Joshua 14

1 And 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;

Eleazar the Supreme Priest, Joshua, and the leaders of the [twelve] tribes repeated what land would be allotted to each of the Israeli tribes in Canaan.

2 their inheritance [is] by lot, as YHWH commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe;

Yahweh had told Moses many years previously in what way he wanted the division of the land to be decided. Moses had already declared that two and a half tribes would be allotted land on the east side of the Jordan [River]. Joseph had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. [Half of the tribe descended from Manasseh was allotted land on the east side of the Jordan, along with the tribes of Reuben and Gad]. The people belonging to the nine and a half other tribes [on the west side of the Jordan River] threw (lots/stones that had been marked) to decide which land each tribe would receive. The tribe of Levi was not allotted any land. They received only towns [that already existed], towns in which to live, and (pastures/fields of grass) for their animals.

3 for Moses has given the inheritance of two of the tribes, and of half of the tribe, beyond the Jordan, and he has not given an inheritance to the Levites in their midst;

4 for the sons of Joseph have 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 outskirts for their livestock, and for their possessions;

5 as YHWH commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel have done, and they apportion the land.

6 And the sons of Judah come near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenezzite says to him, “You have known the word that YHWH has spoken to Moses, the man of God, concerning me and concerning you in Kadesh-Barnea:

One day some men from the tribe of Judah went to Joshua while he and all the Israelis were at Gilgal. Among those men was Jephunneh’s son Caleb. He said to Joshua, “[I am sure that] you remember what Yahweh said to the prophet Moses about you and me when we were at Kadesh-Barnea.

7 I [was] a son of forty years in Moses, servant of YHWH, sending me from Kadesh-Barnea, to spy out the land, and I bring him back word as with my heart;

I was 40 years old at that time. Moses sent me [and you and some other men] to explore this land. When we returned, I gave to Moses a true report [IDM] about what we had seen.

8 and my brothers who have gone up with me have caused the heart of the people to melt, and I have been fully after my God YHWH;

The other men who went with us [gave a report that] caused the people to be afraid [IDM]. But I fully/completely believed [that] Yahweh [would enable us to take the land from the people who lived there].

9 and Moses swears in that day, saying, Nevertheless—the land on which your foot has trodden, it is to you for an inheritance, and to your sons—for all time, for you have been fully after my God YHWH.

So on that day, Moses solemnly promised me, ‘[Some of] the land on which you walked will become yours. It will belong to your descendants forever. I am giving it to you because you fully trusted in Yahweh, my God.’

10 And now, behold, YHWH has kept me alive, as He has spoken, these forty-five years, since YHWH spoke this word to Moses when Israel went in the wilderness; and now, behold, I [am] a son of eighty-five years today;

“Now Yahweh has done for me what he promised. Forty-five years have passed since Moses said that to me during the time that we were wandering around in the desert. And just like Yahweh promised, he has kept me alive and well all during that time. Now I am eighty-five years old.

11 yet today I [am] strong as in the day of Moses’ sending me; as my power [was] then, so [is] my power now, for battle, and to go out, and to come in.

I am as strong today as I was on the day that Moses sent me [to explore this land]. I am as ready to fight now as I was then.

12 And now, give this hill-country to me, of which YHWH spoke in that day, for you heard in that day, for Anakim [are] there, and great, fortified cities; if [it] so be [that] YHWH [is] with me, then I have dispossessed them, as YHWH has spoken.”

So please give me the hilly area that Yahweh promised to give to me at that time long ago. At that time, you heard [me say] that the Amalek people-group lived there. You heard me say that their cities were large, and they had walls around them [to protect them from attacks by their enemies]. But now, Yahweh will help me, and as a result I will force them to leave, just like Yahweh said would happen.”

13 And Joshua blesses him, and gives Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh for an inheritance,

So Joshua [asked God to] bless Caleb, and he gave to Caleb [the city of] Hebron.

14 therefore Hebron has been to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenezzite for an inheritance to this day, because that he was fully after YHWH, God of Israel;

Previously that city was called Kiriath-Arba, because Arba was the greatest man among the Amalek people-group. Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb, because Caleb completely/fully trusted in Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], and obeyed him. After that happened, there was (peace/no battles) in [Canaan] land [for many years].

15 and the name of Hebron [was] formerly Kirjath-Arba (the man [was] the greatest among the Anakim); and the land has rest from war.