Joshua 14:12
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Now therefore give me this hill country that the LORD promised me on that day, for you yourself heard then that the Anakim were there, with great and fortified cities. Perhaps with the LORD’s help I will drive them out, as the LORD has spoken.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
"The mountain," according to the context, is the mountainous region of Hebron, where the spies had seen the Anakites (Num 13:22, Num 13:28). The two clauses, in Jos 14:12, beginning with כּי are not to be construed as subordinate to one another, but are co-ordinate clauses, and contain two distinct motives in support of his petition: viz., "for thou heardest in that day," sc., what Jehovah said to me then, and also "for (because) the Anakites are there;" ... "perhaps Jehovah is with me (אתי for אתּי, see Ges. 103, 1, anm. 1, and Ewald, 264, b.), and I root them out" (vid., Jos 15:14). The word "perhaps" does not express a doubt, but a hope or desire, or else, as Masius says, "hope mixed with difficulty; and whilst the difficulty detracts from the value, the hope stimulates the desire for the gift."
Open source ↗Here is, I. The general method that was taken in dividing the land (Jos 14:1-5). II. The demand Caleb made of Hebron, as his by promise, and therefore not to be put into the lot with the rest (Jos 14:6-12). And Joshua's grant of that demand (Jos 14:13-15). This was done at Gilgal, which was as yet their head-quarters.
Open source ↗14:12 Israel had stayed out of Canaan forty-five years earlier because they feared the descendants of Anak, a tall, strong people who lived in the hill country of Judah (Num 13:32-33).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak that come from the Nephilim! We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them!”
Nevertheless, the people living in the land are strong, and the cities are large and fortified. We even saw the descendants of Anak there.
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
For it was not by their sword that they took the land; their arm did not bring them victory. It was by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.
With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies.
Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.”
Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak.