Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).^[7]

Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century).^{[8][lower-alpha 1]}

Verse 1

And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.^[12]

• "Eleazar the priest": the son of Aaron, is mentioned here for the first time in the Book of Joshua, and named before Joshua (although Joshua was told to divide the land in Joshua 13:7), just as how it was listed in Numbers 34:17.^[13][14] The combination of Eleazar, Joshua and the heads of the families is mentioned again in Joshua 19:51 after the division of the land is completed.^[13] Eleazar and Joshua were the principal figures in the allotment of the land is supported by the fact that the daughters of Zelophehad approached them to claim their inheritance (Joshua 17:4).^[13]
• "Heads of the fathers of the tribes": a term also used in Numbers 32:28, whereas Numbers 34:18 uses the term "prince".^[14] The ten persons, one from each of the nine tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh, which were appointed and named by God in Numbers 34:19–29 to "divide the inheritance among the children of Israel in the land of Canaan", as follows:^[15]

Verse 10

And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old.^[16]

A time calculation is embedded in this verse: Caleb the son of Jephunneh was 40 years old when he received the promise (after coming back as one of the 12 spies; verse 7), and 45 years have passed since then, so he is 85 years old at this time.^[17] According to Sebachim 118b, the promise in Kadesh-barnea was given 2 years after the Exodus from Egypt, so within 40 years of wandering, 38 years have passed until the crossing into Canaan (Deuteronomy 2:14).^[17] Therefore, now (45 years after the promise) seven years have passed which comprise the period of the conquest of Canaan.^[17]

Verse 13

And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.^[18]

• "Hebron: this city plays an important role in the history of Israel until, beginning with the burial of Sarah, the wife of Abraham there (Genesis 23:1–7) and continuing after the conquest with David reigning as king first from this city (2 Samuel 5:3–5), but in particular in this verse Hebron becomes the first place in the land of Canaan ("Cisjordan") to be allotted, and this is Joshua's first act of allotment (thus completely assuming the mantle of Moses).^[11] The actual conquest of the city by Caleb is recorded in the next chapter (Joshua 15:13–14).^[11]