Caleb
Warrior of Faith
Also known as: Kelubai, Caleb
Caleb was one of the twelve spies Moses sent to Canaan. Along with Joshua, he was the only one who believed that Israel could take possession of the land. As a reward, he and Joshua were the only ones of their generation allowed to enter the Promised Land. At the age of 85, he asked to be given the task of conquering Hebron.
Family
Key events
The Spy with Faith
Caleb was one of twelve spies in Canaan. While ten spread fear, Caleb and Joshua had faith in victory.
30Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "We should go up at once and take possession of it, for we are well able to do it."
וַיַּ֧הַס כָּלֵ֛ב אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר עָלֹ֤ה נַעֲלֶה֙ וְיָרַ֣שְׁנוּ אֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי־יָכ֥וֹל נוּכַ֖ל לָֽהּ׃
The People's Revolt
When the people wanted to stone Caleb and Joshua for their faith, God intervened and judged that unbelieving generation.
6Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes
וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן וְכָלֵב֙ בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֔ה מִן־הַתָּרִ֖ים אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ קָרְע֖וּ בִּגְדֵיהֶֽם׃
7and said to the entire congregation of the Israelites, "The land we passed through and explored is an exceedingly good land.
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָבַ֤רְנוּ בָהּ֙ לָת֣וּר אֹתָ֔הּ טוֹבָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ מְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃
8If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land flowing with milk and honey.
אִם־חָפֵ֥ץ בָּ֙נוּ֙ יְהוָ֔ה וְהֵבִ֤יא אֹתָ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וּנְתָנָ֖הּ לָ֑נוּ אֶ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הִ֛וא זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃
9Only do not rebel against the LORD, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is gone, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them."
אַ֣ךְ בַּֽיהוָה֮ אַל־תִּמְרֹדוּ֒ וְאַתֶּ֗ם אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ אֶת־עַ֣ם הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י לַחְמֵ֖נוּ הֵ֑ם סָ֣ר צִלָּ֧ם מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֛ם וַֽיהוָ֥ה אִתָּ֖נוּ אַל־תִּירָאֻֽם׃
10But the whole congregation talked of stoning them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites.
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה לִרְגּ֥וֹם אֹתָ֖ם בָּאֲבָנִ֑ים וּכְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֗ה נִרְאָה֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד אֶֽל־כָּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ
The Promise of Inheritance
God promised that Caleb would receive the land he had scouted because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly.
24But my servant Caleb—because a different spirit is in him and he has followed me wholeheartedly—him I will bring into the land he entered, and his descendants will inherit it.
וְעַבְדִּ֣י כָלֵ֗ב עֵ֣קֶב הָֽיְתָ֞ה ר֤וּחַ אַחֶ֙רֶת֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וַיְמַלֵּ֖א אַחֲרָ֑י וַהֲבִֽיאֹתִ֗יו אֶל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣א שָׁ֔מָּה וְזַרְע֖וֹ יוֹרִשֶֽׁנָּה׃
The Claim on Hebron
At the age of 85, Caleb asked Joshua to give him Hebron with its Anakite fortresses, just as strong as when he was 40.
10And now, look: the LORD has kept me alive, just as he promised, these forty-five years since he spoke this word to Moses, while Israel journeyed through the wilderness. Here I am today, eighty-five years old.
וְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּה֩ הֶחֱיָ֨ה יְהוָ֣ה ׀ אוֹתִי֮ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֵּר֒ זֶה֩ אַרְבָּעִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֜שׁ שָׁנָ֗ה מֵ֠אָז דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֥ךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְעַתָּה֙ הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם בֶּן־חָמֵ֥שׁ וּשְׁמוֹנִ֖ים שָׁנָֽה׃
11I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out; my strength now is the same as it was then, for war and for going out and coming in.
עוֹדֶ֨נִּי הַיּ֜וֹם חָזָ֗ק כּֽ͏ַאֲשֶׁר֙ בְּי֨וֹם שְׁלֹ֤חַ אוֹתִי֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה כְּכֹ֥חִי אָ֖ז וּכְכֹ֣חִי עָ֑תָּה לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה וְלָצֵ֥את וְלָבֽוֹא׃
12So give me this hill country the LORD spoke of that day, for you yourself heard then that the Anakites are there, with large fortified cities. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I will drive them out, just as the LORD said."
וְעַתָּ֗ה תְּנָה־לִּי֙ אֶת־הָהָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא כִּ֣י אַתָּֽה־שָׁמַעְתָּ֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא כִּֽי־עֲנָקִ֣ים שָׁ֗ם וְעָרִים֙ גְּדֹל֣וֹת בְּצֻר֔וֹת אוּלַ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אוֹתִי֙ וְה֣וֹרַשְׁתִּ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
The Victory
Caleb drove out the Anakites from Hebron and took the city as his inheritance, just as God had promised.
13Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.
וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֖הוּ יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ וַיִּתֵּ֧ן אֶת־חֶבְר֛וֹן לְכָלֵ֥ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֖ה לְנַחֲלָֽה׃
14So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance to this day, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.
עַל־כֵּ֣ן הָיְתָֽה־חֶ֠בְרוֹן לְכָלֵ֨ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֤ה הַקְּנִזִּי֙ לְֽנַחֲלָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה יַ֚עַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר מִלֵּ֔א אַחֲרֵ֕י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
15Hebron was formerly called Kiriath-arba, after the greatest man among the Anakites. And the land had rest from war.
וְשֵׁ֨ם חֶבְר֤וֹן לְפָנִים֙ קִרְיַ֣ת אַרְבַּ֔ע הָאָדָ֧ם הַגָּד֛וֹל בָּעֲנָקִ֖ים ה֑וּא וְהָאָ֥רֶץ שָׁקְטָ֖ה מִמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ פ
Mentioned in the Bible (34)
Numbers 13:6Numbers 13:30Numbers 14:6Numbers 14:24Numbers 14:30Numbers 14:38Numbers 26:65Numbers 32:12Numbers 34:19Deuteronomy 1:36Joshua 14:6Joshua 14:13Joshua 14:14Joshua 15:13Joshua 15:14Joshua 15:16Joshua 15:17Joshua 21:12Judges 1:12Judges 1:13Judges 1:14Judges 1:15Judges 1:20Judges 3:91 Chronicles 2:91 Chronicles 2:181 Chronicles 2:191 Chronicles 2:421 Chronicles 2:481 Chronicles 2:501 Chronicles 4:111 Chronicles 4:151 Chronicles 6:411 Chronicles 27:26