Numbers 32:12
New International Version
not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the LORD wholeheartedly.’

New Living Translation
The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have wholeheartedly followed the LORD.’

English Standard Version
none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the LORD.’

Berean Standard Bible
not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun—because they did follow the LORD wholeheartedly.’

King James Bible
Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.

New King James Version
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the LORD.’

New American Standard Bible
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun; for they have followed the LORD fully.’

NASB 1995
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the LORD fully.’

NASB 1977
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the LORD fully.’

Legacy Standard Bible
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed Yahweh fully.’

Amplified Bible
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the LORD completely.’

Christian Standard Bible
none except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, because they did remain loyal to the LORD.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
none except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, because they did follow the LORD completely.’

American Standard Version
save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; because they have wholly followed Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
except Caleb and Joshua. They remained faithful to the LORD,

English Revised Version
save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun: because they have wholly followed the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Only Caleb (son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite) and Joshua (son of Nun) will get to see the land. This is because they wholeheartedly followed the LORD.

Good News Translation
This included everyone, except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun; they remained loyal to the LORD.

International Standard Version
except Jephunneh's son Caleb, the Kenizzite, and Nun's son Joshua. They've wholeheartedly followed the LORD.'

Majority Standard Bible
not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun—because they did follow the LORD wholeheartedly.’

NET Bible
except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the LORD wholeheartedly.'

New Heart English Bible
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; because they have followed the LORD completely.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.

World English Bible
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, because they have followed Yahweh completely.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenezite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have been fully after YHWH;

Young's Literal Translation
save Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua son of Nun, for they have been fully after Jehovah;

Smith's Literal Translation
Except Caleb, son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua, son of Nun: for they filled up after Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Except Caleb the son of Jephone the Cenezite, and Josue the son of Nun: these have fulfilled my will.

Catholic Public Domain Version
except Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; these have fulfilled my will.’

New American Bible
except the Kenizzite Caleb, son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, and Joshua, son of Nun, since they have followed the LORD unreservedly.

New Revised Standard Version
none except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have unreservedly followed the LORD.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Except Caleb the son of Jophaniah the Kenezite and Joshua the son of Nun; for they have wholly followed the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
But only Kalab son of Yoophna the Qenezite and Yeshua son of Nun have followed wholly after LORD JEHOVAH.’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; because they have wholly followed the LORD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
save Caleb the son of Jephonne, who was set apart, and Joshua the son of Naue, for they closely followed after the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Tribes East of the Jordan
11‘Because they did not follow Me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years of age or older who came out of Egypt will see the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob— 12not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun— because they did follow the LORD wholeheartedly.’ 13The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation who had done evil in His sight was gone.…

Cross References
Joshua 14:6-14
Then the sons of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh-barnea about you and me. / I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back to him an honest report. / Although my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to the LORD my God. ...

Deuteronomy 1:36
except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land on which he has set foot, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.”

Joshua 14:8-9
Although my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to the LORD my God. / On that day Moses swore to me, saying, ‘Surely the land on which you have set foot will be an inheritance to you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’

Joshua 14:13-14
Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. / Therefore Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance to this day, because he wholly followed the LORD, the God of Israel.

Joshua 15:13-14
According to the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah—Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) / And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

Deuteronomy 1:34-38
When the LORD heard your words, He grew angry and swore an oath, saying, / “Not one of the men of this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your fathers, / except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land on which he has set foot, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.” ...

Joshua 21:12
But they had given the fields and villages around the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.

Judges 1:20
Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak.

1 Chronicles 4:15
The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz.

Hebrews 3:16-19
For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? / And with whom was God angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? / And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed? ...

Hebrews 4:1-2
Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be deemed to have fallen short of it. / For we also received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it.

Hebrews 4:6-11
Since, then, it remains for some to enter His rest, and since those who formerly heard the good news did not enter because of their disobedience, / God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” / For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. ...

1 Corinthians 10:5-11
Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. / These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did. / Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” ...

Psalm 95:10-11
For forty years I was angry with that generation, and I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known My ways.” / So I swore on oath in My anger, “They shall never enter My rest.”

Deuteronomy 34:9
Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.


Treasury of Scripture

Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.

for

Numbers 14:24,30
But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it…

Numbers 26:65
For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Deuteronomy 1:36
Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.

Jump to Previous
Caleb Except Jephunneh Jephun'neh Joshua Kenezite Kenizzite Ken'izzite Nun Save True. Wholeheartedly Wholly
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Caleb Except Jephunneh Jephun'neh Joshua Kenezite Kenizzite Ken'izzite Nun Save True. Wholeheartedly Wholly
Numbers 32
1. The Reubenites and Gadites ask for inheritance on the east side of Jordan
6. Moses reproves them
16. They offer him conditions with which he is content
33. Moses assigns them the land
39. They conquer it.














except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite
The phrase "except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite" highlights the unique faithfulness of Caleb. The name "Caleb" in Hebrew (כָּלֵב) is often associated with meanings like "dog" or "faithful," symbolizing loyalty and devotion. Caleb's designation as "the Kenizzite" indicates his lineage from the Kenizzites, a clan associated with Edom, suggesting that Caleb was not originally an Israelite by birth. This emphasizes the inclusivity of God's covenant, showing that faithfulness to God transcends ethnic boundaries. Caleb's unwavering faith and courage, demonstrated when he and Joshua stood against the majority report of the spies, set him apart as a model of steadfastness and trust in God's promises.

and Joshua son of Nun
"Joshua son of Nun" refers to another key figure in Israel's history. The name "Joshua" (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) means "The LORD is salvation," foreshadowing his role as a deliverer and leader of Israel into the Promised Land. Joshua's father, "Nun," is mentioned to establish his lineage within the tribe of Ephraim. Joshua's faithfulness is highlighted throughout the Pentateuch, particularly in his role as Moses' assistant and successor. His inclusion alongside Caleb underscores the importance of leadership that is rooted in obedience and trust in God. Joshua's life exemplifies the fulfillment of God's promises through faithful service and reliance on divine guidance.

because they followed the LORD wholeheartedly
The phrase "because they followed the LORD wholeheartedly" is central to understanding the commendation of Caleb and Joshua. The Hebrew word for "wholeheartedly" (מִלֵּא אַחֲרֵי) conveys a sense of completeness and totality in their devotion. This wholehearted following is not merely an external compliance but an internal, unwavering commitment to God's will and commands. In the historical context, this phrase contrasts Caleb and Joshua's faithfulness with the unbelief and rebellion of the other Israelites who doubted God's promise to give them the land. Their example serves as an inspiration for believers to pursue a relationship with God that is marked by total dedication and trust, regardless of external circumstances or opposition. This wholehearted devotion is a call to live a life that is fully aligned with God's purposes, reflecting a heart that is entirely given over to Him.

(12) For they have wholly followed the Lord.--See Numbers 14:24.

Verse 12. - The Kenezite. See on Numbers 13:6.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
not one except
בִּלְתִּ֞י (bil·tî)
Preposition
Strong's 1115: A failure of, not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until

Caleb
כָּלֵ֤ב (kā·lêḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3612: Caleb -- a son of Jephunneh and sent by Moses to spy out the land

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Jephunneh
יְפֻנֶּה֙ (yə·p̄un·neh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3312: Jephunneh -- father of Caleb, also an Asherite

the Kenizzite
הַקְּנִזִּ֔י (haq·qə·niz·zî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7074: Kenizzite -- descendant of Kenaz

and Joshua
וִיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ (wî·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

son
בִּן־ (bin-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Nun—
נ֑וּן (nūn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5126: Nun -- father of Joshua

because
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

they did follow
אַחֲרֵ֥י (’a·ḥă·rê)
Preposition
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

the LORD
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

wholeheartedly.’
מִלְא֖וּ (mil·’ū)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of


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OT Law: Numbers 32:12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh (Nu Num.)
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