John Calvin Commentary Joshua 14:6

"Then the children of Judah drew nigh unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that Jehovah spake unto Moses the man of God concerning me and concerning thee in Kadesh-barnea." — Joshua 14:6 (ASV)

Then the children of Judah came, etc. Here, the account that had begun concerning the partition of the land is interrupted to make way for the insertion of a narrative, namely, that Caleb requested Mount Hebron to be given to him as Moses had promised him.

This happened long before the people had ceased from making war and it became necessary to cast lots. It is stated to be the fifth year since their entrance into the land. He does not ask for a locality to be given to him that was already subdued and cleared of the enemy; rather, in the midst of the noise and heat of warfare, he asks to be permitted to acquire it by routing and slaying its giants.

He only seeks to ensure that when his valor has subdued the giants, he is not to be defrauded of the reward for his labor. The method of ensuring this was to prevent its being included in the common lot of a tribe.

Accordingly, he does not make the claim by himself alone, but the members of his tribe, the sons of Judah, also concur with him, because the effect of conferring this extraordinary benefit on one family was, to that extent, an addition for all. Hence, although Caleb alone speaks, all the tribe who had an interest in his request being granted were present.

I am not clear why the surname "Kenite" was given to Caleb. He is also called this in Numbers 32. I am not unaware of the conjecture of some commentators that he was so surnamed from Kenaz, because either he himself or one of his ancestors dwelt among the Kenites.

But I see no solid foundation for this. What if he gained this title by some illustrious deed, just as victors sometimes assume a surname from the nations they have subdued? As the promise had not been inserted into any public record, and Joshua was the only witness now surviving, he makes his application to him.

And it is probable that when the ten spies mentioned the names of the Anakim in order to terrify the people, Caleb, to refute their dishonesty, answered truthfully. He likely declared that when he saw them on Mount Hebron, they were far from being terrible, and that he himself would attack them, provided that upon their expulsion he would possess their lands. It is also probable that on these conditions, Moses then granted him a dwelling in that locality, which Caleb was to acquire through his own prowess.