Portion for Reading Joshua 13-15Was Hebron Reconquered by Caleb? (Joshua 14)
When we come to the section on Caleb taking Hebron, a question arises. It seems like Caleb is reconquering Hebron after it had already been conquered by Joshua. Look at the relevant passages: Numbers13-14
Ten spies report to Moses that the inhabitants of Canaan are too fearsome, but Caleb, along with Joshua, says, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."
Joshua10:5-27
Joshua10:5-27
King of Hebron joins an Amorite confederation with four other kings to destroy the Israelites. The king is captured and many in his army are killed, though some escape to their city.
10:36-37
Joshua's army attacks Hebron, Debir, and the surrounding villages, and kills their inhabitants.
11:21-22
Joshua destroys the Anakites from Hebron and the hill country, only a few flee to the Philistines.14:6-15
Caleb drives out the Anakites from the hill country around Hebron and inherits the city.
15:13-19
Caleb's son-in-law takes Debir.
How do we explain this? Was it taken once, or twice, or more often than that? None of us was there, of course. First, let's examine how the Book of Joshua is laid out. This is the division of the central portion:
10:36-37
Joshua's army attacks Hebron, Debir, and the surrounding villages, and kills their inhabitants.
11:21-22
Joshua destroys the Anakites from Hebron and the hill country, only a few flee to the Philistines.14:6-15
Caleb drives out the Anakites from the hill country around Hebron and inherits the city.
15:13-19
Caleb's son-in-law takes Debir.
How do we explain this? Was it taken once, or twice, or more often than that? None of us was there, of course. First, let's examine how the Book of Joshua is laid out. This is the division of the central portion:
Conquering the Land
10:1-28 The 5 Amorite kings are defeated
10:29-43 Southern cities conquered
11:1-23 Northern cities conquered
12:1-24 Defeated kings listed
10:1-28 The 5 Amorite kings are defeated
10:29-43 Southern cities conquered
11:1-23 Northern cities conquered
12:1-24 Defeated kings listed
Dividing the Land
13:1-7 Land still to be taken
13:8-33 Division of the land east of Jordan
13:1-7 Land still to be taken
13:8-33 Division of the land east of Jordan
chs 14-19 Division of the land west of Jordan
chs 20-21 Appointing Cities of Refuge and Levitical Towns
chs 20-21 Appointing Cities of Refuge and Levitical Towns
First, the writer of Joshua tells the stories of the conquering of the land; then he describes the division of the land. I see two possibilities about the sequence of events:
Possibility One: that Hebron was conquered by Joshua's army initially, but the inhabitants returned when the armies left, and needed to be dislodged again by Caleb when he was ready to take possession.
This apparently happened to Jerusalem (which was called Jebus). The king of Jerusalem was captured and killed by Joshua (11:22-26), though some of the fleeing army were able to reach the fortified city of Jerusalem (11:20). But in Joshua's time the Israelites were not able to take Jerusalem (15:63; Judges 1:21); the city was only occupied by David centuries later (2 Samuel 5:6), though Jebusites still owned property in the city after its capture (2 Samuel 24:18-25).
We are told that some of the Anakite giants escaped to the Philistines (11:21-22). So it is possible that they and other scattered residents returned to Hebron and occupied it again after Joshua's army left.
We are told that some of the Anakite giants escaped to the Philistines (11:21-22). So it is possible that they and other scattered residents returned to Hebron and occupied it again after Joshua's army left.
Possibility Two: that the account of Caleb's driving out of the Anakites (14:12; 15:14) took place under Joshua's generalship. Joshua is given credit, though his lieutenants fought the actual battles. (Woudstra, p. 197, footnote 14, considers this a possibility, though he sees a reconquering of Hebron.)
This scenario is attractive to me, since it would underscore the completeness of Joshua's victory (11:21-23). Nor is Hebron listed among the land still to be taken (13:2-5).
According to this explanation, the reason why the account of Caleb taking Hebron is given later is because it relates to Caleb's claim on the hill country around Hebron, rather than to the conquest of the land.
According to this explanation, the reason why the account of Caleb taking Hebron is given later is because it relates to Caleb's claim on the hill country around Hebron, rather than to the conquest of the land.
I think it is probable that:
The land was not taken in just a year or two. This was an extended campaign that went on for a number of years. Joshua 11:18 indicates that "Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time." If the Israelites wandered in the desert 38 years (Deuteronomy 2:14), and Caleb was 40 at the time of the spy mission, and 45 in 14:10, then the period of the Conquest was about seven years, though we can't be certain. (So Woudstra, Joshua, pp. 195-196)
All 600,000 men weren't constantly at war. Many of them had to be involved with farming to provide for their families and for the army.
The land was not taken in just a year or two. This was an extended campaign that went on for a number of years. Joshua 11:18 indicates that "Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time." If the Israelites wandered in the desert 38 years (Deuteronomy 2:14), and Caleb was 40 at the time of the spy mission, and 45 in 14:10, then the period of the Conquest was about seven years, though we can't be certain. (So Woudstra, Joshua, pp. 195-196)
All 600,000 men weren't constantly at war. Many of them had to be involved with farming to provide for their families and for the army.
The land was probably occupied as it was conquered, at least with garrisons of troops. We aren't told about this in the Scriptural account, however.
In the final analysis, it doesn't matter greatly which way it went. We know in our own personal spiritual battles, that sometimes ground that we conquered early in our Christian lives is lost because we failed to occupy it fully, and must be re-won. The battle is not over until we have fully occupied the ground. Then we must continue to watchfully defend it.
