Caleb
The name Caleb means “a dog; a crow; a basket”
Summary
Profile
Caleb is an inspiring example of faith in God. He was the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite (Joshua 14:6; Numbers 32:12). The Kenizzites lived in the Negev, the southern desert region of Canaan (see Genesis 15:18–21). Jephunneh likely married into the tribe of Judah a generation before Israel left Egypt.
Caleb first appears as one of the twelve spies Moses sent to explore the land of Canaan. Upon returning, all twelve confirmed the land was impressive, but ten of the scouts focused on its fearsome residents (Numbers 13:31–33). Only Joshua and Caleb believed that God would help Israel conquer the Canaanites (Numbers 14:6–9), advising the Israelites to take the land immediately (Numbers 13:30).
The people wanted to stone Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 14:10). But God protected them and punished the people (Numbers 14:11–38). God ultimately rewarded Caleb and Joshua for their faithfulness: Among all the adults who left Egypt, they were the only ones to enter the promised land.
After many years in the wilderness and fighting many battles, Caleb received his inheritance in the land (Joshua 14:6–15). Caleb's faith remained strong over forty-five years. His story shows his character and firm faith in God. Although Caleb was eighty-five years old, he was still strong and able to fight. Caleb took Hebron as his land by driving out the giant Anakites who had scared the earlier scouts (Joshua 15:13–14; see Numbers 13:28, 33).
Caleb lived in the city of Hebron, which was about twenty miles south of Jerusalem. This city was close to where the Kenizzite people lived. Later, Hebron became a special city where the Levites (priests) lived and where people could go for safety (Joshua 21:13; 1 Chronicles 6:54–57).
Caleb focused on God's promise that Israel would live in Canaan, despite serious obstacles. With full energy, he was ready to take the land Joshua gave him. Caleb's strong belief in God's promises made him respected among the faithful. Even when he was outnumbered by enemies, Caleb trusted God, and God rewarded him greatly.
Passages for Further Study
Numbers 13:1–14:38; 26:65; 32:12; 34:19; Deuteronomy 1:36; Joshua 14:6–15; 15:13–19; Judges 1:11–15, 20; 1 Chronicles 4:15
Events
- Birth of Calebc. 1529 BC
Glossary entries
Family members
Alternative names
Mentions
Includes 9 verses that refer to Caleb without naming them, as “he”, “she”, or the subject of a verb.
- …from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;
- Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly conquer it!”
- Numbers 13:31Referred to, not namedBut the men who had gone up with him replied, “We cannot go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are!”
- Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
- But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it.
- Surely none of you will enter the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
- Of those men who had gone to spy out the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive.
- For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
- …not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun—because they did follow the LORD wholeheartedly.’
- These are their names: Caleb son of Jephunneh from the tribe of Judah;
- …except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land on which he has set foot, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.”
- Then the sons of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh-barnea about you and me.
- Joshua 14:7Referred to, not namedI was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back to him an honest report.
- Joshua 14:8Referred to, not namedAlthough my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to the LORD my God.
- Joshua 14:9Referred to, not namedOn that day Moses swore to me, saying, ‘Surely the land on which you have set foot will be an inheritance to you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’
- Joshua 14:10Referred to, not namedNow behold, as the LORD promised, He has kept me alive these forty-five years since He spoke this word to Moses, while Israel wandered in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old,
- Joshua 14:11Referred to, not named…still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. As my strength was then, so it is now for war, for going out, and for coming in.
- Joshua 14:12Referred to, not namedNow therefore give me this hill country that the LORD promised me on that day, for you yourself heard then that the Anakim were there, with great and fortified cities. Perhaps with the LORD’s help I will drive them out, as the LORD has spoken.”
- Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.
- Therefore Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance to this day, because he wholly followed the LORD, the God of Israel.
- According to the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah—Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)
- And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
- Joshua 15:15Referred to, not namedFrom there he marched against the inhabitants of Debir (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher).
- And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.”
- So Othniel son of Caleb’s brother Kenaz captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.
- One day Acsah came to Othniel and urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you desire?”
- Joshua 15:19Referred to, not named“Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.
- But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.
- And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.”
- So Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.
- One day Acsah came to Othniel and urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you desire?”
- “Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.
- Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak.
- But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, He raised up Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz as a deliverer to save them.
- His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.
- We raided the Negev of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we burned down Ziklag.”
- The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz.
- But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.