1
This is what the sons of Israel possessed in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar, the priest, and Joshua, the son of Nun, and the leaders of the families, by the tribes of Israel, gave to them,
2
dividing all by lot, just as the Lord had instructed by the hand of Moses, to the nine tribes and to the one half tribe.
3
For to the two and one half tribes, Moses had given a possession beyond the Jordan, aside from the Levites, who received no land among their brothers.
4
For by succession, the sons of Joseph, in their place, were divided into two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. But the Levites did not receive another portion of land, except cities in which to live, and their suburbs, so as to feed their beasts of burden and cattle.(a)
5
Just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did, and they divided the land.
Caleb Requests Hebron
6
And so, the sons of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb, the son of Jephone, the Kenizzite, spoke to him: “You know what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, at Kadesh-barnea, about me and you.
7
I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh-barnea, so that I might consider the land. And I reported to him what seemed to me to be true.
8
But my brothers, who had ascended with me, broke the heart of the people. And I nevertheless followed the Lord my God.
9
And Moses swore, on that day, saying: ‘The land that your foot has tread upon shall be your possession, and that of your sons, unto eternity. For you have followed the Lord my God.’
10
Therefore, the Lord has granted life to me, just as he promised, even to the present day. It has been forty-five years since the Lord spoke this word to Moses, when Israel was wandering through the wilderness. Today, I am eighty-five years old,
11
being just as strong as I was at that time, when I was sent to explore the land. The fortitude in me at that time continues even until today, as much to fight as to march.
12
Therefore, grant to me this mountain, which the Lord has promised in your hearing also, on which are the Anakim, and cities, great and fortified. Perhaps it may be that the Lord will be with me, and I will be able to destroy them, just as he promised to me.”
13
And Joshua blessed him, and he delivered Hebron to him as a possession.
14
And from then on, Hebron was for Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, even to the present day. For he followed the Lord, the God of Israel.
15
Previously, the name Hebron was called Kiriath-Arba. Adam, the greatest among the Anakim, was laid there. And the land ceased from battles.
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