Caleb drove … out of Hebron Anak’s descendants, that is, the clans of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. It is clear that these three proper names do not refer to individuals, as Revised Standard Version makes it appear, but to clans who are named after their ancestors (see Num 13.22; Judges 1.10, 20).

Although Good News Translation avoided the use of the word clan at 15.1, it is now used as a translation of the Hebrew word “son,” which here has the extended meaning of clan. Translators are not always consistent! The verse may be restructured, “The clans of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai lived in the city of Hebron. They were descendants of Anak, and Caleb drove them all out of the city.” It may be important to indicate not only that he drove them out of the city, but also that he took it over for himself: “The clans of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived in the city of Hebron at that time. Caleb drove them all out of the city, and took it over for himself.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .