Bible Strands
Joshua 14:15
(Hebron used to be called Kiriath-arba, after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim.) Then the land had rest from war.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Joshua addresses the assembled tribes of Israel at the conclusion of the tribal land allocation, immediately after formally assigning Hebron to Caleb.
The words — The text uses לְ/פָנִים (le./fa.Nim), meaning "before" or "formerly," and בָּ/עֲנָקִ֖ים (ba./'a.na.Kim), meaning "among the Anakites," to identify the city's prior name and its former powerful inhabitants.
The thread — This geographical clarification aligns with Genesis 23:2, which equates Kiriath-arba with Hebron, and Joshua 15:13, which records the official grant of that territory to Caleb. The declaration that the land rested from war directly parallels Joshua 11:23, marking the completion of the military campaign.
Why it lands — The text states a factual transition from conquest to settled inheritance, noting that hostilities ceased only after the specific allocation to Caleb was finalized. It requires the reader to observe that territorial possession and national stability are presented as direct outcomes of following the established divine commands.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the name of Hebron before was Kirjath–arba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
Cross-references
- Joshua 11:23 So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to the allotments to their tribes. Then the land had rest from war.
- Genesis 23:2 She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her.
- Joshua 15:13 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.)
- Judges 3:11 So the land had rest for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.
- Judges 5:31 So may all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But may those who love You shine like the sun at its brightest.” And the land had rest for forty years.
- Judges 8:28 In this way Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. So the land had rest for forty years in the days of Gideon,
- Judges 3:30 So Moab was subdued under the hand of Israel that day, and the land had rest for eighty years.