Judges 1:20 · Bible study
Judges 1:20 Commentary: Caleb's Victory at Hebron
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Caleb succeed where other tribes failed? This study explores the promise, faith, and divine backing behind Caleb's conquest of the Anakim.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Fulfillment of God’s promise to a faithful man; victory over long‑feared enemies.
- Key words: “Gave” (H5414, nathan, grant, assign); “dispossessed” (H3423, yarash, take possession, drive out); “Anak” (H6061, a people of tall stature).
- Main debate: Whether this event is a repetition of Joshua 15:14 or a separate, later conquest; most see it as a summary of the same historical act.
- Theological theme: God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises, and the human response of wholehearted obedience that enables victory.
- Best use: As a case study in persevering faith for small‑group teaching or personal encouragement when facing long‑standing obstacles.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, and he drove the three sons of Anak out of there.
KJV King James Version 1769
And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses had spoken: and he drove out thence the three sons of Anak.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And they give to Caleb Hebron, as Moses hath spoken, and he dispossesseth thence the three sons of Anak.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And they gave to Caleb Hebron, as Moses had said; and he dispossessed from thence the three sons of Anak.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, who destroyed out of it the three sons of Enac.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y dieron Hebrón á Caleb, como Moisés había dicho: y él echó de allí tres hijos de Anac.
E deram Hebrom a Calebe, como Moisés havia dito: e ele expulsou dali três filhos de Anaque.
On donna Hébron à Caleb, comme l’ avait dit Moïse; et il en chassa les trois fils d’Anak.
Und sie gaben dem Kaleb Hebron, wie Mose gesagt hatte; und er vertrieb daraus die drei Söhne des Enak.
En zij gaven Hebron aan Kaleb, gelijk als Mozes gesproken had; en hij verdreef van daar de drie zonen van Enak.
E, come Mosè avea detto, Hebron fu data a Caleb, che ne scacciò i tre figliuoli di Anak.
A tak oddano Kalebowi Hebron, jako był rozkazał Mojżesz, skąd on wygnał trzech synów Enakowych.
И отдали Халеву Хеврон, как говорил Моисей, [и получил он там в наследие три города сынов Енаковых] и изгнал оттуда трех сынов Енаковых.
以色列人照摩西 所 說的，將 希伯崙 給了 迦勒；迦勒就從那裡 趕出 亞衲族 的三個 族長。
And they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said; and he took the land of the three sons of Anak, driving them out from there.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 1:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse records the fulfillment of God's promise to Caleb through Moses. Gill notes the event parallels Joshua 15:14, referring to the same campaign when Caleb received Hebron as his inheritance. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges observes that “the three sons of Anak” is a tribal collective, the Anakim were a race of very tall men long remembered in Israel (Deuteronomy 1:28; 9:2). Matthew Henry places the verse within Judah’s successful campaign, highlighting Caleb as an example of wholehearted courage. The consensus is clear: Caleb’s victory is directly tied to his complete following of Yahweh (Joshua 14:14), and the giving of Hebron fulfills the word spoken through Moses (Numbers 14:24; Deuteronomy 1:36).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God kept His promise to Caleb because Caleb followed the Lord completely, and the victory at Hebron demonstrates that faith, not human strength, overcomes every obstacle.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Caleb's faithfulness as the reason for success | All traditions affirm that Caleb's wholehearted devotion to God (Numbers 14:24; Joshua 14:14) is the key to his victory. | Some emphasize divine sovereignty (God chose to bless Caleb); others stress human agency (Caleb's courage and action activated the promise). Both agree the two are not in conflict. |
| The nature of the Anakim | Commentators agree the ‘three sons of Anak’ represent a tribal collective of very tall people (the Anakim). | Whether the Anakim were literal giants or simply a race of unusually tall warriors is debated; all accept they were formidable opponents featured throughout Deuteronomy and Joshua. |
| Relationship to Joshua 15:14 | Both passages describe Caleb driving out the sons of Anak from Hebron. | Some see Judges 1:20 as a later summary of the same event, while others suggest it could be a separate, subsequent campaign. The wording is nearly identical, favoring the view of one historical act recorded twice. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Hebron held deep historical roots. Abraham had settled there (Genesis 13:18), and the patriarchs were buried in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 23:19). By the time of the conquest, the city was associated with the Anakim, a people of great stature (Numbers 13:22, 28, 33). When the twelve spies scouted Canaan, ten brought back a fearful report, but Caleb and Joshua trusted God. Because of that trust, Moses promised Caleb the land he had explored (Numbers 14:24; Deuteronomy 1:36). Joshua later granted Hebron to Caleb as his inheritance (Joshua 14:6, 15), and Joshua 15:14 narrates Caleb driving out the three sons of Anak.
Judges 1:20 appears within the opening chapter that recounts Israel’s incomplete conquest after Joshua’s death. The Kenites had settled in the wilderness of Judah (v.16), and Judah, with Simeon, struck Canaanite cities (v.17, 18). Victory was partial: Judah could not drive out the valley dwellers because they had iron chariots (v.19). In stark contrast, Caleb succeeded completely at Hebron. The verse thus highlights a pattern: God’s promise does not fail, but human participation matters. Caleb’s faith and action stand as a counterpoint to the compromise around him.
The Anakim themselves are described in Deuteronomy 9:2 as a “great and tall people.” Their name may derive from a word meaning “long-necked,” pointing to their height. They had been a source of terror for the earlier generation, but Caleb, now 85 years old (Joshua 14:10), confronted them without fear. The verse shows that age and past failure do not limit what God can do through one faithful person.
Textual Notes
The verse is textually stable across ancient witnesses. The Hebrew (MT) reads va.yi.te.nu le.kha.Lev et chev.Ron (“and they gave to Caleb Hebron”). The LXX and Syriac follow the same sense. No significant variants are reported in the supplied sources.
Reception History
In Christian tradition, Caleb has been celebrated as a model of persistent faith. Early writers such as Origen and Ambrose saw in Caleb a type of the mature believer who, after years of waiting, enters fully into God’s rest. The Reformation era (Matthew Henry, Geneva Notes) emphasized Caleb’s wholehearted obedience as a lesson for all Christians: God’s promises are certain, but they demand active trust. The verse has been used in sermons on growing old in faith and on facing the last great battles of life with courage. Across traditions, Hebron’s gift to Caleb remains a picture of grace, unearned but fiercely received.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God keeps His promises. Moses spoke, and years later the word was fulfilled. Caleb received exactly what was pledged.
- Faithfulness opens the door for divine strength. Caleb had “another spirit” (Numbers 14:24) and followed the Lord wholeheartedly. That made the impossible possible.
- Giants fall before obedient courage. The same Anakim who terrified the spies were driven out. Obedience turns fear into victory.
Five-point outline
- The setting: a land partially conquered and a people halfway obedient.
- The promise: Moses’ word, backed by God’s authority.
- The recipient: an old man who had been waiting for decades.
- The obstacle: three sons of Anak, symbols of every human fear.
- The result: complete victory. Hebron became Caleb’s peaceful inheritance.
Illustration hooks
- A child promised a bike learns to save money for months. When the day comes, the bike is earned, but also a gift. Caleb earned nothing; he received what was promised.
- An employer makes a verbal commitment to a promotion. Years pass. When the employee finally takes the new role, it requires facing difficult projects. The promise holds, but the work remains real.
- A homeowner moves into a house with an overgrown garden. The deed says the land is theirs, but they must clear the weeds. Caleb’s inheritance came with a job attached: drive out the Anakim.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God promises something, why do we still have to fight for it?
- What made Caleb different from the tribes that failed?
- How do we identify the “Anakim” in our own lives today?
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows a single success set against a backdrop of partial obedience. The group should ask: what can Caleb’s story teach us about receiving God’s promises?
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase “they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said” tell us about God’s character?
- Read Numbers 14:24. What was the “other spirit” that set Caleb apart?
- Why do you think the other tribes failed while Caleb succeeded? What factors made the difference?
- Joshua 14:10, 12 records Caleb’s own request at age 85. How does his boldness challenge you?
- What “Anakim” (seemingly impossible obstacles) are you facing? How might faith change your approach?
- In what ways do we sometimes accept partial victory when God offers complete possession of His promises?
- How can we encourage one another to follow the Lord wholeheartedly, like Caleb?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 13:22 | They went up by the South, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) |
| Numbers 14:24 | But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed me fully, him I will bring into the land into which he went. His offspring shall possess it. |
| Deuteronomy 1:36 | except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it. I will give the land that he has trodden on to him and to his children, because he has wholly followed Yahweh.” |
| Joshua 14:9 | Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where you walked shall be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have wholly followed Yahweh my God.’ |
| Joshua 14:14 | Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he followed Yahweh, the God of Israel wholeheartedly. |
| Joshua 15:13 | He gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Yahweh to Joshua, even Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (also called Hebron). |
| Joshua 15:14 | Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. |
| Joshua 21:11 | They gave them Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (also called Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its pasture lands around it. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke does not offer new commentary here; he refers readers back to his earlier note on Joshua 14:12 for the full explanation of how Hebron was given to Caleb. For him this verse simply continues that already‑recorded transaction.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator clarifies that "the three sons of Anak" refers to a whole tribe, not three individuals; Anak is a collective name for a people group. These Anakites were remembered as exceptionally tall men, particularly associated with the region of Hebron.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that Caleb received Hebron exactly as Moses had promised, showing God’s faithfulness to His word. It also highlights Caleb’s active role in clearing the land by personally driving out the three sons of Anak, the feared giants.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill clarifies that when Hebron was given to Caleb, it was not the city itself, which belonged to the Levites, but the surrounding fields and territory. He also notes that Caleb's expulsion of the three sons of Anak matches the account in Joshua, showing these refer to the same event.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the renaming of Zephath to Hormah as the fulfillment of an earlier vow made by Israel. The tribes captured several Philistine cities, but the commentator notes that the Philistines soon regained them, implying only a temporary victory.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that the ban on Zephath, which gave it the name Hormah, was carried out now for the first time by Judah and Simeon, not by Joshua earlier. The conquest of the three Philistine cities was temporary, and Judah could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because of their iron chariots.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights that the text deliberately avoids saying Judah "could not" drive out the lowland inhabitants. Instead it says "there was no driving out," implying not a lack of divine power but a failure of faith when faced with iron chariots.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that while the Lord gave Judah victory in the mountains, their failure to drive out the valley inhabitants was not due to God's weakness but to their own fear of iron chariots. Their unbelief limited what God would do for them, even though He was with them.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.