Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
asked for the mountains (v. 9), i.e., the mountainous country with and around Hebron,
which included, for example, the fortified town of Debir also (Josh 15:15).
Joshua 14:14-15
Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the
Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.
This inheritance, the historian adds, was awarded to Caleb because he had followed
the God of Israel with such fidelity. - In v. 15 there follows another notice of the
earlier name of Hebron (see at Gen 23:2). The expression lªpaaniym (OT:6440)
(before), like the words "to this day," applies to the time when the book was
composed, at which time the name Kirjath-arba had long since fallen into disuse; so
that it by no means follows that the name Hebron was not so old as the name Kirjatharba,
which was given to Hebron for the first time when it was taken by Arba, "the
great man among the Anakites," i.e., the strongest and most renowned of the Anakites
(vid., Josh 15:13). The remark, "and the land had rest from war," is repeated again at
the close of this account from Josh 11:23, to show that although there were Anakites
still dwelling in Hebron whom Caleb hoped to exterminate, the work of distributing
the land by lot was not delayed in consequence, but was carried out in perfect peace.
Inheritance of the Tribe of Judah. Ch. 15.
Under the superintending providence of God, the inheritance which fell to the tribe of
Judah by lot was in the southern part of Canaan, where Caleb had already received
his inheritance, so that he was not separated from his tribe. The inheritance of Judah
is first of all described according to its boundaries (vv. 1-12); then for the sake of
completeness it is stated once more with regard to Caleb, that he received Kirjatharba
for his inheritance, and took possession of it by expelling the Anakites and
conquering Debir (vv. 13-20); and after this a list is given of the towns in the
different parts (vv. 21-63).
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