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Portrait of CalebPortrait · Caleb

Exodus · Old Testament

Caleb

Wholehearted Follower Who Entered the Land

Name meaning
Dog or faithful; wholehearted
Name origin
Hebrew: כָּלֵב (Kalev), commonly understood as "dog" or by extension "faithful"

Quick facts

Occupation
  • Spy
  • Warrior
  • Leader of Judah
Birthplace
Egypt (born in wilderness generation)
Modern-day location
Egypt; the specific birthplace is not recorded.
Family
  • Son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite
  • Father of Iru, Elah and Naam
  • Brother of Kenaz
First mention
Numbers 13:6
Last mention
Joshua 14:6-14; Judges 1:12-15
Key artifacts
  • Cluster of grapes from Eshcol
  • Sword
  • Hebron inheritance

Key verses

  • “But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land.”

    Numbers 14:24

  • “but I wholly followed the LORD my God.”

    Joshua 14:8

  • “As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me.”

    Joshua 14:11

Biography

Early Life

Caleb represented the tribe of Judah among twelve spies sent into Canaan. While most brought fear, Caleb and Joshua urged trust in God's promise.

Defining Biblical Moments

Caleb's wholehearted following of the LORD was remembered for 45 years in the wilderness. At age 85 he asked for the hill country of Hebron and drove out the Anakim, receiving his inheritance.

Strengths

Caleb is portrayed as courageous, consistently faithful over decades, and vigorous in pursuing God's promises even in old age.

Weaknesses & Lessons

The narrative focuses on his exemplary faithfulness, highlighting the contrast between wholehearted trust and the grumbling of his generation.

Life Lessons for Today

Faithfulness over the long haul matters; courage in youth should mature into sustained, wholehearted commitment in later years.

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Caleb appears in Heroes, Kings & Prophets of the Old Testament, alongside more profiles like this one.

Page #41 in Heroes, Kings & Prophets of the Old Testament

Heroes, Kings & Prophets of the Old Testament front cover

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