In the final analysis, it doesn't matter greatly which way it went. We know in our own personal spiritual battles, that sometimes ground that we conquered early in our Christian lives is lost because we failed to occupy it fully, and must be re-won. The battle is not over until we have fully occupied the ground. Then we must continue to watchfully defend it.
Caleb's Bold Claim (14:6-15)
We read in 14:6, "Now the men of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, 'You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me....'" Caleb was the spy-leader from the tribe of Judah 40 years before. He is still his tribe's spokesman as he speaks to his old comrade-in-arms, Joshua.
Before the land west of the Jordan is distributed by lot, Caleb stakes his own claim, based on the promise made to him by Moses and confirmed by oath (though we do not have a record elsewhere of Moses' promise).
We read in 14:6, "Now the men of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, 'You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me....'" Caleb was the spy-leader from the tribe of Judah 40 years before. He is still his tribe's spokesman as he speaks to his old comrade-in-arms, Joshua.
Before the land west of the Jordan is distributed by lot, Caleb stakes his own claim, based on the promise made to him by Moses and confirmed by oath (though we do not have a record elsewhere of Moses' promise).
"The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly." (14:9)
Joshua blesses Caleb and gives him Hebron as his inheritance (14:13). Apparently, the grant involved the whole hill country surrounding Hebron, including the city of Debir (15:13-19; archaeologists are not certain of the location of Debir). When the lot was cast for Caleb's tribe Judah (15:1), the tribal land assigned by lot providentially included the portion already given to Caleb.
Joshua blesses Caleb and gives him Hebron as his inheritance (14:13). Apparently, the grant involved the whole hill country surrounding Hebron, including the city of Debir (15:13-19; archaeologists are not certain of the location of Debir). When the lot was cast for Caleb's tribe Judah (15:1), the tribal land assigned by lot providentially included the portion already given to Caleb.
Bragging Faith (14:10-12)
Caleb's faith is showing in vss. 10-12. From one perspective he might seem to be bragging, but look closer.
Caleb's faith is showing in vss. 10-12. From one perspective he might seem to be bragging, but look closer.
"Just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years ... so here I am today, eighty-five years old!" (10a).
"I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then" (11).
"Now give me this hill country (NIV; KJV "mountain") that the LORD promised me that day" (12a).
"You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said" (12b).
Notice that in three out of the four statements in this section, he mentions the name of Yahweh. "The LORD promised... The LORD promised... the LORD helping me." Here is a man who has learned to trust in the promises of God and stake his whole future on them. He knows what it is like to have the LORD help him, and he is trusting that the LORD will continue to do so. This is exultant, powerful faith prior to the event. It sounds like bragging, but it is faith bragging on the power of God to keep his promises. I like that kind of faith!
"Give Me This Mountain" (14:12)
But why Hebron? The Hebron district, especially around the great tree of Mamre, had been the home of Abraham for many years (Genesis 12-25), and there he purchased the cave of Machpelah for a burial place. Caleb and the other spies had walked hundreds of miles up to the northernmost part of Canaan and back again. His feet had trod on the whole country. Of all Palestine that could have been his for the asking, why did he pick Hebron? I think he wanted Hebron because there were the Anakite giants that had so terrified his fellow scouts 40 years ago. "We looked like grasshoppers in their eyes," they whimpered. "Bring them on," says Caleb. "They're no match for the LORD!" Forty-five years before he had counseled, "Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us" (Numbers 14:9). Now he had a chance to prove it as leader of "the men of Judah" (Judges 1:10). The giants represent the enemies of Conquest, and Caleb is ready for them
But why Hebron? The Hebron district, especially around the great tree of Mamre, had been the home of Abraham for many years (Genesis 12-25), and there he purchased the cave of Machpelah for a burial place. Caleb and the other spies had walked hundreds of miles up to the northernmost part of Canaan and back again. His feet had trod on the whole country. Of all Palestine that could have been his for the asking, why did he pick Hebron? I think he wanted Hebron because there were the Anakite giants that had so terrified his fellow scouts 40 years ago. "We looked like grasshoppers in their eyes," they whimpered. "Bring them on," says Caleb. "They're no match for the LORD!" Forty-five years before he had counseled, "Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us" (Numbers 14:9). Now he had a chance to prove it as leader of "the men of Judah" (Judges 1:10). The giants represent the enemies of Conquest, and Caleb is ready for them
The Canaanite city of Hebron, then called Mamre, dates back about 4000 years. Apart from Sarah, Abraham himself was buried in Hebron, followed by Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah, whose cenotaphs can be seen today, in addition to the one of Joseph (according to Jewish tradition Joseph is buried near Shechem (Nablus). Jewish tradition also believes that Adam and Eve were buried in Hebron. Rachel, on the other hand, Jacob's second wife who also counts as matriarch, was buried near Bethlehem.
Because of these graves, which are also important for the Christian and Muslim religions, whose functionaries have ruled over the Cave of the Machpelah for centuries, Hebron is the oldest holy place in Israel; even older than Jerusalem.
Nothing is known about the fate of the Cave in Hebron during the First and Second Temple periods, but Jews kept residing in Kiryat Arba, the old name for Hebron (Nehemia 11:25). Then King Herod built his fine edifice on top of the cave, which sits like a miniature Temple, and has the same rectangular proportions as the Temple. It is perfectly preserved.When the Israelites divided the land, in the time of the Judges, Hebron was given to Caleb of the tribe of Judah (14:6-15), but further down in the text it is mentions that only the agricultural fields were given to Caleb and the city itself became one of the Levitical cities, belonging to the tribe of Levi (Joshua 21:9-13).
Source: Joyful Heart Renewal MinistriesPastor Ralph F. Wilson, Director
& Jacqueline Schaalje
& Jacqueline Schaalje