The Meaning of Joshua 14:15 Explained

Joshua 14:15

KJV: And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.

YLT: and the name of Hebron formerly is Kirjath-Arba (he is the great man among the Anakim); and the land hath rest from war.

Darby: Now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-Arba; the great man among the Anakim. And the land rested from war.

ASV: Now the name of Hebron beforetime was Kiriath-arba; which Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the name  of Hebron  before  [was] Kirjatharba;  [which Arba was] a great  man  among the Anakims.  And the land  had rest  from war. 

What does Joshua 14:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 14:1-15 - The Man Who Wholly Followed His God
The lot was doubtless adopted to obviate cause for jealousy or charges of favoritism. It denoted God's choice, Proverbs 16:33; Proverbs 18:18. It could be used only with very evident reliance on Him, and in our day has been superseded by the sending of the Comforter to teach us all things, John 16:13.
It was long since Caleb had cut down the bunch of grapes near the spot of his choice, but he had never forgotten it; and now God, who had read his purpose, arranged that what his heart loved best his hand should hold and keep: "Him will I bring into the land whereinto he went," Numbers 14:24.
Out of entire surrender to God springs a faith that dares to claim the realization of an olden promise, Joshua 14:12. The fact that the Anakim held Hebron did not stagger the old veteran. It was enough that God had promised! How strong and vigorous, even to hoar hairs, are those who walk with God, Isaiah 40:31! [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 14

1  The nine tribes and a half are to have their inheritance by lot
6  Caleb by privilege obtains Hebron

What do the individual words in Joshua 14:15 mean?

And the name of Hebron was formerly - Kirjath Arba the [Arba] man greatest among the Anakim Was and the land had rest from war -
וְשֵׁ֨ם חֶבְר֤וֹן לְפָנִים֙ קִרְיַ֣ת אַרְבַּ֔ע הָאָדָ֧ם הַגָּד֛וֹל בָּעֲנָקִ֖ים ה֑וּא וְהָאָ֥רֶץ שָׁקְטָ֖ה מִמִּלְחָמָֽה פ

וְשֵׁ֨ם  And  the  name 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
חֶבְר֤וֹן  of  Hebron  was 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶבְרֹון 
Sense: a city in south Judah approx 20 south of Jerusalem and approx 20 miles (30 km) north of Beersheba and near where Abraham built an altar.
לְפָנִים֙  formerly 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
קִרְיַ֣ת  - 
Parse:
אַרְבַּ֔ע  Kirjath  Arba 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע 
Sense: early name of the city which after the conquest was called ‘Hebron’.
הָאָדָ֧ם  the  [Arba]  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
הַגָּד֛וֹל  greatest 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
בָּעֲנָקִ֖ים  among  the  Anakim 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֲנָק  
Sense: a race of giants, descendants of Anak, which dwelled in southern Canaan.
וְהָאָ֥רֶץ  and  the  land 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
שָׁקְטָ֖ה  had  rest 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁקַט  
Sense: to be quiet, be tranquil, be at peace, be quiet, rest, lie still, be undisturbed.
מִמִּלְחָמָֽה  from  war 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation