יהושע, פרק י״א, פסוק כ״א

Eliminating the most powerful and intimidating inhabitants of the land marks a high point in the campaign of the Israelites, showing a complete victory over their greatest threats. During this period of conquest, the unusually tall and formidable giants were completely wiped out. The mountainous regions where these battles took place are referred to by the names of Judah and Israel, anticipating their future. At the time of the actual battles, before the land was divided and given to the tribes, these areas did not yet hold those names.

A significant question arises regarding who actually led these specific battles. The narrative credits Joshua with capturing key cities like Hebron and Debir and defeating the giants. However, other accounts indicate that Caleb physically conquered Hebron, while Othniel captured Debir. The primary approach among commentators is that Caleb and Othniel were indeed the ones fighting on the ground. Because Joshua was the commander-in-chief who directed the entire war effort, the ultimate victory is attributed to him. It is a normal standard to credit military triumphs to the highest-ranking leader, even if he did not personally wield a weapon in that specific clash. The detailed story of Caleb stepping forward to request Hebron is omitted at this point because the current narrative serves as a broad summary of the national wars. The specific personal achievements and land divisions are reserved for later accounts dealing with the tribal inheritances [אברבנאל]. Alternatively, the battlefield may have been divided differently, with Joshua conquering the actual city of Hebron, while Caleb cleared the giants out of the surrounding territories [מלבי״ם].

Another historical detail requires clarification, as later records in the Book of Judges suggest the tribe of Judah fought enemies in Hebron only after Joshua had died. One perspective resolves this by explaining that the later accounts are actually flashing back to the past, describing battles that the tribe of Judah fought while Joshua was still alive [רד״ק]. Conversely, another approach maintains that the initial campaign successfully eliminated the giants from Hebron itself. The later battles fought by the tribe of Judah were directed only at the remaining giants who had survived and settled in other cities, such as Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod [אברבנאל].