Dividing the landAn inheritance for each tribeChapter 14
  4. 22–24Choose this dayServe the LORD

Land Division West of the Jordan

Now these are the portions that the Israelites inherited in the land of Canaan, as distributed by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of Israel. Their inheritance was assigned by lot for the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

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For Moses had given the inheritance east of the Jordan to the other two and a half tribes. But he granted no inheritance among them to the Levites.

The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion of the land was given to the Levites, except for cities in which to live, along with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.

So the Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.

How the land was divided

Promised toAbrahamthe land for hisoffspringEast: givenby MosesReuben, Gad, halfManassehWest: lotsat GilgalJudah, Ephraim,ManassehThen atShilohthe other seventribesLevi: no landtowns, and the LORDtheir shareEvery tribe ahomenot one promise failed

Whiteboard

The land God promised Abraham was shared out in stages. Before he died, Moses gave the land east of the Jordan to Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh (chapter 13). West of the Jordan, Eleazar and Joshua cast lots, first at Gilgal for Judah and Joseph’s two tribes (14–17), then at Shiloh for the other seven (18–19). Levi received no territory, only towns to live in with their pasturelands, and the LORD Himself as their share (21). In the end every tribe had a home, and not one of God’s promises had failed (21:45).

Caleb Requests Hebron

Caleb

Although my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to the LORD my God.

Joshua 14:8

Caleb
Caleb

Now behold, as the LORD promised, He has kept me alive these forty-five years since He spoke this word to Moses, while Israel wandered in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old, still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. As my strength was then, so it is now for war, for going out, and for coming in.

Reflect

Forty-five years

Caleb waited forty-five years for one promise. He watched a whole generation die in the wilderness, then fought for years beside Joshua, and never let go. At eighty-five he could say, “as the LORD promised, He has kept me alive.” What promise of God are you still waiting on? Write it down, and next to it what wholehearted trust would look like this week while you wait. Then pray: Lord, keep me loyal to You for as long as You keep me waiting.

Caleb
Caleb

Now therefore give me this hill country that the LORD promised me on that day, for you yourself heard then that the Anakim were there, with great and fortified cities. Perhaps with the LORD’s help I will drive them out, as the LORD has spoken.”

At Gilgal in morning light, old Joshua rests his hand on old Caleb’s shoulder in blessing, both white-bearded in plain cloaks, the men of Judah standing behind.

Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. Therefore Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance to this day, because he wholly followed the LORD, the God of Israel.

0:13

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

(Hebron used to be called Kiriath-arba, after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim.) Then the land had rest from war.

Question

Quick question

Caleb counts the years for Joshua before he asks for his inheritance.

How old was Caleb when he asked Joshua for Hebron?

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Joshua 14

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A verse to carry with you

Although my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to the LORD my God.

Joshua 14:8

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