Joshua 14:12 Meaning and Explanation
“Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Caleb asks for the hill country still held by the formidable Anakim, confident that with the LORD's help he will drive them out.
What Does Joshua 14:12 Mean?
Now comes the famous request: give me this mountain. Caleb asks not for the safest land but for the hill country where the Anakim dwell, the very giants whose presence once terrified the spies, in cities great and fortified. He chooses the hardest assignment precisely because the Lord had named it.
Caleb's confidence rests on a condition and a promise: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able. He does not presume on his own arm; he counts on God's presence. This is faith at full stretch, embracing the giants because the Lord is greater than the giants. The same God who emboldened Caleb invites every believer to take up hard ground in his strength, not theirs.
Joshua 14:12 in the Original Language
Anakim (עֲנָקִים) -- a people of great stature whose presence frightened the earlier spies; Caleb requests their stronghold.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joshua 14:12
What does Joshua 14:12 mean?
Caleb asks for the hill country still held by the formidable Anakim, confident that with the LORD's help he will drive them out.