Commentary on Joshua, Commentary · Chapter 14
Chap. 14.
THese also are the places, whiche the children of Israel inherited, in the lande of Chanaan, whiche Eleazer the Priest, and Ioshue the sonne of Nun, and the cheefe fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed to them,
2 By the lot of their inheritance, as the Lorde had commanded, by the hande of Moses, to geue to the nine tribes, and the halfe tribe.
3 For Moses had geuen inheritaunce vntounto two tribes, and an halfe tribe, beyonde Iordan: but vntounto the Leuites he gaue none inheritaunce among them:
4 For the children of Ioseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gaue no parte vntounto the Leuites in the lande, saue cities to dwell in, with the suburbes of the same for their beastes and their substance.
5 As the Lorde had commaunded Moses, so the children of Israel did, when they diuided the lande.
6 Then the children of Iudah came vntounto Ioshue, in Gilgal: and Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh the Kenezite saide vntounto him, Thou knowest what the Lorde said vntounto Moses the man of God, concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea:
7 Fourtie yeares olde was I, when Moses the seruant of the Lorde sent me from Kadesh-barnea, to espie the land, and I brought him worde againe, as I thought in mine heart.
8 But my brethren that went vp with me, discouraged the heart of the people: yet I followed still the Lorde my God.
9 Wherefore Moses sware the same day, saying, Certeinly the land whereon thy feete hauehave troden, shall be thine inheritance, and thy childrens for euer, because thou hast followed constantly the Lorde my God.
10 Therefore beholde now, the Lorde hath kept me aliue, as he promised: this is the fourtie and fift yeare, since the Lorde spake this thing vntounto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wildernesse: and now loe, I am this day foure score and fiue yeares olde:
11 And yet am as strong at this time, as I was when Moses sent me: as strong as I was then, so strong am I now, either for warre, or for gouernement.
12 Now therefore giuegive me this mountaine, whereof the Lord spake in that day, (for thou heardest in that day, how the Anakims were there, and the cities great and walled:) if so be the Lorde will be with me, that I may driue them out, as the Lorde saide.
13 Then Ioshue blessed him, and gaue vntounto Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh, Hebron for an inheritance.
14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh the Kenezite, vntounto this day: because he followed constantly the Lord God of Israel.
15 And the name of Hebron was before time, Kiriath-arba: which Arba was a great man among the Anakims: thus the land ceased from warre.
1 These are, &c.) Now he commeth to the land of Chanaan, for which it behoued nine tribes and a halfe to cast lottes. And by and by, as we shall see, he will breake off the report of that matter, yet it was a conuenient passage of his speach from that region, which was of an other condition: that the readers may knowe, that he will speake afterward of the land of Chanaan, whose diuision was to be made by lot. We hauehave said before, that Iosue and Eleazer did part out, not onelyonly that which the Israelites had conquered: but geuing credite to the promise of God, comprehended whatsoeuer God promised to his people, no otherwise, than if it had bene alredie in their occupation. We shall see, that the partition was not perfect at the first: but when the lot of Iuda fell out first, the courses of the other tribes were left in hope. But here ariseth a hard question, How Iosue, Eleazer, and the Princes diuided the land, if lottes were cast for it: For the casting of lottes is not gouerned, either by the sentence, will, or authoritie of men. If any man will answer, that they did ouersee the matter, that no deceipt might be vsed, the knot is not yet loosed, yea, that answer shalbe confuted by the texte. Wherefore we must wit, that they were not simply chosen to diuide the lande by lot: but after the casting of the lottes, to enlarge or restraine the boundes of euerie tribe by iust proportion. And it is manifest, that the matter could not be accomplished onelyonly by casting of lottes. For when nothing is more chaunceable in mans iudgement, than the falling of lottes, they knewe not, whether God would place the halfe tribe of Manasses, where Iuda obteined his portion: whether Zabulon should hauehave bene in the place of Ephraim. Wherefore, it was not lawefull for them, to proceede further in the beginning, than to diuide the lande into tenne partes or prouinces: but so, that the space of euerie one should remaine vndetermined. For, if euerie one should hauehave had their choyce, some would hauehave wished to hauehave dwelt in the middest of the land, some would hauehave chosen a quiet countrie, some would hauehave followed the fruitfulnesse of the fieldes, or the good temper of the aire, or the pleasantnesse of the place. But the lot placed the tribe of Iuda, as it were, in the head, and sent away the tribe of Zabulon vntounto the Sea coaste: and made the tribe of Beniamin neighbour vntounto Iuda, and remoued the tribe of Ephraim further off. Finally, this was the authoritie of the lot, that frō Egypt toward Syria, & from the North part by the Midland sea, ten portions fell out, so that some were neere vntounto the Egyptians, some inhabited in places neere the Sea, some should hauehave the hillie parte, some should dwell in the middest of the vallies. When this was once appointed, then the rulers of the people had their parte to execute, that according to the lawe of proportion, they shoulde sette out the boundes of euerie tribe. Therefore, it was in their iudgement, to accompt how manie thousand people was in euerie tribe, and so according to the multitude or fewnesse, they should adiudge to euerie one, either more or lesse compasse of grounde. For, by the commandement of God, proportion was to be kepte: that as they were found, more or fewer, when they were numbered, so a larger or a straiter region should be assigned to them: Numbers 26. It was referred to the iudgement of the same Princes, to directe the boundes, either in length or in breadth, euen as the more commodious reason required. Also we must remember that, which is read: Numbers 34. that those ten which are now called heades of the families, were not appointed by election of men, but were created vntounto this office by the voice of God. So euerie tribe had their owne ouerseers, that no fraud or force should be vsed. Againe, it was not lawfull to hauehave them in suspicion, which were named by God himselfe. Behold now howe Iosue gaue the land, which yet was subiect to casting of lottes.
4 But to the Leuites, &c.) This is the thirde time that the same thing is repeated of the Leuites, that they were accompted to make one head, bu… for another purpose, because it followeth immediately after, that the sonnes of Ioseph were diuided into two tribes, & so by priuiledge their portion was doubled. For so Iacob had prophesied: yea euen as a Iudge appointed by God, he preferred his sonne Ioseph before the rest, in this behalfe. God therefore tooke the Leuites to his owne portion, and set vp in their place one of the two families of Ioseph.
6 And the children of Iuda came, &c.) Now is enterlaced an other matter, wherby that which was begon to be spoken, of the partition of the land is broken off: namely, that Caleb required mount Hebron to be geuen vntounto him, euen as it was promised by Moses: and this happened in time long before the people had made an end of their warres, and should cast lottes for the land. For this is numbered the fift yeare, since they entered into the lande: neither doeth he require a place that was alredie quietly possessed, and free from enimies: but in the middest of the furie and heate of warres, he desireth that he may hauehave leaue to subdue and s…aie the Giantes, and so to conquere it. This only he indenteth with them, that after …ee hath vanquished the Giantes by his vertue and manhood, he be not defranded of the rewarde of his trauell. The manner of prouision is, that this place come not into the common lotte of his tribe. Therefore he alone doth not take vponupon him this enterprise, but the sonnes of Iuda, of which tribe he was, agree therevnto, because that by this extraordinarie gift, which was bestowed vppon one familie, the portion of euerie one was, by so much as his parte came to, increased. Therefore, although Caleb alone doth speake, the whole tribe is with him, whose benefite it was, that he should be enriched with this rewarde. But why Caleb is called the Kenesite, I cannot certeinly determine, He is called so also: Num. 32. Neither am I ignorant, what other men gesse, namely, that he was so surnamed of Kenas, or because he or some of his ancesters dwelt among the Kenesites. But I see no certeintie of these opinons. What if he obteined this title of some notable acte he did: as conquerers sometime doe take their surname of the nations which they hauehave subdued? First, because this promise was not registred in the publike recordes, & no man was aliue, that could be witnesse therof but Iosue, he appealeth to him. For it is like that when the other tenne spies obiected the names of the Giantes, Enakim, to terrifie the people, Caleb to confute their lewdnesse, answered the truth, that when he had seene them in the Mount Hebron, they were not so terrible, but that he durst sette vppon them himselfe, that after he had chased them away, he might succeed in their place, and that vponupon this condition his dwelling was graunted to be in that place, which he should conquere by his owne valiantnesse.
7 I was fourtie yeres old, &c.) He seemeth to boast of his vertue more gloriously, than becommeth a godlie and modest man. But we must remember, that when the mater of it selfe was odious and subiect to many quarels, he hath neede of singular commendation to deliuer him from enuie. Wherefore he rehearseth how faithfully he reported that, which he knew of the land. For this clause (Euen as it was in my heart) doeth doubtlesse declare sinceritie, and so his heart is opposite to deceitfull words. For it is a fond interpretation, that he said in his heart: because he durst say nothing by the way, least he should hauehave bene slaine of his companions. For he meaneth nothing else, but that without colour and dissimulation, he did faithfully execute that, which was geuen him in charge, he amplifieth the praise of his vpright dealing, that when all his companions (except Iosue) were against him, yet he gaue no place to their malice, neither was he ouercome with their wicked conspiracie, but abode constantly in his purpose. The wordes are, (I fulfilled to goe after God.) But the sense is cleare, that he was not caried away from the faithfulnesse of his duetie, by the wicked practising of those ten men, which was harde to abide: but that he was throughly determined to followe God. Namely, because he was certeinly persuaded, that God was the author of the enterprise, from which those vnfaithfull men assaied to withdrawe the people. But let vsus learne out of this place, that except the last ende answeare to the beginninges, good beginninges vanish away and come to nothing: and secondly, that this constancie is onelyonly worthie of praise, when we followe God.
