caleb Summary and Overview

a dog. (1.) One of the three sons of Hezron of the tribe of Judah. He is also called Chelubai (1 Chr. 2:9). His descendants are enumerated (18-20, 42-49). (2.) A "son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah" (1 Chr. 2:50). Some would read the whole passage thus: "These [i.e., the list in ver. 42-49] were the sons of Caleb. The sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, were Shobal, etc." Thus Hur would be the name of the son and not the father of Caleb (ver. 19). (3.) The son of Jephunneh (Num. 13:6; 32:12; Josh. 14:6, 14). He was one of those whom Moses sent to search the land in the second year after the Exodus. He was one of the family chiefs of the tribe of Judah. He and Joshua the son of Nun were the only two of the whole number who encouraged the people to go up and possess the land, and they alone were spared when a plague broke out in which the other ten spies perished (Num. 13; 14). All the people that had been numbered, from twenty years old and upward, perished in the wilderness except these two. The last notice we have of Caleb is when (being then eighty-five years of age) he came to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, after the people had gained possession of the land, and reminded him of the promise Moses had made to him, by virtue of which he claimed a certain portion of the land of Kirjath-arba as his inheritance (Josh. 14:6-15; 15:13-15; 21:10-12; 1 Sam. 25:2,3; 30:14). He is called a "Kenezite" in Josh. 14:6,14. This may simply mean "son of Kenez" (Num. 32:12). Some, however, read "Jephunneh, the son of Kenez," who was a descendant of Hezron, the son of Pharez, a grandson of Judah (1 Chr. 2:5). This Caleb may possibly be identical with (2). (4.) Caleb gave his name apparently to a part of the south country (1 Sam. 30:14) of Judah, the district between Hebron and Carmel, which had been assigned to him. When he gave up the city of Hebron to the priests as a city of refuge, he retained possession of the surrounding country (Josh. 21:11,12; compare 1 Sam. 25:3).

(capable). 1. According to #1Ch 2:9,18,19,42,50| the son of Hezron the son of Pharez the son of Judah, and the father of Hur, and consequently grandfather of Caleb the spy. (B.C. about 1600.) 2. Son of Jephunneh, one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to Canaan. #Nu 13:6| (B.C. 1490.) He and Oshea or Joshua the son of Nun were the only two of the whole number who encouraged the people to enter in boldly to the land and take possession of it. Fortyfive years afterwards Caleb came to Joshua and claimed possession of the land of the Anakim, Kirjath-arba or Hebron, and the neighboring hill country. Josh 14. This was immediately granted to him, and the following chapter relates how he took possession of Hebron, driving out the three sons of Anak; and how he offered Achsah his daughter in marriage to whoever would take Kirjath-sepher, i.e. Debir; and how when Othniel, his younger brother, had performed the feat, he not only gave him his daughter to wife, but with her the upper and nether springs of water which she asked for. It is probable that Caleb was a foreigner by birth, --a proselyte, incorporated into the tribe of Judah.

CALEB (capable). 1. The son of Hezron, of the tribe of Judah, and father of Hur. 1 Chr 2:9 (where he is called Chelubai), 1 Chr 2:18-19, 1 Chr 2:42, 1 Chr 2:46, Gen 24:48. 1. One of the twelve spies sent by Moses into Canaan. Num 13:6. He and Joshua were the only adults born in Egypt who entered the land as conquerors, because they brought a truthful report, while the other ten were frightened, told exaggerated stories of the native population, and spread discontent and despair. Caleb and Joshua assured the people that they might easily gain possession of Canaan. In return for these assurances, the people proposed to stone them. A plague from the Lord broke out, and the lying spies were all killed. Num 13:1-14:45. Forty-five years afterward, when the conquest was completed and the land apportioned among the tribes, Caleb, being then eighty-five years of age, applied to Joshua for his share, reminding him of the promise of God, by which he and Joshua were excepted from the general curse of the people, and proposed to take, as his share of the land, Kirjath-arha, the stronghold of the giants and the centre of their fortifications. His request was granted, and he accordingly attacked and subdued Kirjath-arha, and thence proceeded to Kirjath-sepher, another stronghold, afterward called Debir. Here he proposed to give his daughter Achsah in marriage to the man who should capture the city. His nephew, Othniel, undertook the enterprise and succeeded, and received the promised reward. Caleb's possessions were called by his name. Josh 14:1-15:63; 1 Sam 30:14. 2. A Caleb, the son of Hur, is mentioned in 1 Chr 2:50. He may be identical with the spy.

