Who is and what is…
Caleb

also known as: Calev and Kelev

Hebrew: כָּלֵב —transliteration: Kaleb —meaning: faithful; devoted; brave; bold; wholehearted; hearty; impetuous

This name has the same spelling as the Hebrew word for dog (Ancient Hebrew: kelev—כלב). However, it may have had a different pronunciation and may be a compound word—the word “all” or “whole” (כל) combined with the word “heart” (לב). Another possibility is that name is “dog.”

“The name ‘dog’ is prevalent in all the ancient Semitic languages, as well as in Phoenician and Ugaritic, and may be abbreviated as the ‘dog of God,’ meaning the faithful and submissive servant of God.”

This was the name of 2 biblical men and a place.

  1. Caleb, son of Hezron

    They are of the tribe of Judah.

    This Caleb is also called Chelubai (כלובי, 1 Chronicles 2:9) and Carmi (כרמי).

    His descendants are listed in the First Book of Chronicles.

    Now Caleb the son of Hezron became a father by Azubah his wife, and by Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. Then Azubah died, and Caleb took for himself Ephrath as a wife, and she bore him Hur. Hur became the father of Uri, and Uri became the father of Bezalel.

    …Now the sons of Caleb, the brother of Jerahmeel, were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph; and his son was Mareshah, the father of Hebron.

    The sons of Hebron were Korah and Tappuah and Rekem and Shema.

    Shema became the father of Raham, the father of Jorkeam; and Rekem became the father of Shammai.

    The son of Shammai was Maon, and Maon was the father of Bethzur.

    Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran, Moza, and Gazez; and Haran became the father of Gazez.

    The sons of Jahdai were Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph.

    Maacah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah. She also bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbena and the father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. —1 Chronicles 2:18-20; 42-49

    Relatives

  2. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh (Numbers 13:6; 32:12; Joshua 14:6, 14)

    He was one of those whom Moses sent to search the land in the 2nd year after the Exodus. He was one of the family chiefs of the tribe of Judah. He and Joshua the son of Nun were the only 2 of the whole number who encouraged the people to go up and possess the land, and they alone were spared when a plague broke out in which the other 10 spies perished (Numbers 13; 14).

    All the people that had been numbered, from 20 years old and upward, perished in the wilderness, except these 2.

    The last mention we have of Caleb is when (being then 85 years of age) he came to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, after the people had gained possession of the land, and reminded him of the promise Moses had made to him, by virtue of which he claimed a certain portion of the land of Kirjath-arba as his inheritance (Joshua 14:6-15; 15:13-15; 21:10-12; 1 Samuel 25:2,3; 30:14).

    He is called a “Kenezite” in Joshua 14:6, 14. This may simply mean “son of Kenez” (Numbers 32:12). Some, however, read “Jephunneh, the son of Kenez,” who was a descendant of Hezron, the son of Pharez, a grandson of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:5).

    Also SEE

  3. Caleb, an area of Judah

    The above man Caleb gave his name, apparently, to a part of southern Judah (1 Samuel 30:14), the district between Hebron and Carmel, which had been assigned to him. When he gave up the city of Hebron to the priests as a city of refuge, he retained possession of the surrounding country (Joshua 21:11-12; compare 1 Samuel 25:3).

More information

Article Version: July 6, 2024