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Joshua Chapter
Fourteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 14
This
chapter proceeds to give an account of the countries divided to the children of
Israel in the land of Canaan
Joshua 14:1; but
previous to that division relates the claim of Caleb to Hebron
through a
promise made unto him by Moses forty five years ago
upon his report of the
good land
whither he was sent a spy by him
Joshua 14:6; and
the grant which Joshua made of it to him
with his blessing
Joshua 14:13.
Joshua 14:1 These
are the areas which the children of Israel inherited in the land of
Canaan
which Eleazar the priest
Joshua the son of Nun
and the heads of the
fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel distributed as an inheritance
to them.
YLT
1And these [are] they [of]
the sons of Israel who inherited in the land of Canaan
whom Eleazar the
priest
and Joshua son of Nun
and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of
the sons of Israel
caused to inherit;
And these are the countries which the children of Israel
inherited in the land of Canaan
.... Of which an exact account is given in
the following chapters
particularly in the Joshua 15:1
which Eleazar the priest
and Joshua the son of Nun
and the heads
of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel
distributed for an
inheritance unto them; namely
ten princes
one of each tribe
who
with Eleazar and
Joshua
were appointed of the Lord by name to do this business
even seven
years ago
before their entrance into the land of Canaan
Numbers 34:17.
Joshua 14:2 2 Their inheritance was
by lot
as the Lord
had commanded by the hand of Moses
for the nine tribes and the half-tribe.
YLT
2by lot [is] their
inheritance
as Jehovah commanded by the hand of Moses
for the nine of the
tribes
and the half of the tribe;
By lot was their inheritance
.... Every tribe had its
part and portion assigned to it
by the casting of lots; which was done to
prevent any future quarrels
animosities and strifes among the tribes
the
disposition being of the Lord; and to show the exact agreement between the lot
and the divine predictions by Jacob and Moses; and to make it appear that the
division of the land was not owing to the private combination of the above men
and their private settlement of it; but to the providence of God
the directors
of the lot; their chief business was to see that the lot was executed in a
faithful manner
and that every tribe had its allotment according to it. In
this Canaan was a type of the heavenly inheritance
which the saints obtain by
lot
in and through Christ
the antitypical Joshua
Ephesians 1:11
as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses
Numbers 26:55
for the nine tribes
and for the half tribe; see Joshua 13:7; the
reason why this number of them is particularly mentioned follows.
Joshua 14:3 3 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 had given no inheritance among them.
YLT
3for Moses hath given the
inheritance of two of the tribes
and of half of the tribe
beyond the Jordan
and to the Levites he hath not given an inheritance in their midst;
And Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes
and an half
tribe
on the other side Jordan
.... The two tribes of Gad and Reuben
and
the half tribe of Manasseh
whose inheritance is described in Joshua 13:8
but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them; this is
frequently observed
that it might be taken notice of
to show the
disinterestedness of Moses in this affair
Levi being his own tribe; and to
recommend the care of the Levites to the other tribes
according to the
provision God had made for them.
Joshua 14:4 4 For the children of Joseph
were two tribes: Manasseh and Ephraim. And they gave no part to the Levites in
the land
except cities to dwell in
with their common-lands for their
livestock and their property.
YLT
4for the sons of Joseph hath
been two tribes
Manasseh and Ephraim
and they have not given a portion to the
Levites in the land
except cities to dwell in
and their suburbs for their
cattle
and for their possessions;
For the children of Joseph were two tribes
Manasseh and Ephraim
.... For the
birthright being forfeited by Reuben
was given to Joseph
who had the double
portion
the privilege of the firstborn; by which means the number of the
twelve tribes was kept up in the division of the land
though that of Levi had
no share in it; and which is also a reason why they had none
that Joseph's two
sons might be reckoned two tribes:
therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land; to make way
for the sons of Joseph to have the double portion:
save cities to dwell in; and that only
for they
might not sell them
as other Israelites could theirs:
with their suburbs
for their cattle
and for their substance; the Targum
is
"for
all their beasts
and for their cattle;'that is
for convenient places to put
them into
and for pasturage for
them; which Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret
of their larger and lesser cattle
their herds and their flocks
their oxen and
sheep.
Joshua 14:5 5 As the Lord had commanded
Moses
so the children of Israel did; and they divided the land.
YLT
5as Jehovah commanded Moses
so have the sons of Israel done
and they apportion the land.
As the Lord commanded Moses
so the children of Israel did
....
Particularly with respect to the division of the land
and making provision for
the Levites; this they did by their heads and representatives
the high priest
and chief ruler
and the princes of the several tribes:
and they divided the land; met about it
and began
to take measures in order to do it; they prepared for it
though as yet it was
not actually done
and previous to it was the following incident.
Joshua 14:6 6 Then the children of Judah
came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to
him: “You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of
God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea.
YLT
6And the sons of Judah come
nigh unto Joshua in Gilgal
and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenezzite saith unto
him
`Thou hast known the word that Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses the man of
God
concerning me and concerning thee in Kadesh-Barnea:
Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal
.... Whither
he was returned after the conquest of the kings and their kingdoms; these were
not the whole tribe of Judah
but some of the chief men of it who accompanied
Caleb
for the honour of him
as Ben Gersom observes
he being their prince;
and to second his petition
and to show their consent unto
and an approbation
of such an assignment to him as he desired:
and Caleb
the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite
said unto him; whether Caleb
or Jephunneh called the Kenezite
and what the reason of the name
are not very
material; and of which See Gill on Numbers 32:12; and
as Caleb was personally and singly concerned in the following affair
he alone
dressed Joshua
attended with some principal men of his tribe:
thou knowest the thing the Lord said unto Moses the man of God
concerning thee and me
in Kadeshbarnea; the place
from whence the spies were sent
and whither they returned to Moses there
of
whom Caleb speaks with great respect and veneration
which he knew would be
very pleasing and endearing to Joshua
who could not but remember what had been
said by him concerning himself and Caleb
though it was now forty five years
ago; it being so very striking and memorable
that only two of that generation
then present should enter into the land of Canaan; the fulfilment of which
in
all its circumstances
they had lived to see.
Joshua 14:7 7 I was forty years
old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh
Barnea to spy out the land
and I brought back word to him as it was in
my heart.
YLT
7a son of forty years [am] I
in Moses
servant of Jehovah
sending me from Kadesh-Barnea
to spy the land
and I bring him back word as with my heart;
Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord
sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land
.... Not he alone
but
eleven more with him
one out of every tribe; his age he mentions
and of
which
or near it
it is highly probable the rest of the spies were
to show
that he and they were in the prime of their days
both as to bodily strength
and intellectual capacity
which were requisite for such service as to spy out
the land
of what quality that and its inhabitants were; and Moses he calls the
servant of the Lord
because it was by the order and appointment of God
signified to Moses
that this was done; and the place from whence they were
sent forth is named
which ascertains what that Kadesh was
where Israel was
encamped when the spies were sent
Numbers 13:26
and I brought him word again
as it was in mine heart; that is
he
gave to Moses upon his return a sincere
honest and faithful representation of
the land
and its inhabitants
as it appeared to him.
Joshua 14:8 8 Nevertheless my brethren
who went up with me made the heart of the people melt
but I wholly followed
the Lord
my God.
YLT
8and my brethren who have
gone up with me have caused the heart of the people to melt
and I have been
fully after Jehovah my God;
Nevertheless
my brethren that went up with me
.... Meaning
the rest of the spies
excepting Joshua
that went up with him into the land of
Canaan to spy it
which they might be properly said to do
since they went up a
hill or mountain
in order to go into it
Numbers 13:17
made the heart of the people melt; discouraged them
filled
them with fears
sunk their spirits
that their hearts flowed
and became as
weak as water
having no strength left in them
or hope of possessing the land;
being told what stout and gigantic men the inhabitants of it were
and how strongly
fortified were their cities:
but I wholly followed the Lord my God; and did not
join with them in an ill report of the good land; but having the fear of God
before his eyes
walked after that
and delivered in his report faithfully
according to the dictates of his conscience
and the real sentiments of his
mind; of this phrase; see Gill on Numbers 14:24.
Joshua 14:9 9 So Moses swore on that
day
saying
‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your
inheritance and your children’s forever
because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’
YLT
9and Moses sweareth in that
day
saying
If not -- the land on which thy foot hath trodden
to thee it is
for inheritance
and to thy sons -- to the age
for thou hast been fully after
Jehovah my God.
And Moses sware on that day
saying
.... Or declared the oath
of the Lord
for it was the Lord that sware to what follows; see Deuteronomy 1:34
surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine
inheritance
and thy children's for ever: not the whole land of
Canaan
nor all the parts of it Caleb travelled through
but particularly
Hebron; which though not expressly mentioned in the aforesaid oath
yet was
understood and known to be the meaning of it
and which Joshua by the following
grant owned
and it is elsewhere expressly affirmed
Judges 1:20; and it
is remarked
that it is not said "they"
but "he" came to
Hebron
Numbers 13:22; that
is Caleb
so that it was literally true that his feet had trodden there: now
the reason of this oath
and the inheritance assured by it to Caleb
was:
because thou hast wholly followed the Lord thy God; in all his
ways
and with full purpose of heart
and particularly had acted the upright
and faithful part in the report he made of the good land; See Gill on Numbers 14:24.
Joshua 14:10 10 And now
behold
the Lord has kept me
alive
as He said
these forty-five years
ever since the Lord spoke this
word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now
here I am this
day
eighty-five years old.
YLT
10`And
now
lo
Jehovah hath
kept me alive
as He hath spoken
these forty and five years
since Jehovah
spake this word unto Moses
when Israel went in the wilderness; and now
lo
I
[am] to-day a son of five and eighty years;
And now
behold
the Lord hath kept me alive
as he said
.... Had
upheld him in life
and preserved him from many dangers in the wilderness; and
had continued him not only in life
but in health to that day
according to his
promise to him
that he would bring him into the land of Canaan
and that he
should see and possess it
Numbers 14:24 Deuteronomy 1:36
these forty and five years
even since the Lord spake this word
unto Moses
and while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness; not that the
children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness forty five years
but it
was while they were in the wilderness this word or promise
concerning Caleb
was spoken by the Lord to Moses; and it was in the second year of their coming
out of Egypt
after which they wandered in the wilderness thirty eight years
so that they had now been in the land of Canaan seven years; and from hence the
Jewish chronologersF19Seder Olam Rabba
c. 11. p. 31. gather
that
the land was seven years in subduing
and which their commentators in general
take notice of. MaimonidesF20Moreh Nevochim
par. 3. c. 50. p. 512.
seems to be displeased with the Arabs for calling the wilderness
through which
the Israelites travelled
"the desert of wandering"; but it appears
from hence to be a very proper epithet of it; and Kadesh the place where they
were first threatened
that they should be wanderers in the wilderness for such
a time
had the additional name of Barnea
which signifies the son of a
wanderer:
and now
lo
I am this day fourscore and five years old; being forty
years of age when sent a spy into the land
Joshua 14:7; thirty
eight years he was with Israel in the wilderness
and seven years more since
they entered into the land
in all eighty five; there is no necessity of
understanding it that this was his precise birth day
but that about this time
or that he was now completely of such an age
which was more by fifteen years
than the age of man in common at that time
see Psalm 90:10.
Joshua 14:11 11 As yet I am as
strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was
then
so now is my strength for war
both for going out and for coming
in.
YLT
11yet [am] I to-day strong as
in the day of Moses' sending me; as my power then
so [is] my power now
for
battle
and to go out
and to come in.
As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day
that Moses sent me
.... To spy the land
forty five years ago; suggesting that he
was as sound in his mind
understanding
judgment and memory
and as hale
strong
and robust in his body now
as he had been so long ago; which was a
wonderful instance of the care of divine Providence over him in upholding him
in life
and continuing him in vigour and health at such an age
when the
carcasses of so many thousands had pined away and fell in the wilderness:
as my strength was then
even so is my strength now
for war; he had the same strength of body and courage of mind to engage
in warlike enterprises as he had so many years ago; and this he the rather
mentions
to prevent any objection Joshua might make to the giving of Hebron to
him
since being inhabited by giants
it required a large share of strength and
courage to attempt the conquest of it: but Caleb had strength
both to go out
and to come in; to do any civil
business
to preside over his tribe
or to govern any city
and its appendages
that should be put into his hands.
Joshua 14:12 12 Now therefore
give me
this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for
you heard in that day how the Anakim were there
and that the
cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be
with me
and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.”
YLT
12`And now
give to me this
hill-country
of which Jehovah spake in that day
for thou didst hear in that
day
for Anakim [are] there
and cities
great
fenced; if so be Jehovah [is]
with me
then I have dispossessed them
as Jehovah hath spoken.'
