This is a very interesting narrative respecting Caleb. The Holy Ghost hath much endeared this man to the church, in the account given of him when he went up to spy out the promised land. And the modesty with which he puts in his claim to Joshua, who upon that occasion was only equal with himself, evidently gives us to see that he was a possessor of grace and of the spirit of humility. I beg the Reader to observe with me, that in this appeal to Joshua, he founds his pretensions on the divine promise, and brings with him of the tribe of Judah to justify his appeal. It is very sweet when we can plead God's promises for the accomplishment of God's glory. And it is very sweet also when we come before our God and Saviour, to bring with us his people. Our Lord sprang out of Judah. Hebrews 7:14. There is somewhat particularly interesting in this view of Caleb. He was now the very oldest person except Joshua, (and it is not very certain but he was the elder of the two), in all the host of Israel. To see him therefore, as an old and faithful servant of the Lord, coming with a petition, must have been a very interesting sight; and especially when he was enabled to plead his long and best, however humble, services. If it be a youthful Reader before whom these lines in my Commentary appear, I would have him pause and consider the loveliness of youthful zeal for God, and how sure it is, as in the instance of Caleb, to produce humble confidence in Jesus in old age. See Numbers 14:24.
Joshua 14:6-11
6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.
7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.
8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.
10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandereda in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.