(1 Chronicles 2:9; 1 Chronicles 2:18-19; 1 Chronicles 2:42; 1 Chronicles 2:50). Son of Hezron, son of Pharez, son of Judah; father of Hur by Ephrath; grandfather of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah. In 1 Chronicles 4:15 Caleb the spy is called "son of Jephunneh," and in 1 Chronicles 2:49 the elder Caleb seemingly is father of the daughter Achsa. In Joshua 15:17 Caleb the spy is father of Achsah. Possibly, after all, the Caleb of 1 Chronicles 2 is the same as Caleb the spy; his adoption into Hezron's family accounting for his appearing in the public Israelite record as his son. In this case the different families assigned to him he must have had by different wives, having their lots in different localities. This genealogy (1 Chronicles 2), drawn up in Hezekiah's reign, alone mentions the supposed elder Caleb. Caleb, the illustrious spy, is also called" the Kenezite," or "son of Kenaz" (Numbers 32:12). Caleb was "head" (Numbers 13:3) of the Hezronite family in Judah; while Nahshon son of Amminadab was head or prince of the whole tribe (Numbers 1:7). He and Oshea or Joshua, alone of the twelve, on returning from Canaan to Kadesh Barnea, encouraged the people when dispirited by the other spies: "Let us go up at once, and possess the land (he does not for a moment doubt Israel's ability; not Let us try; success is certain, the Lord being on our side), for we are well able to overcome it" (Numbers 13:30). His character answers to his name, all heart. His reward was according to his faith (Numbers 14:24). "My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit, and hath followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land where unto he went, and his seed shall possess it." Forty-five years afterward Caleb reminded Moses of God's promise, adding that now at 85 he was as strong as then. "Hebron therefore (the land he had trodden upon in faith as a spy, Deuteronomy 1:36) became the inheritance of Caleb, ... because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel" (Joshua 14:8-9; Joshua 14:14). He dislodged the three sons of Anak , Joshua 15:14, and gave Achsah his daughter to Othniel, son of Kenaz his brother, for taking Debir. (See ANAK; ACHSAH; DEBIR . In Joshua 15:13, "unto Caleb Joshua gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord, ... even the city of Arba, father of Anak-Hebron," it is implied that he was not by birth of Judah, but was given his portion in that tribe by the special command of the" God of Israel." By marriage and submission to the bond of Jehovah's covenant with Israel he became a true Israelite by adoption; a specimen of God's mercy to the Gentiles even in Old Testament times, and a pledge of the opening of the door of faith to them widely in the New Testament So Jethro, Rahab, Ruth, Naaman. Kenaz his ancestor was a duke of Edom (Genesis 36:11; Genesis 36:15). The names Shobal and Manahath are other Edomite (Genesis 36:20-23) names which appear among the sons of the Caleb in 1 Chronicles 2:50; 1 Chronicles 2:52. Jephunneh, his father's name, is probably the same as Pinon (1 Chronicles 1:52; Genesis 36:41). Termanites too are among the children of Ashur, Hezron's son (1 Chronicles 4:6). This consideration helps to account for the large numbers of Israelites at the Exodus; proselytes and marriage connections from other races swelled the number of Israelites of pure blood. Hebron was afterward a priests' city, belonging to the Kohathites; but the territory about continued in Caleb's family (from which sprang the churl Nabal, for faith does not always come by blood descent)at the time of David (1 Samuel 25:3; 1 Samuel 30:14).