Joshua 14:15

15 Now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba; this Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war.

Joshua 14:15 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 14:15

And the name of Hebron before [was] Kirjatharba
According to Jerom F21, it had its name of Hebron from a son or grandson of Caleb of that name, ( 1 Chronicles 2:42 ) ; and if so, then it is here, and in some other places, so called by anticipation: Kirjatharba may be rendered "the city of the four"; and had its name, as some think, from the four couple buried there, or near it, Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah; or from four eminent persons, who formerly dwelt there, Aner, Eshcol, Mamre, and Abraham; or rather from four persons that more lately dwelt there, Anak and his three sons, Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai; or Arba is the name of some great man, to whom this city belonged, and so was called the city of Arba, which is the sense of our version, as appears by the following supplement:

[which Arba was] a great man among the Anakims;
both in stature and in dignity, and in authority, which some take to be Anak himself, the father of the Anakims; so Jarchi and Kimchi:

and the land had rest from war;
as is observed in ( Joshua 11:23 ) ; after Joshua had finished his conquest; and here again it is remarked just before the division of the land, as being now a proper time for it.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 De loc. Heb. fol. 87. F.

Joshua 14:15 In-Context

13 Then Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.
14 So Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel.
15 Now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba; this Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. That is [the city of Arba]
  • [b]. Heb lacks [this Arba was]
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.