Online Bible

Read the Bible

Version
Book
Chapter

Joshua 14

The Division of the Territory West of the Jordan

1What follows is an account of how the land of Canaan west of the Jordan was divided among the people of Israel. Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the families of the Israelite tribes divided it among the population. 2As the LORD had commanded Moses, the territories of the nine and a half tribes west of the Jordan were determined by drawing lots. 3-4Moses had already assigned the land east of the Jordan to the other two and a half tribes. (The descendants of Joseph were divided into two tribes: Manasseh and Ephraim.) However, Moses gave the Levites no portion of the territory. Instead, they received cities to live in, with fields for their cattle and flocks. 5The people of Israel divided the land as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Notes for verses 1–53 entries

Text notes

  • Joshua 14:2 drawing lots: This was usually done by using specially marked stones to determine God's will. View in passage

Cross-references

  • Joshua 14:2 – Numbers 26:52–56 ; Numbers 34:13

  • Joshua 14:3–4 – Numbers 32:33 ; Numbers 34:14–15 ; Deuteronomy 3:12–17

Hebron is Given to Caleb

6One day some people from the tribe of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. One of them, Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, said to him, “You know what the LORD said in Kadesh Barnea about you and me to Moses, the man of God. 7I was forty years old when the LORD 's servant Moses sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out this land. I brought an honest report back to him. 8The men who went with me, however, made our people afraid. But I faithfully obeyed the LORD my God. 9Because I did, Moses promised me that my children and I would certainly receive as our possession the land which I walked over. 10But now, look. It has been 45 years since the LORD said that to Moses. That was when Israel was going through the desert, and the LORD, as he promised, has kept me alive ever since. Look at me! I am 85 years old 11and I'm just as strong today as I was when Moses sent me out. I am still strong enough for war or for anything else. 12Now then, give me the hill country that the LORD promised me on that day when my men and I reported. We told you then that the race of giants called the Anakim were there in large walled cities. Maybe the LORD will be with me, and I will drive them out, just as the LORD said.”

Notes for verses 6–123 entries

Cross-references

13Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him the city of Hebron as his possession. 14Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, because he faithfully obeyed the LORD, the God of Israel. 15Before this, Hebron was called the city of Arba. (Arba had been the greatest of the Anakim.)

There was now peace in the land.

CopyrightGood News Translation® with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. Anglicisation © The British and Foreign Bible Society 1976, 1994, 2004 Additional material © The British and Foreign Bible Society 2017 The copyright for the derivative work of Anglicisation pertains only to the text within the Good News Translation (GNT) that British and Foreign Bible Society adapted for British literary usage, consistent with Section 103(b) of the United States Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 103(b). Bible text from the Good News Translation (GNT) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (www.americanbible.org). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.