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Caleb and Joshua
Autumn, oil on canvas by Nicolas Poussin, 1660–64; in the Louvre, Paris. The painting depicts Caleb and Joshua bearing grapes from the Promised Land.
Caleb
biblical figure
Caleb, in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), one of the spies sent by Moses from Kadesh-barnea in southern Palestine to reconnoitre the land of Canaan. Only Caleb and Joshua advised the Hebrews to proceed immediately to take the land. For his faith, Caleb was rewarded with the promise that he and his descendants should possess it (Numbers 13–14). Subsequently, Caleb settled in Hebron (Kiriatharba) after driving out the three sons of Anak. Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to Othniel, his nephew (or his younger brother, according to some readings of Joshua 15:17), who took nearby Debir (Joshua 15:13–19; compare Joshua 14:6–15; Judges 1:10–20).
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Alison Kendall.
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