Joshua - Be Strong and Courageous , Sarah Barry
THE LORD MATURED CALEB IN HIS FAITH
Passage: Joshua 14:6~15  
Key verse: 9
Allotment for Caleb
6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal,(A) and Caleb son of Jephunneh(B) the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God(C) at Kadesh Barnea(D) about you and me.(E) 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea(F) to explore the land.(G) And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,(H) 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear.(I) I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.(J) 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance(K) and that of your children(L) forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’[a]
10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised,(M) he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved(N) about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!(O) 11 I am still as strong(P) today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous(Q) to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day.(R) You yourself heard then that the Anakites(S) were there and their cities were large and fortified,(T) but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”
13 Then Joshua blessed(U) Caleb son of Jephunneh(V) and gave him Hebron(W) as his inheritance.(X) 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.(Y) 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba(Z) after Arba,(AA) who was the greatest man among the Anakites.)
Then the land had rest(AB) from war.
Footnotes
- Joshua 14:9 Deut. 1:36
Cross references
- Joshua 14:6 : S Dt 11:30
- Joshua 14:6 : Nu 13:6; 14:30
- Joshua 14:6 : S Dt 33:1
- Joshua 14:6 : Nu 13:26
- Joshua 14:6 : S Nu 14:38
- Joshua 14:7 : Jos 15:3
- Joshua 14:7 : S Nu 13:17
- Joshua 14:7 : Nu 13:30; S 14:6-9
- Joshua 14:8 : S Nu 13:31
- Joshua 14:8 : S Nu 14:24; S 32:12
- Joshua 14:9 : S Dt 11:24
- Joshua 14:9 : S Nu 14:24
- Joshua 14:10 : S Nu 11:28; 14:30
- Joshua 14:10 : S Jos 5:6
- Joshua 14:10 : S Jos 13:1
- Joshua 14:11 : S Dt 34:7
- Joshua 14:11 : S Ge 15:15
- Joshua 14:12 : S Nu 14:24
- Joshua 14:12 : S Nu 13:33
- Joshua 14:12 : Nu 13:28
- Joshua 14:13 : Jos 22:6, 7
- Joshua 14:13 : 1Sa 25:3; 30:14
- Joshua 14:13 : S Ge 23:19; S Jos 10:36
- Joshua 14:13 : Jdg 1:20; 1Ch 6:56
- Joshua 14:14 : S Nu 14:24
- Joshua 14:15 : S Ge 23:2
- Joshua 14:15 : Jos 15:13
- Joshua 14:15 : Jos 11:23; Jdg 3:11; 1Ki 4:24; 5:4; 1Ch 22:9
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Training develops faith and character (6-11)
The Israelites fought hard. They wandered in the desert for forty years. They fought seven years after crossing the Jordan. God trained Caleb through it all, developing many spiritual qualities like conviction and courage. He followed the Lord wholeheartedly. He served his role faithfully. God gave him strength into old age. Caleb was blessed by God to grow and mature into these qualities through God's training and sufferings.
2. Caleb asks for his inheritance (12-15)
Hebron still had Anakite strongholds. Caleb was not asking for something easy, but something very difficult, for it would involve driving out huge soldiers from the hills. Faith drove out all fear from his heart. He would follow the Lord into Hebron.
Prayer: Lord, I praise you for maturing Caleb in his faith and godly character. Mature me in my faith.
One Word: God matures our faith and character