What three authorities were responsible for distributing the land to the children of Israel?

How was their inheritance decided? Who had commanded that?

Where had Moses already given land to two and a half tribes? What tribe received no inheritance of land?

What two tribes came from the sons of Joseph? 

What did the Levites receive, instead of plots of land?

Where was Joshua at this time?

Who approached Joshua? Who was his family?

Who did Caleb say gave instructions about him to Moses? Where did that happen?

How old was Caleb when Moses sent him to spy out the land?

What effect did the other spies with Caleb have on the people? What was Caleb’s approach?

What was Moses’ vow to Caleb? Why?

Who kept Caleb alive 45 years after that? 

How does Caleb describe his physical strength at that time?

What does Caleb ask Joshua for? What is his plan?

What town does Joshua give Caleb? What was its former name?

Thought Questions

How were the priest and the rulers of the country able to work together in this situation? Does this unity always work, and under what conditions?

Why do you think they just cast lots for the distribution of the land? How would you feel about the government of your country deciding on matters like this by lot? Who was ultimately deciding here?

What was Caleb’s story? (Review Numbers 13 and 14) What does Caleb’s statement “I brought back word to him as it was in my heart”? How can you apply this in your life?

What was the immediate result for Caleb’s decision to be faithful to God’s promises? (Numbers 14:9-10) What was his eventual reward? Is it worth going against the flow, even suffering ridicule, to be honest and willing to follow God’s will?

Is there a time in your life where you were willing to “wholly follow the Lord [your] God” (vs. 9), amidst contradiction from others? What was the eventual result? Can you think of instances in other peoples’ lives, as examples?

Do you have physical and mental strength? Where do you find your source of strength? Can you think of elderly people that you know who have committed their lives to following God’s will and have been rewarded with that strength into their old age?

What is your dream to accomplish, even in this life? Is there anything wrong with earthly dreams and goals? Can God grant you those dreams?

Did Caleb just sit and wait for God to fulfill his dreams? What did he do to pursue them? What can we learn about our role in the process?

My prayer is:

That, like Caleb, I would be willing to “wholly follow the Lord my God” even under pressure from others to turn away;

That I would be able to reap the rewards of my faithfulness in a long life and pursuit of my dreams;

And that I would understand that earthly dreams and goals are not wrong, but that I would be willing to pursue them by asking for them and even being willing to work hard for them.