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Numbers 13:6 — Word Study

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WLCלְמַטֵּ֣ה יְהוּדָ֔ה כָּלֵ֖ב בֶּן־ יְפֻנֶּֽה׃

BSAfrom the tribemaṭṭeh [a group of people] of JudahYᵉhûwdâh [the region, the descendants of Judah] CalebKâlêb [a faithful follower, the son of Jephunneh] sonbên [a descendant, a child] of JephunnehYᵉphunneh

Word
Listen & take awayNumbers 13
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 6 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ye.fu.Neh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Numbers 13:6quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse lists Caleb as a representative from the tribe of Judah.
Who is speakingThe narrator of the Book of Numbers, detailing the leaders chosen from each tribe.
Where we areThis verse is part of a larger list of leaders from the tribes of Israel.
The hard wordכָּלֵב
Take awayCaleb is highlighted as a significant figure among the Israelites.
5 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Numbers 13:6

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Leaders from Each Tribegenerated

5from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori;
6from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;
7from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;
8from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun;

Numbers 13:6 identifies Caleb as a leader from the tribe of Judah, chosen to scout the Promised Land. This selection is part of a broader narrative where each tribe sends a representative to gather information about the land they are to inherit. Caleb's role is significant as he is known for his faithfulness and courage in the face of challenges, as seen in later chapters.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Numbers 13:30Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly conquer it!”
2Numbers 14:6–24Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
3Numbers 26:65For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
4Numbers 27:15–23So Moses appealed to the LORD,
5Numbers 34:19These are their names: Caleb son of Jephunneh from the tribe of Judah;

The Key Word כָּלֵב, ka.Levgenerated

The name כָּלֵב (Kaleb) refers specifically to Caleb, a notable figure in the Old Testament. His name is often associated with faithfulness and bravery, especially during the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land. The parsing identifies him as a proper masculine noun, indicating his importance as a leader.

Caleb's character is further emphasized in the narrative, where he advocates for the Israelites' trust in God’s promise. His legacy is that of a faithful follower of God, making him a key figure in Israel's history.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is presented in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses Caleb consistently across translations.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause of the verse is structured around the prepositional phrase לְמַטֵּ֣ה (for the tribe of), which introduces the subject יְהוּדָ֔ה (Judah), followed by the noun phrase כָּלֵ֖ב (Caleb) and the construct phrase בֶּן־ יְפֻנֶּֽה (son of Jephunneh). This structure emphasizes the tribal affiliation and lineage of Caleb.

The Hebrew word order places the tribe first, highlighting the collective identity of the Israelites before naming Caleb, thus establishing his role within the larger community.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, Caleb is rendered as ξαλεβ (Kaleb), which maintains the identification of this key figure. The choice of this name reflects the translators' intention to preserve the original meaning and significance of Caleb's character.

The Greek term φυλῆς (of the tribe) corresponds to the Hebrew לְמַטֵּ֣ה, indicating a direct translation that retains the communal aspect of the tribe.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Numbers 13:6 tells us that Caleb, from the tribe of Judah, is introduced as a leader among the Israelites. He is noted as the son of Jephunneh, emphasizing his lineage and role in the scouting mission to the Promised Land.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who was Caleb?

Caleb was a leader from the tribe of Judah, known for his faithfulness and bravery during the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land.

What does the name 'Caleb' mean?

The name Caleb is often associated with faithfulness and loyalty, and it can also mean 'dog' in Hebrew.

Why is Caleb significant in the biblical narrative?

Caleb is significant because he stood out as a faithful spy who encouraged the Israelites to trust in God's promise regarding the land they were to inherit.

What tribe did Caleb belong to?

Caleb belonged to the tribe of Judah, which was one of the twelve tribes of Israel.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What qualities do you admire in Caleb as a leader, and how can you apply them in your own life?
  2. How does Caleb's faithfulness inspire you to trust in God's promises?
  3. In what ways can you demonstrate loyalty and courage in your own community?
  4. How can understanding Caleb's story help you in facing your own challenges?

Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Numbers 13:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. [See comments on Numbers 13:4].

Read John Gill on Numbers 13 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 13 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Numbers 13:6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.Ver. 6. Caleb.] A hearty man, according to his name; as Bishop Hooper, martyr, was called hearty Hooper; and as one of our Richards was called Coeur-de-lion. It is now but two days since, from a sweet friend, living at Hartford in New England, I received a loving letter, dated Sept. 12, 1659, and therein this following passage, "Old Mr John Wilson, pastor at Boston, is in very good health, a hearty old good man still." A hearty good man indeed; I have for forty years almost known him to be a cordial Caleb, one who from his youth up, hath "fulfilled after God - followed him fully," and been of "another spirit" than the most are…

Read John Trapp on Numbers 13 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) Caleb the son of Jephunneh.—In three places—viz., in Numbers 32:12; and in Joshua 14:6; Joshua 14:14—Caleb is described as the Kenezite (or rather, the Kenizzite). Now in Genesis 15:19 the Kenizzites are mentioned as one of the Canaanite tribes, and in Genesis 36:11; Genesis 36:15, Kenaz occurs as an Edomite name. It has been conjectured from these facts, but, as it should seem, on insufficient grounds, that Caleb was of foreign origin, and that he had been incorporated into the tribe of Judah.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Numbers 13 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. Caleb the son of Jephunneh] See note on Numbers 14:24.

Read Cambridge on Numbers 13 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;

NETBNew English Translation2006

from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the sonne of Hori:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

for the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

for the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Yephunneh.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Of the tribe of Simeon, Saphat the son of Hurl.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Caleb, son of Jephunneh, from the tribe of Judah.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb, the son of Jephunneh.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseprepositional phrase · predicateלְfornoun phraseמַטֵּ֣הthe.tribeיְהוּדָ֔הof.Judahnoun phrase · subjectכָּלֵ֖בCalebnoun phraseבֶּןthe.sonיְפֻנֶּֽהof.Jephunneh

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text is confirmed by both the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agree word for word with the Hebrew text. This consistency across witnesses indicates a stable transmission of this verse.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

לְמַטֵּ֣ה יְהוּדָ֔ה כָּלֵ֖ב בֶּן־ יְפֻנֶּֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לְמַטֵּ֣הφυλῆςיְהוּדָ֔הιουδαכָּלֵ֖בξαλεβבֶּן־υἱὸςיְפֻנֶּֽה׃ιεφοννη

5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

למטה יהודה כלב בן יפנה

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Numbers 13:6מַטֶּהfor [the] tfor [the] tribeמַטֶּהיְהוּדָהJudahJudahיְהוּדָהכָּלֵבCalebCalebכָּלֵבבֵּן[the] son o[the] son ofבֵּןיְפֻנֶּהJephunnehJephunnehיְפֻנֶּהנָטָהto stretchto stretchנָטָהיָדָהto give thto give thanksיָדָהבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהפָּנָהCorner (GaCorner (Gate)פָּנָהכֶּ֫לֶבdogdogכֶּ֫לֶבקְנִזִּיKenizziteKenizziteקְנִזִּינָשִׂיאleaderleaderנָשִׂיאצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּZedekiahZedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּבֵּיתBethlehemBethlehemבֵּיתיְפֻנֶּהJephunnehJephunnehיְפֻנֶּהעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןכָּלֵבCalebCalebכָּלֵב
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Numbers 13:6

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

for [the] tribe of Judah Caleb [the] son of Jephunneh
לְמַטֵּ֣הle.ma.Teh for [the] tribe of H4294 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
252× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word can mean a tribe, like the 12 tribes of Israel, or a staff, like the one Moses used to lead his people in Exodus 4:2.
Amplified meaning
a group of people
Tyndale gloss
tribe
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַטֶּה (mat-teh) refers to a staff, rod, or branch, and can also denote a tribe. It is derived from a root meaning to extend, and its uses include both literal and figurative meanings, such as a support or a means of correction. The lexicons consistently highlight its association with leadership and community.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַטֶּה 251 n.m.

staff, rod, shaft

branch

tribe

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4294 מַטֶּה . staff, rod, shaft

. branch

. tribe

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4294 matteh mat-teh'

or (feminine) mattah {mat-taw'}; from 5186; a branch (as

extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for

chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre),

throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a

support of life, e.g. bread):--rod, staff, tribe.

see HEBREW for 05186

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: rod.

: rod/staff

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe.

: tribe

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: arrow.

: arrow

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: stick.

: stick

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) — tribe: supply.

: supply

1) staff, branch, tribe

1a) staff, rod, shaft

1b) branch (of vine)

1c) tribe

1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

for [the] tribe of Judah Caleb [the] son of Jephunneh
יְהוּדָ֔הye.hu.Dah Judah H3063 Noun proper
820× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Judah is the name of the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob. It is also the name of the region where the tribe lived. The name means 'praised' and is first mentioned in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
the region, the descendants of Judah
Tyndale gloss
(Baalah of)Judah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהוּדָה (yehudah) means 'Judah' and is derived from a root meaning 'praised.' It refers to the son of Jacob and Leah, the tribe descended from him, and the territory they occupied. The term also encompasses the southern kingdom of Judah, which included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Additionally, it identifies various individuals, including Levites and overseers during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוּדָה 820 n.pr.m. et terr. Judah

n.pr.m.

son of Jacob and Leah

tribe descended from Judah

nation, of southern kingdom under dynasty of David, as distinguished from northern kingdom of Ephraim or Israel

Levite, Ezra’s time

an overseer of Jerus.

Levite musician

priest

n.pr.terr. land of Judah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3063 יְהוּדָה Judah

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3063 Yhuwdah yeh-hoo-daw'

from 3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five

Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of

its territory:--Judah.

see HEBREW for 03034

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוּדָה (ye.hu.dah) — Judah.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.35;

son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);

brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);

half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Bath-shua (H1323I) and Tamar (H8559);

father of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209), Shelah (H7956), Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I)

§ Judah = "praised"

1) the son of Jacob by Leah

2) the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob

3) the territory occupied by the tribe of Judah

4) the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon

5) a Levite in Ezra's time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Judah

Praise, the fourth son of Jacob by Leah. The name originated in Leah’s words of praise to the Lord on account of his birth: “Now will I praise [Heb. odeh] Jehovah, and she called his name Yehudah” (Gen. 29:35).

It was Judah that interposed in behalf of Joseph, so that his life was spared (Gen. 37:26, 27). He took a lead in the affairs of the family, and “prevailed above his brethren” (Gen. 43:3-10; 44:14, 16-34; 46:28; 1 Chr. 5:2).

Soon after the sale of Joseph to the Ishmaelites, Judah went to reside at Adullam, where he married a woman of Canaan. (See ONAN; TAMAR.) After the death of his wife Shuah, he returned to his father’s house, and there exercised much…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(praised, celebrated), the fourth son of Jacob and the fourth of Leah. (B.C. after 1753.) Of Judah’s personal character more traits are preserved than of any other of the patriarchs, with the exception of Joseph, whose life he in conjunction with Reuben saved. (Genesis 37:26-28) During the second visit to Egypt for corn it was Judah who understood to be responsible for the safety of Benjamin, ch. (Genesis 43:3-10) and when, through Joseph’s artifice, the brothers were brought back to the palace, he is again the leader and spokesman of the band. So too it is Judah who is sent before Jacob to smooth the way for him in the land of Goshen. ch. (Genesis 46:28) This ascendancy over his brethren is reflected in the last words…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The fourth son of Jacob and Leah, born in Mesopotamia, B. C. 1755, Ge 29:35. His name appears honorably in the history of Joseph, Ge 37:26,27 44:16-34; but disgracefully in that of Tamar his daughter-in-law, Ge 38:1-30. The dying benediction of Jacob foretells the superior power and prosperity of the family of Judah, and their continuance as chief of the Jewish race until the time of Christ, Ge 49:8-12. Though not the firstborn, Judah soon came to be considered as the chief of Jacob’s children, and his tribe was the most powerful and numerous. The southeastern part of Palestine fell to their lot. See JUDEA. On the border of their territory was Jerusalem, the seat of the…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

the praise of the Lord; confession

for [the] tribe of Judah Caleb [the] son of Jephunneh
כָּלֵ֖בka.Lev Caleb H3612 Noun proper masculine
35× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Caleb was a man from the tribe of Judah who lived during the time of the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. He is first mentioned in 1 Chronicles 2:9 and is known for his bravery and faith. Caleb was a leader among the Israelites.
Amplified meaning
a faithful follower, the son of Jephunneh
Tyndale gloss
Caleb
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word כָּלֵב (*Kaleb*) refers to a personal name, specifically Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. He is noted as a faithful spy in the Old Testament who advocated for the capture of the Promised Land. The name is also associated with the meaning 'dog.' There are references to other individuals named Caleb, including a descendant of Hezron.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כָּלֵב n.pr.m. son of יְפֻנֶּה

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3612 כָּלֵב son of יְפֻנֶּה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3612 Kaleb kaw-labe'

perhaps a form of 3611, or else from the same root in the

sense of forcible; Caleb, the name of three

Israelites:--Caleb.

see HEBREW for 03611

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כָּלֵב (ka.lev) — Caleb.

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness and Israel before the Monarchy, first mentioned at Num.13.6;

son of: Jephunneh (H3312);

brother of: Kenaz (H7073I);

father of: Achsah (H5915), Iru (H5900), Elah (H0425J), Naam (H5277)

Also named: ka.lib.bo (כָּלִבִּי "Calebite" H3614)

§ Caleb = "dog"

1) the godly son of Jephunneh and the faithful spy who reported the Promised Land favourably and urged its capture

2) son of Hezron and grandson of Pharez and great grandson of Judah and the father of Hur and grandfather of Caleb the spy

כָּלֵב (ka.lev) — Caleb.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at 1Ch.2.9;

son of: Hezron (H2696H);

brother of: Ram (H7410), Jerahmeel (H3396), Segub (H7687H) and Ashhur (H0806); married to Azubah (H5806H), Jerioth (H3408), Ephrathah (H0672), Ephah (H5891H) and Maacah…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ka'-leb (kalebh; in the light of the cognate Syriac and Arabic words, the meaning is not "dog," which is kelebh, in Hebrew, but "raging with canine madness"; Chaleb): As a person, Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, occurs in the story of the spies (Nu 13 ff). He represents the tribe of Judah as its prince (Nu 13:6; compare Nu 13:2). While the majority of the men sent out by Moses bring back evil report, Caleb and Hoshea, or Joshua, the son of Nun, are the only ones to counsel the invasion of the promised land (Nu 13:30; 14:6 ff). Accordingly, these two alone are permitted to survive (Nu 14:38; 32:12). Upon the conquest and distribution of the land by Joshua, Caleb reminds the…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Caleb

A dog. (1.) One of the three sons of Hezron of the tribe of Judah. He is also called Chelubai (1 Chr. 2:9). His descendants are enumerated (18-20, 42-49).

(2.) A “son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah” (1 Chr. 2:50). Some would read the whole passage thus: “These [i.e., the list in ver. 42-49] were the sons of Caleb. The sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, were Shobal, etc.” Thus Hur would be the name of the son and not the father of Caleb (ver. 19).

