7. Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to check out the land. I was 40 years old at that time. I brought back an honest report to him. I told him exactly what I had seen.
8. Several other men of Israel went up with me. What they reported made the hearts of the people melt away in fear. But I followed the Lord my God with my whole heart.
9. "So on that day Moses took an oath and made a promise to me. He said, 'The land your feet have walked on will be your share. It will be the share of your children forever. That's because you have followed the Lord my God with your whole heart.' (Deuteronomy 1:36)
10. "The Lord has done just as he promised. He made the promise while Israel was wandering around in the desert. That was 45 years ago. He has kept me alive all of this time. So here I am today, 85 years old!
11. I'm still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. I'm just as able to go out to battle now as I was then.
12. "So give me this hill country. The Lord promised it to me that day. At that time you yourself heard that the Anakites were living there. You also heard that their cities were large and had high walls. But I'll drive them out, just as the Lord said I would. He will help me do it."
13. Then Joshua blessed Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. He gave him Hebron as his share.
14. So ever since that time Hebron has belonged to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite. That's because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, with his whole heart.