Joshua 15:14 kjv
And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
Joshua 15:14 nkjv
Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak from there: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
Joshua 15:14 niv
From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites?Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, the sons of Anak.
Joshua 15:14 esv
And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the descendants of Anak.
Joshua 15:14 nlt
Caleb drove out the three groups of Anakites ? the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the sons of Anak.
Joshua 15 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 13:28 | "However, the people who dwell in the land are strong... | The daunting presence of the Anakim. |
| Num 13:33 | "There we saw the Nephilim... and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers... | Exaggerated fear of the Anakim/giants. |
| Num 14:24 | "But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit... shall enter it... | Caleb's faithfulness and promised reward. |
| Deut 1:28 | "The people are taller and mightier than we... Anakim are there." | Israel's fear contrasted with Caleb's faith. |
| Deut 2:10 | "The Emim formerly lived there... people as great... as the Anakim." | Other giant-like peoples in the land. |
| Deut 9:2 | "a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim." | God reiterates Anakim's stature. |
| Josh 11:21 | "And at that time Joshua came and cut off the Anakim from the hill country... | Joshua's initial victory over the Anakim. |
| Josh 11:22 | "There were no Anakim left in the land of the people of Israel... but only in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod." | General Anakim defeat, except a few areas. |
| Josh 14:9 | "Moses swore on that day, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden... | Moses' promise of the land to Caleb. |
| Josh 14:12 | "Now therefore give me this hill country of which the LORD spoke... it may be that the LORD will be with me..." | Caleb's courageous request for Hebron. |
| Josh 14:13 | "Then Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb... as an inheritance." | Joshua granting Caleb's inheritance. |
| Judg 1:20 | "And they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, and he drove out from it the three sons of Anak." | Parallel account of Caleb's action. |
| Ps 44:3 | "for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but by Your right hand..." | God's power in conquest, not human might. |
| Ps 105:44 | "And He gave them the lands of the nations..." | God giving nations' lands to Israel. |
| Heb 11:6 | "And without faith it is impossible to please him..." | Caleb's actions rooted in faith. |
| Heb 11:8 | "By faith Abraham obeyed... when he went out, not knowing where he was going." | Caleb's faith echoing Abraham's obedience. |
| Eph 6:12 | "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness..." | Spiritual opposition like the Anakim. |
| 1 Jn 4:4 | "Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." | God's power in believers to overcome. |
| Phil 4:13 | "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." | Strength to overcome through God. |
| 2 Cor 10:4 | "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." | Destroying formidable strongholds by divine power. |
| Matt 17:20 | "...If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move..." | Faith overcoming perceived impossibility. |
Joshua 15 verses
Joshua 15 14 Meaning
Joshua 15:14 records that Caleb dispossessed or drove out the Anakim from Hebron, specifically naming the three prominent sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. This action fulfilled God’s promise and Caleb’s faith, signifying the overcoming of formidable obstacles as part of Israel's inheritance of the promised land.
Joshua 15 14 Context
Joshua 15 details the tribal allotment of land for Judah, the largest tribe. This specific verse falls within the section describing Caleb's special inheritance, which he requested based on God's promise made to him through Moses. Hebron, despite being initially conquered in a general campaign by Joshua, still harbored formidable inhabitants, the Anakim, requiring Caleb to personally "drive them out" as part of fully possessing his inheritance. The context highlights Caleb's personal faith and courage, contrasting sharply with the fearful spies' report generations prior (Numbers 13) regarding these very giants, proving that with God's help, even the most daunting obstacles could be overcome and the land fully taken.
Joshua 15 14 Word analysis
- And Caleb drove out: The Hebrew word for "drove out" is יֹּוֹרֶשׁ (yoresh), derived from the root יָרַשׁ (yarash), which means "to take possession of," "to inherit," or "to dispossess," "to drive out." Here, the context dictates "to drive out" or "to dispossess," emphasizing an active, forceful action to remove prior inhabitants. It implies a struggle, not merely a peaceful occupation, reinforcing Caleb's courage.
- thence: Refers to Kirjath-Arba, which is Hebron, previously mentioned as given to Caleb in Joshua 14:13 and reconfirmed as Caleb's special inheritance in Joshua 15:13. It was a primary dwelling place of the Anakim.
- the three sons of Anak: These are specified as Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. Their mention singles out the key leaders or most fearsome figures among the Anakim in Hebron. Naming them makes the victory concrete and highlights the specific challenge overcome. These were descendants of Anak, himself a descendant of Arba.
- Sheshai: (שֵׁשַׁי Sheshai): Possibly meaning "long-haired" or "wooly," indicating a distinctive appearance. His name might have evoked a sense of a wild, imposing figure.
- Ahiman: (אֲחִימַן ʼAḥiman): Meaning "my brother is a gift" or "brother of a gift." While seemingly innocuous, in the context of feared giants, it could imply their perceived power was a gift/endowment they held.
- Talmai: (תַּלְמַי Talmai): Meaning "furrowed" (possibly referring to a heavily muscled, furrowed brow, or linked to a name of a geographical feature). This name could emphasize their imposing, weathered, or powerful physical appearance.
- "And Caleb drove out thence the three sons of Anak": This phrase underlines Caleb's decisive action to claim his inheritance. It signifies not just nominal possession but active dispossessing the entrenched, formidable opposition. It also fulfills God's explicit instruction to drive out the inhabitants (Deut 7:2; 9:3-4). The focus is on the victory over specific, known adversaries, making the conquest personal and dramatic. This specific act is mentioned due to the significance of Anakim, their fear-inspiring presence (Num 13), and the fact that Hebron was given specifically to Caleb.
Joshua 15 14 Bonus section
The Anakim were a branch of the Rephaim, a pre-Israelite group often associated with large stature and military might (Deut 2:11, 20-21). Their presence made Hebron a formidable stronghold. Caleb’s triumph over them reinforced the theological truth that God enables His people to overcome what appears to be impossible. The specific names of Anak's sons (Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai) are mentioned elsewhere, like in Judges 1:20, affirming the historical detail and significance of Caleb's particular accomplishment against these renowned giants. This was a critical test of faith and a demonstration of Israel's ability to possess the land despite any previous fearful assessments.
Joshua 15 14 Commentary
Joshua 15:14 is a concise but potent testament to Caleb's unwavering faith and the power of God. Having already received Hebron as his special inheritance due to his unique faithfulness forty-five years prior, Caleb took personal action to fully secure it. His driving out of the Anakim, those fearsome giants who had terrified the other spies, showcases profound trust in God over human might or appearance. This was not a general Israelite conquest but a specific fulfillment of a promise made to Caleb and an demonstration of individual resolve. It exemplifies that divine promises require human participation and courageous faith to overcome lingering obstacles, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable foes like the sons of Anak. It underlines the theme that faithful obedience leads to complete possession of God's blessings.