9 Then Moses sware, &c.) This was one rewarde of his message well and faithfully discharged, to obteine an inheritance, whereof all the people is depriued. For, although long life be worthily accompted among the benefites of God: yet the end is here annexed, that Caleb might obteine that inheritance, which was denied to the rest: which was no small prerogatiue. Consequently, he setteth forth the trueth of Gods promise, because he had prolonged his life: and not that onelyonly, but also had geuen him such vigor and strength, that being more than fourescore yeares olde, he was no weaker, than he was in the floure of his age. For other men hauehave had a lustie age, (and yet but a fewe:) neither hauehave any kept their owne so well, that at foure score and fiue yeares of age, they hauehave had as much strength as they had in their best age. For he doth not only challenge to himselfe the knowlege & valiantnesse of a Capteine, but also the strength of a souldier. He addeth also, that his strength will serue for all actions and exercises of this life. For, to goe in & out, doeth signifie as much with the Hebrewes, as to performe and execute all partes of our office. And Caleb doeth performe this indeede, when hee taketh vppon him to assault and driue away the Giantes. Neither is he lifted vp with foolishe pride, to assure himselfe of victorie: but he hopeth for prosperous successe by the helpe of God. This worde (Peraduenture) seemeth to inferre an vnreasonable kind of doubtfulnesse: as if he would goe to fight at all aduentures. They which thinke, that for modestie sake he mistrusteth himselfe, and considereth his owne infirmitie, doe neither say all, nor nothing at all. For surely, they omitte that, which is principall, that this worde (Peraduenture) is to be referred to the common opinion of men, such as might be conceiued by the present state of the matter. But first it is conuenient to consider his purpose. If he had desired such a hill to be geuen him, as without any trouble might hauehave ben possessed: his request had bene harder to obteine. But now, setting foorth the difficultie of the matter, before Iosue, and the Princes, he winneth their fauoure: for when they hauehave yelded to his request, yet they graunt nothing, except he take in hand, & atchiue an hard, doubtfull, and daungerous warre. Therefore, when he knew that the Israelits did tremble and feare at the fame of the Giantes, he speaketh after their opinion, as of a matter doubtfull and vncerteine. But as touching himselfe, the woordes doe plainely declare, that he presumed not vppon that, which was spoken to him, with a doubtfull and wanering minde. I will driue them out (saith he) as the Lord hath pronounced. Shall we say, that when he bringeth forth a sentence of God, that he standeth in doubt, whether he will performe or no that which he hath promised? Therefore it is manifest, that to the intent he might more easily obteine his request, he putteth them in minde, how full of danger the enterprise was, although it is not straunge with the Hebrewes, by this worde (Simply) to note the difficultie and hardnesse of a thing, although no distrust at all doeth trouble our mindes. But how greate a matter it was to driue away the Giantes, out of that strong holde, hereof it may be gathered, that Caleb durst not sette vppon them, vntill after Iosue was dead.
13 Blessed him, &c.) He did so pray for him, that he did also reioyce with him: for it was profitable, for example sake, that his vertue should be openly commended, whereby other men should be stirred vp to ouercome all feares. For it was as much, as if he had contemned the Giantes, and ouerlooked them out of an high place. Therefore the blessing of Caleb doeth conteine a praise in it, which may serue to exhorte the people. In the end of the Chapter, it is said, that the name of Hebron was Kiriath Arbah. Where it is to be noted, that the hill it selfe, is not to be vnderstood thereby, but the cheefe citie there on, which is often mentioned in the scripture. And it is said, that it was so named, of a certeine Giant, of notable tallnesse: whereby their fable is confuted, which will hauehave it to be so called, of foure Patriarches that were buried there. Thus it appeareth, that Caleb was not carefull for his present quietnesse, or priuate commoditie, when he doeth not sette vppon the place manie yeres after it was geuen him. Wherefore it perteined no lesse to the whole people, than to one priuate familie, that that thing should be geuen for a singular benefite, which did as yet hang vppon the incomprehensible grace of God, & was laied vp in hope alone. Also this priuate reward ought to be lesse odious, seing the effect thereof could not be confirmed, without the wonderfull power of God. Yet heere …riseth a question, Seeing Hebron did not only fall to be a portion of the Leuites, but also was one of the cities of refuge, how this gifte …oode vndefeated? If we say that Caleb contenting him selfe with other townes, resigned his right to the Leuites, the knot is not yet altogether loosed, because he is expresly appointed Lorde of that citie. But if we consider, that onelyonly a right of dwelling was graunted to the Leuits in those cities, there shall be no repugnance. In the meane time, the modestie of Caleb is worthie of no small praise, which in that portion, which by extraordinarie priuilege was graunted to him, did not refuse to entertaine the Leuites.