And Caleb said, “Whoever strikes Kiriath-sepher and captures it, to him will I give Achsah my
daughter as wife.” And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it. And he gave
him Achsah his daughter as wife. When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a
field. And she got off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him,
“Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of
water.” And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. – Joshua 15:16-19
Caleb is one of Israel’s champions of faith. He was known as a sincere follower of God. We
learn in the Bible that he is of the tribe of Judah, he is one of the twelve spies Moses sent into
the land of Canaan, and at the age of 85, Caleb successfully conquered the city of Hebron
taking it from the hands of the Anakim, who occupied the area.
And, he had a daughter.
We know very little about Caleb’s daughter, except that she is given to Othniel, son of Kenaz,
brother of Caleb, in exchange for his taking of Kiriath-sepher (identified as Debir in Judges).
Could there be more? Let’s look at some possibilities.
First, Achsah was determined. She was newly married and perhaps wanted to make sure that
the place she and her husband would be living would have all the resources needed to be
profitable. Therefore, she “urged” her husband to ask her father for a field. Keep in mind, Caleb
had just given Othniel his daughter, and land, now she wanted him to ask for more. A field
would provide a place to grow essential crops.
Second, Achsah was resourceful. When Caleb asks her what she wanted – she answered,
“springs of water.” Springs in this passage is referring to a basin, typically under a wadi. A wadi
is the channel of a watercourse that is dry except during periods of rainfall. Achsah and her
husband were living in the desert, they needed water resources. When you have a spring, you
can dig wells. Wells brought access and supply. At her request Caleb gave her the upper and
lower springs in the Negev (named Gulloth-mayim in Judges). Achsah succeeded in gaining
some of her family’s land and water resources – an impressive accomplishment in a patriarchal
society.
So, what are some key takeaways to this story?
Make plans to preserve and prosper your family heritage. What do you need for this?
Trust that your heavenly Father will provide for you.
Come boldly, yet humbly, to His throne of grace to obtain mercy and grace.
Expect the unexpected; exceedingly and abundantly more than we ask or even think.
Achsah got off her donkey and approached her father. He gave her more than she asked for. It
took courage and effort to have this kind of conversation. Perhaps that’s what you need –
courage and effort. When was the last time you visited with your Father in prayer? What do you
need from Him to survive and thrive in todays world? What does your family need?
Your Father is waiting for you.
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