the son of Jephunneh, of the tribe of Judah, was one of those who
accompanied Joshua, when he was deputed by Moses to view the land of
Canaan, which the Lord had promised them for an inheritance, Num. xiii.
The deputies sent on this occasion were twelve in number, selected one
out of each of the tribes, and they performed their commission with
great promptitude and skill; they traversed the country in every
direction, bringing with them, on their return, some of its finest
fruits for the inspection of their brethren. Some of them, however,
after making the report of the beauty and goodness of the country, which
they described to be a land flowing with milk and honey, added, that the
inhabitants of it were remarkable for their strength, while its cities
were large and enclosed with walls. These later particulars having
excited a spirit of murmuring among the Israelites, Caleb endeavoured to
animate their courage by dwelling upon the fertility of the country, and
exhorting them to go boldly and take possession of it. Others, however,
dissuaded the people from making the attempt, assuring them that they
would never make themselves masters of it. We have seen giants there,
said they, in comparison of whom we were as grasshoppers; on which the
people declared against the project, and intimated their wish to return
again into Egypt. Moses and Aaron no sooner heard this than they fell
upon their faces before the whole congregation, and Joshua and Caleb
rent their clothes, imploring them to take courage and march boldly on;
since, if God were with them, they might easily make a conquest of the
whole land. So exasperated, however, were the multitude, that they were
proceeding to stone Caleb and Joshua, when the glory of the Lord
appeared upon the tabernacle, and threatened their extermination. Moses,
having fervently interceded for them, the Lord graciously heard his
prayer; but though he was pleased not to destroy them immediately, he
protested with an oath, that none of those who had murmured against him
should see the land of Canaan, but that they should all die in the
wilderness. “As for my servant Caleb,” it was added, “who hath
faithfully followed me, him will I bring into the land, and he shall
possess it, he and his children after him,” Num. xiv, 1–24. Joshua also
obtained a similar exception, verses 30, 38. When Joshua had entered the
promised land, and conquered a considerable part of it, Caleb, with the
people of his tribe, came to meet him at Gilgal, and finding that he was
about to divide the land among the twelve tribes, Caleb petitioned to
have the country which was inhabited by the giants allotted to him, on
which Joshua blessed him and granted his request. Assisted by a portion
of his tribe, he marched against Hebron, and slew the children of Anak:
thence he proceeded to Debir, and finding the place almost impregnable,
he offered his daughter Achsah in marriage to the hero that should take
it. This was done by his nephew Othniel, who in consequence obtained
Achsah with a considerable portion also of territory. We are not
informed of the particular time or manner of the death of Caleb; but by
his three sons, Iru, Elah, and Naam, he had a numerous posterity, who
maintained an honourable rank among their brethren. See Num. xiii, xiv,
Josh. xiv, 6–15; xv, 13–19; Judges i, 9–15; 1 Chron. iv, 15–20. עגל
accompanied Joshua, when he was deputed by Moses to view the land of
Canaan, which the Lord had promised them for an inheritance, Num. xiii.
The deputies sent on this occasion were twelve in number, selected one
out of each of the tribes, and they performed their commission with
great promptitude and skill; they traversed the country in every
direction, bringing with them, on their return, some of its finest
fruits for the inspection of their brethren. Some of them, however,
after making the report of the beauty and goodness of the country, which
they described to be a land flowing with milk and honey, added, that the
inhabitants of it were remarkable for their strength, while its cities
were large and enclosed with walls. These later particulars having
excited a spirit of murmuring among the Israelites, Caleb endeavoured to
animate their courage by dwelling upon the fertility of the country, and
exhorting them to go boldly and take possession of it. Others, however,
dissuaded the people from making the attempt, assuring them that they
would never make themselves masters of it. We have seen giants there,
said they, in comparison of whom we were as grasshoppers; on which the
people declared against the project, and intimated their wish to return
again into Egypt. Moses and Aaron no sooner heard this than they fell
upon their faces before the whole congregation, and Joshua and Caleb
rent their clothes, imploring them to take courage and march boldly on;
since, if God were with them, they might easily make a conquest of the
whole land. So exasperated, however, were the multitude, that they were
proceeding to stone Caleb and Joshua, when the glory of the Lord
appeared upon the tabernacle, and threatened their extermination. Moses,
having fervently interceded for them, the Lord graciously heard his
prayer; but though he was pleased not to destroy them immediately, he
protested with an oath, that none of those who had murmured against him
should see the land of Canaan, but that they should all die in the
wilderness. “As for my servant Caleb,” it was added, “who hath
faithfully followed me, him will I bring into the land, and he shall
possess it, he and his children after him,” Num. xiv, 1–24. Joshua also
obtained a similar exception, verses 30, 38. When Joshua had entered the
promised land, and conquered a considerable part of it, Caleb, with the
people of his tribe, came to meet him at Gilgal, and finding that he was
about to divide the land among the twelve tribes, Caleb petitioned to
have the country which was inhabited by the giants allotted to him, on
which Joshua blessed him and granted his request. Assisted by a portion
of his tribe, he marched against Hebron, and slew the children of Anak:
thence he proceeded to Debir, and finding the place almost impregnable,
he offered his daughter Achsah in marriage to the hero that should take
it. This was done by his nephew Othniel, who in consequence obtained
Achsah with a considerable portion also of territory. We are not
informed of the particular time or manner of the death of Caleb; but by
his three sons, Iru, Elah, and Naam, he had a numerous posterity, who
maintained an honourable rank among their brethren. See Num. xiii, xiv,
Josh. xiv, 6–15; xv, 13–19; Judges i, 9–15; 1 Chron. iv, 15–20. עגל