Joshua 14:8

Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

14:6-15 Caleb's request is, Give me this mountain, or Hebron, because it was formerly in God's promise to him, and he would let Israel knows how much he valued the promise. Those who live by faith value that which is given by God's promise, far above what is given by his providence only. It was now in the Anakims' possession, and Caleb would let Israel know how little he feared the enemy, and that he would encourage them to push on their conquests. Caleb answered to his name, which signifies all heart. Hebron was settled on Caleb and his heirs, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. Happy are we if we follow him. Singular piety shall be crowned with singular favour.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The children of Judah - No doubt, in particular, the kinsmen of Caleb, and perhaps other leading men of the tribe. These came before Joshua, with Caleb, in order to make it manifest that they supported his claim, to be secured in the possessions promised him by Moses before the general allotment should be made to the tribes (compare the marginal references).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jos 14:6-15. Caleb by Privilege Requests and Obtains Hebron.

6-11. Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb … said—This incident is recorded here because it occurred while the preparations were being made for casting the lots, which, it appears, were begun in Gilgal. The claim of Caleb to the mountains of Hebron as his personal and family possessions was founded on a solemn promise of Moses, forty-five years before (Nu 14:24; De 1:36; Jos 14:10), to give him that land on account of his fidelity. Being one of the nominees appointed to preside over the division of the country, he might have been charged with using his powers as a commissioner to his own advantage, had he urged his request in private; and therefore he took some of his brethren along with him as witness of the justice and propriety of his conduct.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Which self-commendation is justifiable, because it was necessary, as being the ground and foundation of his petition.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Nevertheless, my brethren that went up with me,.... Meaning the rest of the spies, excepting Joshua, that went up with him into the land of Canaan to spy it, which they might be properly said to do, since they went up a hill or mountain, in order to go into it, Numbers 13:17,

made the heart of the people melt; discouraged them, filled them with fears, sunk their spirits, that their hearts flowed, and became as weak as water, having no strength left in them, or hope of possessing the land; being told what stout and gigantic men the inhabitants of it were, and how strongly fortified were their cities:

but I wholly followed the Lord my God; and did not join with them in an ill report of the good land; but having the fear of God before his eyes, walked after that, and delivered in his report faithfully, according to the dictates of his conscience, and the real sentiments of his mind; of this phrase; see Gill on Numbers 14:24.

Geneva Study Bible

Nevertheless my {d} brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

(d) Which were the ten other spies.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. made the heart of the people melt] (Comp. Numbers 14:1; Numbers 14:4; Deuteronomy 1:28), so that they murmured against Moses and Aaron, and wanted to return again to Egypt. “Discomfortiden the herte of the puple,” Wyclif.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - But I wholly followed. Literally, "I fulfilled after." That is to say, he rendered a full obedience to the precepts of the Most High. So also in the next verse. Joshua 14:8

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Whereas the other spies discouraged the people by exaggerated reports concerning the inhabitants of Canaan, he had followed the Lord with perfect fidelity (Numbers 13:31-33). He had not been made to waver in his faithfulness to the Lord and His promises either by the evil reports which the other spies had brought of the land, or by the murmuring and threats of the excited crowd (see Numbers 14:6-10). "My brethren" (Joshua 14:8) are the rest of the spies, of course with the exception of Joshua, to whom Caleb was speaking.

(Note: That Joshua was not included was evident from this circumstance alone, and consequently it is a complete perversion on the part of Knobel to argue, that because the expression is a general one, i.e., because Joshua is not expressly excepted by name, therefore he cannot have been one of the spies, not to mention the fact that the words "concerning me and thee," in v. 6, are sufficient to show to any one acquainted with the account in Numbers 13-14, that Joshua was really one of them.)

המסין for המסוּ (see Ges. 75, anm. 17, and Ewald, 142, a.), from מסה equals מסס (see Joshua 2:11).