1 The rest of the tribes of Israel received their shares of land in Canaan. Eleazar the priest and Joshua, the son of Nun, decided what each of the tribes should receive. The leaders of the tribes helped them make these decisions. 2 The shares of nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh were decided by casting lots. That’s what the LORD had commanded through Moses. 3 Moses had given two tribes and the other half of the tribe of Manasseh their shares east of the Jordan River. But Moses had not given the Levites a share among the other tribes. 4 Manasseh and Ephraim were the sons of Joseph. They had become two tribes. The Levites didn’t receive any share of the land. They only received towns to live in and grasslands for their flocks and herds. 5 So the Israelites divided up the land, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
6 The people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, spoke to Joshua. He said, “You know what the LORD said to Moses, the man of God. He spoke to him at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 Moses, the servant of the LORD, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to check out the land. I was 40 years old at that time. I brought back an honest report to him. I told him exactly what I had seen. 8 Several other men of Israel went up with me. What they reported terrified the people. But I followed the LORD my God with my whole heart. 9 So on that day Moses made a promise to me. He said, ‘The land you have walked on will be your share. It will be the share of your children forever. That’s because you have followed the LORD my God with your whole heart.’ (Deuteronomy 1:36)
10 “The LORD has done just as he promised. He made the promise while Israel was wandering around in the desert. That was 45 years ago. He has kept me alive all this time. So here I am today, 85 years old! 11 I’m still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. I’m just as able to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 So give me this hill country. The LORD promised it to me that day. At that time you yourself heard that the Anakites were living there. You also heard that their cities were large and had high walls around them. But I’ll drive them out, just as the LORD said I would. He will help me do it.”
13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. He gave him Hebron as his share. 14 So ever since that time Hebron has belonged to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite. That’s because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, with his whole heart. 15 Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba. It was named after Arba. He was the greatest man among the Anakites.
So the land had peace and rest.
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