Joosuan kirjaLuku 14

Tämä luku ei ole vielä saatavilla suomeksi — näytetään alkuperäinen teksti.

+ Toissijainen teksti Alkuteksti ← Edellinen Seuraava →Osallistu

These are the inheritances the Israelites received in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the ancestral houses of the tribes of Israel allotted to them.

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

For Moses had given the inheritance of the two and a half tribes beyond the Jordan, but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them.

For the sons of Joseph had become two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim; and the Levites were given no share of the land, only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their livestock and their possessions.

The Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.

Then the people of Judah came to 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 concerning you and me.

I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to scout out the land, and I brought him back a report just as I saw it in my heart.

My brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.

On that day Moses swore this oath: 'The land where you have set your foot will surely be your inheritance and your children's forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.'

And 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.

I 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.

So 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."

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

So 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.

Hebron was formerly called Kiriath-arba, after the greatest man among the Anakites. And the land had rest from war.

Haku

Yhteenveto2

Luku 14

Main Theme: Caleb receives Hebron as an inheritance because of his faithfulness to the Lord.

Content: The chapter begins the division of the land in Canaan, led by Joshua, the priest Eleazar, and the tribal leaders. Caleb from the tribe of Judah steps forward and reminds Joshua of the promise Moses gave him at Kadesh-barnea 45 years earlier. Now 85 years old, yet still as strong as when he was 40, Caleb requests the hill country inhabited by the Anakim and their fortified cities. Joshua blesses him and gives Hebron to him as an inheritance because he "wholly followed the Lord."

Key Words/Images:

Lot-casting: The method used to distribute the land fairly among the tribes according to the Lord's command.
Caleb: The faithful spy who "wholly followed" the Lord and saw his promised inheritance fulfilled.
Hebron (Kiriath-arba): The ancient city of the Anakim given to Caleb as a reward for his faithfulness.
Anakim: A people of giants who lived in Hebron—Caleb did not fear them but trusted in the Lord's help.

Historiallinen konteksti

Historical and Cultural Context for Joshua 14

People

Caleb son of Jephunneh is described as "the Kenizzite" (הַקְּנִזִּי), suggesting that he had non-Israelite origins. The Kenizzites were a people group in Canaan (Gen 15:19), and Caleb was likely incorporated into the tribe of Judah. This illustrates how early Israel included foreigners who showed loyalty to the God of Israel. Forty-five years had passed since the spying mission at Kadesh-barnea (Num 13–14) until the division of the land, and Caleb’s perseverance throughout this entire period makes him a model of faithfulness. His claim that he was as strong at eighty-five as he had been at forty reflects the biblical understanding that God’s blessing could preserve physical strength.

Eleazar the priest and Joshua are mentioned together with the tribal leaders as those responsible for dividing the land. This threefold division of authority—priestly, military/administrative, and tribal-related—shows how decisions were made collectively in early Israel.

Places

Hebron (חֶבְרוֹן), also called Kiriath-arba ("City of Arba"), is located about 30 km south of Jerusalem in the hill country of Judah, at an elevation of approximately 930 meters above sea level. The name Kiriath-arba here is linked to Arba, who is described as "the greatest man among the Anakim" (v. 15). The city held deep significance as the burial place of the patriarchs (the cave of Machpelah) and was a regional center in the hill country.

Gilgal (בַּגִּלְגָּל), where Caleb presents his case, served as the main base for the Israelites after crossing the Jordan and as the location for dividing the land.

Events and Customs

Casting lots (גוֹרָל) was the God-given method for dividing the land. In ancient Israel, the lot was regarded as a means to reveal God’s will (Prov 16:33). By using lots, human favoritism was removed, confirming that the distribution was divinely directed. The fact that Caleb’s inheritance was given separately, based on Moses’ earlier promise, shows that such promises took precedence.

The exclusion of the Levites from the regular land division is explained by noting that they were to receive cities and pasturelands scattered among all the tribes rather than a contiguous territory. This ensured their presence throughout the land to carry out religious duties.

Key Terms

The expression "fully followed the Lord" (מִלֵּא אַחֲרֵי יְהוָה) appears three times in this chapter (vv. 8, 9, 14) and is key to understanding Caleb’s character. The Hebrew verb מִלֵּא ("to fill"), used with "after", creates an image of complete devotion—following without reservation or divided loyalty.

The Anakim (עֲנָקִים) were a people known for their great height who lived in the hill country around Hebron. They had caused fear among the spies forty-five years earlier (Num 13:33), but Caleb demonstrates his faith by requesting precisely that area.

Henkilöt11

Hebron1 Joshua3 Judas (Judah, son of Jacob, patriarch of the tribe of Judah)1 Eleazar1 Jephunneh (Caleb's father)3 Caleb3 Nun (Joshua's father)1 Joseph1 Jacob1 Moses7 Manasse (Joseph's son)1

Kaikki: henkilöt →

Avainsanat6

Canaan — The area that God promised to give to the people of Israel, which Joshua and his army conquered.
Caleb — One of the twelve spies whom Moses sent to explore Canaan. He remained faithful to God and was rewarded with a portion of land in Canaan.
Hebron — A city in Canaan that Caleb received as an inheritance for his faithfulness to God.
Anakim — A people who lived in Canaan and were known for being large and strong warriors.
Joshua — The leader of the people of Israel after Moses' death, and he led them into Canaan.
Inheritance — A gift or property passed from one generation to another, often used in a biblical context to describe the lands God gave to the tribes of Israel.