GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN
JOSHUA 14 – THE WESTERN LAND TO BE DIVIDED
A. Preparation for the division of the land.
- (1-2) The distribution of the land on the western side of the Jordan River.
These are the areas which the children of Yisrael inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the Zadokite priest, Yahusha (Joshua) the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Yisrael distributed as an inheritance to them. Their inheritance was by lot, as Yahuah had commanded by the hand of Moshe (Moses), for the nine tribes and the half-tribe.
a. Eleazar the Zadok priest, Yahusha (Joshua) the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Yisrael distributed as an inheritance to them: In this process, Yahusha, Eleazar and representatives from each tribe came together to supervise the casting of lots, which was directed by Yahuah.
- (3-5) An explanation of the nine and one-half tribes which received their inheritance on the west side of the Jordan.
For Moshe had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe on the other side of the Jordan; but to the Levites he had given no inheritance among them. For the children of Yoseph (Joseph) were two tribes: Manasseh and Ephraim. And they gave no part to the Levites in the land, except cities to dwell in, with their common-lands for their livestock and their property. As Yahuah had commanded Moshe, so the children of Yisrael did; and they divided the land.
a. For the children of Yoseph were two tribes: We commonly think and speak of the “twelve tribes of Israel” but actually there were thirteen, because although there were twelve sons of Jacob (Israel), the descendants of one of his sons, Joseph, divided into two tribes (Manasseh and Ephraim).
b. They divided the land: This explains why you can have two and one-half tribes on the east side of the Jordan River, nine and one-half tribes on the west side of the Jordan River, and one tribe with no province as their inheritance.
B. Caleb’s inheritance.
- (6-9) Caleb remembers Moshe’ promise.
Then the children of Yahudah (Judah) came to Yahusha (Joshua) in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: “You know the word which Yahuah said to Moshe the man of Elohim concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moshe the servant of Yahuah sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed Yahuah my Elohim. So Moshe swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed Yahuah my Elohim.’”
a. Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Caleb, from the tribe of Yahudah (Judah), was one of the twelve spies who scouted out the land of Canaan some forty-five years before when Yisrael first was on the threshold of the Promised Land (Numbers 13:1-25).
b. But I wholly followed Yahuah my Elohim: Caleb was one of only two spies to come back with a good report, a report of faith; believing that Yahuah had given Yisrael the land and would enable them to conquer it (Numbers 13:26-14:9). The other ten spies believed that Yisrael would be destroyed in the attempt to take Canaan, and Yisrael believed the ten doubting spies.
i. The other faithful spy was none other than Yahusha (Joshua). The ten faithless spies measured the giants against their own strength, but Yahusha and Caleb measured the giants against Yahuah’s strength.
ii. This was the cause of Yisrael’s forty years of wandering in the wilderness; Yahuah would not allow that generation of unbelief to enter in, so He waited for them to die in the desert (Numbers 14:26-38). The only ones of age at the time of the rejection who actually entered the Promised Land were Yahusha and Caleb, the two faithful spies.
iii. So, it is fitting as Yahudah (Judah) is the first tribe to receive its allotment on the west side of the Jordan, that Caleb be the first among the people of Yahudah to receive his inheritance.
c. So Moshe swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever: Caleb calls Yahusha back to the promise Moshe made in Deuteronomy 1:35-36. When Caleb says I wholly followed Yahuah my Elohim, he isn’t being proud – he is just quoting what Moshe had said about him.
i. We should imitate Caleb’s boldness in asking for what Yahuah promised him. We may find it hard to believe, but Yahuah appreciates this kind of boldness.
d. Because you have wholly followed Yahuah my Elohim: Because Caleb repeats this phrase twice, we can assume it made a significant impression on him – and fittingly so, because it is a great and important thing to wholly follow Yahuah.
i. We recognize that most successful people are those who have wholly given themselves over to something. Will we wholly give ourselves over to following Yahuah?
- (10-15) Caleb seizes Yahuah’s promise.
“And now, behold, Yahuah has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since Yahuah spoke this word to Moshe while Yisrael wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moshe sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which Yahuah spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that Yahuah will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as Yahuah said.” And Yahusha (Joshua) blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed Yahuah Elohim of Yisrael. And the name of Hebron formerly was Kirjath Arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim). Then the land had rest from war.
a. Here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moshe sent me: Though he is advanced in age, his strength is undiminished. At eighty-five he was out leading the fight, and not against just any foe, but against the Anakim.
i. This is how Yahuah wants us to be in our spiritual life as we advance in years: growing older, but never weaker in Yahusha.
b. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which Yahuah spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there: In fact, Caleb wants the fight. He could have asked for an easy place, but he knows that these foes must be faced and figures that he may as well be the one to do it. He doesn’t leave the work to someone else, though he could have, especially at his age.
c. Because he wholly followed Yahuah Elohim of Yisrael: What if all of Yisrael had the heart of Caleb? What if no one in Yisrael had the heart of Caleb? Again, Caleb’s secret is clear: he wholly followed Yahuah Elohim of Yisrael. There was a total commitment in Caleb’s life.
© 2022 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – ewm@enduringword.com
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GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN
6 Then the children of Yahudah came to Yahusha in Gilgal: and Kalev the son of Yephunneh the Kenezite said to him, You know the thing that YHUH said to Moshe the man of Elohim concerning concerning me and you in Kadesh-Barnea.
7 I was forty years old when Moshe the eved of YHUH sent me from Kadesh-Barnea to spy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in my lev.
8 Nevertheless my brothers that went up with me made the lev of the people melt: but I fully followed YHUH my Elohim.
9 And Moshe swore on that yom, saying, Surely the land upon which your feet have trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s le-olam-va-ed, because you have fully followed YHUH, my Elohim.
10 And now, see, YHUH has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since YHUH spoke this Word to Moshe, while the children of Yisrael wandered in the wilderness: and now, I am this yom eighty-five years old.
11 Yet I am as strong this yom as I was in the yom that Moshe sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out and to come in.
12 Now therefore give me this mountain, of which YHUH spoke in that yom; for you heard in that yom how the Anakim were there and that the cities were great and fortified: if so be YHUH will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as YHUH said.
13 And Yahusha blessed him and gave to Kalev the son of Yephunneh, Hevron for an inheritance. [705]
14 Hevron therefore became the inheritance of Kalev the son of Yephunneh the Kenezite to this yom, because he fully followed YHUH Elohim of Yisrael.
15 And the name of Hevron before was Kiryath-Arba; because Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war.
Joshua (Yahusha) 14:6-15 RSTNE 7th Edition
Foot Notes:
[703] This is our eternal position and calling in all the circumstances in our lives, as overcomers through YAH.Glossary of Hebrew Words:
Yahudah (H) Judah
Eved (H) Servant, Or Slave
Le-Olam-Va-Ed (H) Forever, Or For eternity
Yom (H ) Day, A Day
Restoration Scriptures True Name 7th Edition
Source:
https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/joshua-14/
Aman Achy; with our whole hearts! 🤍🙌🏻