Faithful spy, given Hebron as inheritance
Caleb
Named in 29 verses across 6 books, first in Numbers 13:6.
כָּלֵבCaleb
כָּלִבִּיCalebite
Also called Calebite.
The name means “a dog; a crow; a basket.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
About Caleb Written by AI
Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, was one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan (Num. 13:6). Along with Joshua, Caleb stood firm in his faith and trust in God's promise, encouraging the Israelites to enter the land despite the other spies' negative report (Num. 13:30; 14:6-9). As a result, God commended Caleb for his faithfulness and promised that he would inherit the land he had explored (Num. 14:24, 30, 38; Deut. 1:36). After the conquest of Canaan, Caleb requested and received Hebron as his inheritance (Josh. 14:6-15; 15:13-19; 21:12; Judg. 1:12-15, 20). He drove out the Anakim giants from Hebron and offered his daughter Achsah in marriage to whoever conquered Kirjath Sepher (Josh. 15:14-17; Judg. 1:12-13). Caleb's descendants settled in the Negev region and in the cities of Hebron (1Sam. 30:14; 1Chr. 4:15; 6:56). His faith, courage, and obedience to God made him a prominent figure in Israel's history, and his story is remembered as an example of unwavering trust in God's promises (Num. 32:12; Judg. 3:9).
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
This entry is on the name Caleb, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.
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).
Read the rest of the entry
(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; comp. 1 Sam. 25:3).
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names him
- Numbers 13:6
from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;
- Numbers 13:30
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 14:6
Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
- Numbers 14:24
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.
- Numbers 14:30
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.
- Numbers 14:38
Of those men who had gone to spy out the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive.
- Numbers 26:65
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.
- Numbers 32:12
not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun—because they did follow the LORD wholeheartedly.’
- Numbers 34:19
These are their names: Caleb son of Jephunneh from the tribe of Judah;
- Deuteronomy 1:36
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.”
- Joshua 14:6
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 14:13
Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.
- Joshua 14:14
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.
- Joshua 15:13
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.)
- Joshua 15:14
And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
- Joshua 15:16
And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.”
- Joshua 15:17
So Othniel son of Caleb’s brother Kenaz captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.
- Joshua 15:18
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 21:12
But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.
- Judges 1:12
And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.”
- Judges 1:13
So Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.
- Judges 1:14
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?”
- Judges 1:15
“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.
- Judges 1:20
Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak.
- Judges 3:9
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.
- 1 Samuel 25:3
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.
- 1 Samuel 30:14
We raided the Negev of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we burned down Ziklag.”
- 1 Chronicles 4:15
The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz.
- 1 Chronicles 6:56
But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.