Caleb was a man from the tribe of Judah and son of Jephunneh. He was listed with Joshua the Son of Nun as one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan.
About Caleb
A son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite (Numbers 32:12; Joshua 14:6). He was the older brother of Kenaz (Judges 1:13). Caleb was one of the 12 spies sent to explore the land of Canaan. While most of the spies were afraid to attack, Caleb and Joshua recommended moving forward immediately. The Israelites rejected their advice because they feared the strongly defended cities. Because of this lack of faith, God delayed Israel's entrance into Canaan, the promised land, for many years (Numbers 14:21–23, 34–35).
When Israel finally entered Canaan under Joshua's leadership, Caleb was 85 years old (Joshua 14:6–7, 10). Joshua assigned Hebron as the territory of Caleb. Caleb conquered the Anakim who lived there (verses 13–14). Caleb offered his daughter Acsah in marriage to anyone who conquered the nearby town of Kiriath-sepher (also called Debir). His nephew Othniel (who was Acsah's cousin) conquered the city and married Acsah (15:16–17).
Hebron later became a city of refuge for Levites (Joshua 21:13; 1 Chronicles 6:55–57). In part of Caleb's territory, David spent time hiding from King Saul. There David met his future wife Abigail, who was then married to Nabal, a descendant of Caleb (1 Samuel 25:3). This area was also where David's wives were captured by Amalekite raiders who had attacked southern Judah and "the Negev of Caleb" (1 Samuel 30:14).
Family Relationships
- Parents
- Jephunneh
- Half-sibling
- Kenaz
- Children 4
- Achsah, Iru, Elah (1 Chronicles 4:15), Naam
- Nieces & Nephews 2
- Othniel, Seraiah (1 Chronicles 4:13)
Key References
from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;
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.
Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.
Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak.
The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.
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!”
All Scripture References (29)
Numbers (9)
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!”
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;
Deuteronomy (1)
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 (9)
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.
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.
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?”
But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.
Judges (6)
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.
1 Samuel (2)
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.”
1 Chronicles (2)
The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz.
the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,