Joshua 14

1Now 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.

2Their inheritance was assigned by lot for the nine and a half tribes, as Yahweh had commanded through Moses.

3For 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.

4The 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.

5So the Israelites did as Yahweh had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.

6Then the sons of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what Yahweh said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh-barnea about you and me.

7I was forty years old when Moses the servant of Yahweh sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back to him an honest report.

8Although my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to Yahweh my God.

9On that day Moses swore to me, saying, ‘Surely the land on which you have set foot will be an inheritance to you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed Yahweh my God.’

10Now behold, as Yahweh 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,

11still 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.

12Now therefore give me this hill country that Yahweh promised me on that day, for you yourself heard then that the Anakim were there, with great and fortified cities. Perhaps with Yahweh’s help I will drive them out, as Yahweh has spoken.”

13Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.

14Therefore Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance to this day, because he wholly followed Yahweh, the God of Israel.

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