Now therefore give me this mountain
whereof the Lord spake in
that day
.... The mountainous part of the country
the hill country of
Judea
in which Hebron
Debir
and other cities were; for it was not one
particular city only that Caleb requested
but a large tract of ground:
for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there
and that the cities were great and fenced; that the
giants
called Anakims
dwelt in the mountainous country
and their cities
Hebron
Debir
and Anab
were very large
and well fortified; this Joshua heard
at the time the spies were sent into the land
he being one of them; and this
he heard
not from the report of the spies
but from the people of the country
and therefore must know that to conquer these men
and subdue their cities
was
an arduous undertaking; but since he had strength and courage
he hoped his
request would be granted:
if so be the Lord will be with me; which he
spake not as doubting of his presence and power to be with him
and assist him
but as placing his confidence therein
and
distrusting his own power and
ability
having no dependence or that
but believing that the Lord
or
as the
Targum
the Word of the Lord
would be with him for his help:
then
says Caleb:
I shall be able to drive them out
as the Lord said; that is
to
drive the Anakims out of their cities
or out of the mountains
the caves and
dens there
to which they betook themselves
since the taking of Hebron
Debir
and Anab
by Joshua
Joshua 11:22; and
he relied upon the promise of God to enable him to do this
and not upon his
natural strength and courage
or the number and prowess of the warlike tribe of
Judah
of which he was prince.
Joshua 14:13 13 And Joshua blessed him
and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.
YLT
13And Joshua blesseth him
and giveth Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh for an inheritance
And Joshua blessed him
.... By granting him his
request
congratulating him upon it
and praying for and wishing him success in
his attempt to drive out the giants
and possess their country:
and gave unto Caleb
the son of Jephunneh
Hebron for an
inheritance; being satisfied of the justness of his suit
of its being the
will of God
and the order of Moses
that he should have this for an
inheritance
which he had heard himself
had knowledge of
and well remembered:
this is to be understood not of the city of Hebron itself
for that was given
to the Levites
and was a city of refuge
but the country round about in the
fields and villages annexed to it
as appears from Joshua 21:12.
Joshua 14:14 14 Hebron therefore became
the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day
because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.
YLT
14therefore hath Hebron been
to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenezzite for an inheritance unto this day
because that he was fully after Jehovah
God of Israel;
Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of
Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day
.... The time of the
writing of this book:
because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel; as in Joshua 14:8; Hebron
signifies fellowship or communion; and this in a spiritual sense is very
desirable by all the people of God
as Hebron was by Caleb
even communion with
God
Father
Son and Spirit
with angels and saints
both now and hereafter;
and they are willing to engage with their spiritual enemies in the name and
strength of Christ
though ever so potent
may they but enjoy this blessing
and which is more or less granted
to all the hearty
sincere
and faithful
followers of Christ; see John 14:21.
Joshua 14:15 15 And the name of Hebron
formerly was Kirjath Arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim). Then
the land had rest from war.
YLT
15and the name of Hebron
formerly [is] Kirjath-Arba (he [is] the great man among the Anakim); and the
land hath rest from war.
And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba
.... According
to JeromF21De loc. Heb. fol. 87. F.
it had its name of Hebron from
a son or grandson of Caleb of that name
1 Chronicles 2:42;
and if so
then it is here
and in some other places
so called by
anticipation: Kirjatharba may be rendered "the city of the four"; and
had its name
as some think
from the four couple buried there
or near it
Adam and Eve
Abraham and Sarah
Isaac and Rebekah
Jacob and Leah; or from
four eminent persons
who formerly dwelt there
Aner
Eshcol
Mamre
and
Abraham; or rather from four persons that more lately dwelt there
Anak and his
three sons
Sheshai
Ahiman
and Talmai; or Arba is the name of some great man
to whom this city belonged
and so was called the city of Arba
which is the
sense of our version
as appears by the following supplement:
which Arba was a great man
among the Anakims; both in stature and in dignity
and in authority
which some take
to be Anak himself
the father of the Anakims; so Jarchi and Kimchi:
and the land had rest from war; as is observed in Joshua 11:23; after
Joshua had finished his conquest; and here again it is remarked just before the
division of the land
as being now a proper time for it.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》