(3.) The son of Jephunneh (Num. 13:6; 32:12; Josh. 14:6, 14). He was one of those whom Moses sent to search the land in the second year after the Exodus. He was one of the family chiefs of the tribe of Judah. He…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(capable). According to (1 Chronicles 2:9,18,19,42,50) the son of Hezron the son of Pharez the son of Judah, and the father of Hur, and consequently grandfather of Caleb the spy. (B.C. about 1600.) Son of Jephunneh, one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to Canaan. (Numbers 13:6) (B.C. 1490.) He and Oshea or Joshua the son of Nun were the only two of the whole number who encouraged the people to enter in boldly to the land and take possession of it. Fortyfive years afterwards Caleb came to Joshua and claimed possession of the land of the Anakim, Kirjath-arba or Hebron, and the neighboring hill country. Josh 14. This was immediately granted to him, and the following chapter relates how he took possession of Hebron, driving out the three sons of Anak; and how he offered Achsah his…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. Son of Jephunneh, of the tribe of Judah, who was sent, with one man from each of the other tribes, to search out the promised land, Nu 13:1-14:45. Of all the twelve, Caleb and Joshua acted the part of true and faithful men; and they only, of all the grown men of Israel, were permitted to enter Canaan, Nu 14:6-24,38 26:65. He was one of the princes appointed to divide the conquered territory among the tribes, Nu 34:19. Hebron was given to him as a reward of his fidelity, according to the promise of God, De 1:36 Jos 14:1-15. Though eighty-five years old, he still retained his vigor, and soon drove out the Anakim from…

for [the] tribe of Judah Caleb [the] son of Jephunneh
בֶּן־ben- [the] son of H1121 Noun common · masculine singular construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
a descendant, a child
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

for [the] tribe of Judah Caleb [the] son of Jephunneh
יְפֻנֶּֽה׃ye.fu.Neh Jephunneh H3312 Noun proper masculine
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jephunneh was the name of two Israelites, one from the tribe of Asher and the other the father of Caleb the spy from the tribe of Judah, meaning he will be facing.
Tyndale gloss
Jephunneh
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְפֻנֶּה (Yphunneh) refers to two individuals in the Old Testament. One is a Kenezite, father of Caleb, mentioned in Numbers 13:6, and the other is an Asherite, noted in 1 Chronicles 7:38. The name means 'he will be facing' and is derived from a root meaning 'to prepare.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְפֻנֶּה 16 n.pr.m.

father of Caleb

Asherite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3312 יְפֻנֶּה . father of Caleb

. Asherite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3312 Yphunneh yef-oon-neh'

from 6437; he will be prepared; Jephunneh, the name of two

Israelites:--Jephunneh.

see HEBREW for 06437

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְפֻנֶּה (ye.phun.neh) — Jephunneh.

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.13.6;

father of: Caleb (H3612), Kenaz (H7073I)

§ Jephunneh = "He will be facing"

1) a Kenezite and father of Caleb the spy from the tribe of Judah

2) son of Jether and descendant of Asher

יְפֻנֶּה (ye.phun.neh) — Jephunneh.

A man of the tribe of Asher living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.38;

son of: Ithran (H3506H);

brother of: Pispa (H6462) and Ara (H0690)

§ Jephunneh = "He will be facing"

1) a Kenezite and father of Caleb the spy from the tribe of Judah

2) son of Jether and descendant of Asher

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

je-fun'-e (yephunneh, meaning uncertain):

(1) Father of Caleb (Nu 13:6; 14:6,30, etc.).

According to Nu 13:6, he was of the tribe of Judah; according to 32:12; Jos 14:6, a Kenizzite; the Kenizzites were incorporated in Judah (compare 1Ch 4:13-15).

(2) A son of Jether, an Asherite (1Ch 7:38).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jephunneh

Nimble, or a beholder. (1.) The father of Caleb, who was Joshua’s companion in exploring Canaan (Num. 13:6), a Kenezite (Josh. 14:14). (2.) One of the descendants of Asher (1 Chr. 7:38).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(for whom a way is prepared). Father of Caleb the spy, appears to have belonged to an Edomitish tribe called Kenezites, from Kenaz their founder. See (Numbers 13:6) etc.; Numb 32:12 etc.; Josh 14:14 etc.; 1Chr 4:15 (B.C. 1530.) A descendant of Asher, eldest of the three sons of Jether. (1 Chronicles 7:38) (B.C. 1017.)

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

he that beholds

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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