Lexical Definition

‎כָּלֵב‎ Kâlêb (kaw-labe') Caleb ^N:N-M-P
perhaps a form of ‎כֶּלֶב‎, or else from the same root in the sense of forcible

Caleb.

• § Caleb = "dog"
• Caleb, the name of three Israelites

1) the godly son of Jephunneh and the faithful spy who reported the Promised Land favourably and urged its capture
2) son of Hezron and grandson of Pharez and great grandson of Judah and the father of Hur and grandfather of Caleb the spy

Extended Information

• A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness and Israel before the Monarchy, first mentioned at Num.13.6
• son of: Jephunneh (יְפֻנֶּה)
• brother of: Kenaz (קְנַז)
• father of: Achsah (עַכְסָה), Iru (עִירוּ), Elah (אֵלָה), Naam (נַעַם)
• Also named: ka.lib.bo (‎כ‎ָּ‎ל‎ִ‎ב‎ִּ‎י‎ "Calebite" כָּלִבּוֹ)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎כָּלֵב‎ proper name, masculine (Nabataean proper name ‎כלבא‎ Eut (Nö)^{p. 55}. ‎כלבו‎ Vog^{Nab. 6}; compare also We^{Skizzen u. Vorarbeiten iii. 217}; on ‎כָּלֵב‎ = dog-clan, see RS^{K 17, 190 f., 219, 254}); — son of ‎יְפֻנֶּה‎ (ᵐ5 Ξαλεβ; compare Lag^{BN 78}), called ‎הַקְּנִזִּי‎ (see ‎קְנַז‎) in J E, Num 32:12; Josh 14:6; Josh 14:14, compare Josh 15:17 = Judg 1:13; Judg 3:9 (where ‎קְנַז‎ is brother of ‎׳‎‎כ‎), also 1Chr 4:15 treated as full Judahite only in P Num 13:6 (see GFM^{Ju p. 30 f.}) the one of the spies who (with Joshua) reported well of Canaan Num 14:6; Num 14:24; Num 14:30; Num 14:38 also Num 26:65; Num 34:19; Deut 1:36; Josh 14:13; Josh 15:13; Josh 15:14; Josh 15:16; Josh 15:18; Josh 21:12 (P = 1Chr 6:41*) Judg 1:12; Judg 1:14; Judg 1:15; Judg 1:20 (|| with Josh 15); = clan of Caleb 1Sam 30:14 (distinguished from Judah). Caleb is called ‎בֶּןחֶֿצְרוֺן‎ 1Chr 2:18, compare v1Chr 2:19 v1Chr 2:42 v1Chr 2:46 v1Chr 2:48 v1Chr 2:49 v1Chr 2:50 = ‎כְּלוּבָ֑י‎ v1Chr 2:9 ‎בְּכָלֵב‎ ‎אֶפְרָתָה‎ 1Chr 2:24, read perh ‎׳‎‎בָּא כ‎, so ᵐ5 ᵑ9, compare Kau^AT (see ‎אֶפְרָתָה‎ above)

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Male • Joshua's compatriot • Faithful spy, given Hebron as inheritance

Joshua's compatriot living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness and Israel before the Monarchy

Caleb, one of the twelve spies, remained faithful to God and was granted Hebron as his inheritance.

• Joshua's compatriot living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness and Israel before the Monarchy, first mentioned at Num.13.6;
• referred to as Caleb כָּלֵב, or Calebite (=Qere. Ketiv= "like his heart") כָּלִבּוֹ;
• son of Jephunneh יְפֻנֶּה;
• a brother of Kenaz קְנַז;
• father of Achsah עַכְסָה, Iru עִירוּ, Elah אֵלָה, Naam נַעַם.

Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, was one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan (Num. 13:6). Along with Joshua, Caleb stood firm in his faith and trust in God's promise, encouraging the Israelites to enter the land despite the other spies' negative report (Num. 13:30; 14:6-9). As a result, God commended Caleb for his faithfulness and promised that he would inherit the land he had explored (Num. 14:24, 30, 38; Deut. 1:36). After the conquest of Canaan, Caleb requested and received Hebron as his inheritance (Josh. 14:6-15; 15:13-19; 21:12; Judg. 1:12-15, 20). He drove out the Anakim giants from Hebron and offered his daughter Achsah in marriage to whoever conquered Kirjath Sepher (Josh. 15:14-17; Judg. 1:12-13). Caleb's descendants settled in the Negev region and in the cities of Hebron (1 Sam. 30:14; 1 Chr. 4:15; 6:56). His faith, courage, and obedience to God made him a prominent figure in Israel's history, and his story is remembered as an example of unwavering trust in God's promises (Num. 32:12; Judg. 3:9).

All entries for Caleb: כָּלֵב ☩ כָּלִבּוֹ

Related Profiles:

• Jephunneh (father)
• Kenaz (sibling)
• Achsah (child)
• Iru (child)
• Elah (child)
• Naam (child)