Joshua 14

¹ This was what the Israelites received as their heritage in Canaan, which was given them as theirheritage by the priest, Eleazar, and by Joshua son of Nun, with the heads of families of the tribes of Israel.

² They received their heritage by lot, as Yahweh had ordered through Moses, as regards the nine tribesand the half-tribe.

³ For Moses himself had given the two-and-a-half tribes their heritage on the further side of the Jordan,although to the Levites he had given no heritage with them.

⁴ Since the sons of Joseph formed two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, no share in the country wasgiven to the Levites, apart from some towns to live in, with their pasture lands for their livestock and theirpossessions.

⁵ The Israelites did as Yahweh had ordered Moses, and shared out the country.

⁶ Some sons of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him,'You know what Yahweh said to Moses, man of God, at Kadesh-Barnea concerning you and me.

⁷ I was forty years old when Moses, servant of Yahweh, sent me from Kadesh-Barnea to reconnoitre thiscountry, and I made him a completely honest report.

⁸ The brothers, however, who had gone up with me discouraged the people, whereas I myselfscrupulously obeyed Yahweh my God.

⁹ That day Moses swore this oath, "Be sure of this, that the country your foot has trodden wil be aheritage for you and your children for ever, since you have scrupulously obeyed Yahweh my God."

¹⁰ From then til now, Yahweh has kept me alive in observance of his promise. It is forty-five years sinceYahweh said this to Moses -- Israel was then going through the desert -- and now I am eighty-five years old.

¹¹ Today I am stil as strong as the day when Moses sent me out on that errand; for fighting, for goingand coming, I am as strong now as then.

¹² It is time you gave me the highlands, of which Yahweh spoke to me that day. You heard that day thatthere were Anakim and large, fortified towns there; but if Yahweh is with me, I shal drive them out, as Yahwehhas said.'

¹³ Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as heritage.

¹⁴ And hence Hebron down to the present day has remained the heritage of Caleb son of Jephunnehthe Kenizzite, since he had scrupulously obeyed Yahweh, God of Israel.

¹⁵ Hebron in olden days was cal ed Kiriath-Arba. Arba had been the greatest of the Anakim. And thecountry had rest from warfare.