What is the meaning of Joshua 14:15?

Hebron used to be called Kiriath-arba

• Kiriath-arba—literally “City of Arba”—was the old, pre-Israelite name (Genesis 23:2; Numbers 13:22).

• The renaming to Hebron (“association” or “friendship”) highlights the shift from a Canaanite stronghold to a covenant inheritance where Abraham once “pitched his tents and built an altar to the LORD” (Genesis 13:18).

• By granting Hebron to Caleb (Joshua 14:13), God showcased a fulfilled promise first voiced at Kadesh-barnea forty-five years earlier (Numbers 14:24).

• The change of name also foreshadows future worship centers: David will reign from Hebron before moving to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:1-5).

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After Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim

• Arba was famed as the mightiest of the Anakim—giant warriors who struck terror into Israel’s spies (Numbers 13:33; Deuteronomy 9:2).

• God’s gift of this very city to Caleb underscores that “the LORD is with us; do not be afraid of them” (Numbers 14:9).

• Caleb’s victory over Arba’s descendants (Joshua 15:13-14) displays faith in God rather than reliance on human strength, echoing David’s later triumph over another giant, Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45-47).

• The mention of Arba reminds readers that no foe—however legendary—can nullify God’s covenant promises (Joshua 10:8; Romans 8:31).

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Then the land had rest from war

• “Rest” marks a divinely granted pause after years of conquest (Joshua 11:23; 21:44).

• This rest fulfilled God’s earlier pledge: “You will cross the Jordan and live in the land… and He will give you rest from all your enemies” (Deuteronomy 12:10).

• The peace points ahead to the deeper rest available in Christ, hinted at when Hebrews says, “If Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day” (Hebrews 4:8-9).

• Periods of rest in Judges (e.g., Judges 3:11) repeat the pattern: victory through obedience, rest as a gift, and the call to remain faithful.

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summary

Joshua 14:15 records a three-fold testimony: the renaming of Hebron celebrates God’s faithfulness to His promises; the reference to Arba magnifies the power of God over seemingly invincible enemies; and the rest from war showcases the peace God grants to His obedient people while hinting at the ultimate rest found in Christ.