If you’re in the club (the one in my head), you may already be aware that I’ve been studying various women of the Bible. First, Zipporah, next Abigail, and now Achsah. Hey, I don’t mind telling that I really struggled with writing about Achsah in the Bible, a notoriously bold woman in the Bible. I am excited to share what I know so far including some background information.
After reading, you can let me know what you think in the comments if you’d like.
Achshah was hard to judge; she could be seen as either admirable or pushy, unlike many other women in the Bible.
Usually, I can discern the noble from the naughty. That’s not so easy with Achsah in the Bible.
Table of Contents
Context is Everything – Especially with Achsah’s life
I know my blog posts tend to be comprehensive (i.e., long), but I do that for context.
Trust me, you will need context to understand Achsah’s life.
It all begins with Caleb.
As you likely already know, he was a man of exceptional faith and wholehearted devotion to God. In fact, in the NSAB version of the Bible, Caleb is described as “trusting God fully.”
I want that moniker, don’t you?
He was positive and had a dogged faith in God, which is ironic because that’s what his name means.
Did you know that? Wild!
Caleb trusted God’s guarantee of the Promised Land, unlike many other Israelites who doubted.
You remember.
When Moses sent twelve spies to scout the land, Caleb was among those who returned with an overwhelmingly positive report.
Caleb uninhibitedly declared to the afraid ones (i.e., scardy cats), “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Numbers 13:30, NIV).
This uber-faith-filled attitude really showed how strongly he believed in God’s power and what He promised.
That was Achsah’s father – bold and willing to speak up.
Caleb’s Boldness led to rich blessings
Stay with me.
I’m still talking about Achsah in the Bible. You’re getting context. :)
Anyway, God honored Caleb’s faithfulness – which He always does!
He will honor yours, too. It’s in His beautiful nature to reward obedience and faithfulness.
Here is what He said: “But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it” (Numbers 14:24, NIV).
Bold in Old Age, too, Achsah in the Bible was likely watching this go down!
Check this out.
Caleb’s faithfulness earned him an assurance of land as part of his reward for his trust in God.
Even at eighty-five years old, Caleb approached Joshua and claimed the land promised to him with the same vigor he had as a young man, saying, in Joshua 14:11-12 (NIV): “I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day.“
See the fiery boldness surface again?
He’s old and still confident and fearless!
Joshua, who was leading the Israelites during this time, honored Caleb’s straight-forward request.
However, even as the Israelites gradually conquered Canaan, pockets of opposition remained.
People still lived on the land God promised!
God gives it: then, you go get it
The city of Debir (formerly known as Kiriath Sepher) was one such place.
After clearing one area, Caleb decided on a more strategic path.
Bold and calculating, He declared, “I will give my daughter Achsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher” (Joshua 15:16, NIV).
Othniel, Caleb’s nephew, took up the challenge and succeeded. Achsah’s hand was his in marriage (Joshua 15:17).
A Bold Request and a Family Resemblance?
Caleb gave Achsah and her husband an inheritance of land called Negev.
Water sources were near it, but her father did not include it.
I wonder why.
At any rate, she could have chosen to accept it and made do.
But she did not.
Achsah went to her husband
Joshua 15:18 says, “One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”
The first part of that scripture says Achsah first “urged” her husband to ask her father for a field.
But the next verse says she got off her donkey and she asked him herself.
What do you make of that?
Does that mean her husband did not or would not?
Should Achsah in the Bible have just been still and waited for her husband to handle it?
Why or why not?
Hmmm…
Here is another perspective.
Could Achsah in the Bible have been one of those wives who pressured her husband to get her way, regardless of his opinions or desires?
What do you think? Tell me in the comments.
I really would like someone to think this through with me!
Either way, she has a face-to-face with her father, Caleb
After Caleb asks her what she wants, she responds in verse 19: ” She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.”
Water meant successful crops, healthy people, and animals.
Look how the ESV translated this situation:
Joshua 15:18-19
18 “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?” 19 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.”
Hey! Check this out! The Message takes a different tone altogether. Look how it outlines Achsah in the Bible as she approaches her father, Caleb:
Joshua 15:18-19 (The Message)
18-19 When she arrived she got him
to ask for farmland from her father.
As she dismounted from her donkey
Caleb asked her, “What would you like?”
She said, “Give me a marriage gift.
You’ve given me desert land;
Now give me pools of water!”
And he gave her the upper and the lower pools.
Interesting… what do you think?
You just gotta tell me below!
Did Achsah show Faith, Wisdom, or Rebellion?
So, what do you think of Achsah’s ask?
Was Achsah in the Bible beautifully bold or disgustingly greedy?
Yes, there are two ways to look at this.
It could represent knowing what we need and not being scared to ask for it!
One could conclude that she didn’t just accept her circumstances – she changed them!
This is the direction I lean in relation to Achsah in the Bible.
I think that is what we do sometimes.
We settle.
We accept things as they are.
But God has a second act! He has a third part! He has a 6,000,9399,000th act. Okay, that’s likely not a number, but you catch my drift, I’m sure.
The point is that Achsah in the Bible didn’t just take what she got in the land; she improved it.
I like that.
This represents how I choose how I want to interpret her actions.
Let’s look at the Bible!
I don’t believe our Heavenly Father wants us to settle for less than we need.
Further, I think He often gives us challenges to see if we will ask Him for help or for what we need.
Do we boldly go to Him when we need something?
Or do we just linger in the shadows, frustrated and wanting?
Let’s look at both viewpoints from the view of scripture.
These scriptures encourage us to be B-O-L-D!
| Scripture about Boldness | Where to find it |
| “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” | Hebrews 4:16 New King James Version: |
| 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. | Matthew 28-34 |
| “You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” | James 4:2-3 |
I’ve made it clear that I think Achsah acted assertively and appropriately.
At the same time, you might disagree with me, which is 100% okay; I’ll still love you.
You might think she was a bit grabby.
Don’t worry; I’ve found scriptures to back up your viewpoint as well!
Scriptural Warnings Against Greed
Hey, it was not difficult to find scriptures supporting the hypothesis that Achsah was greedy.
Check these out.
| 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. | Where to find it |
| “Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” | Luke 12:15 |
| 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. | Philippians 4:11-13 New International Version |
| “The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.” | Proverbs 15:27 |
The bottom line
Regardless of how you lean in this conundrum I’ve presented, we can draw some good for Achsah’s actions.
God loves you so much. Just as Caleb was her father, He is your heavenly Father.
Ask Him for what you need. Speak up! Pray!
As the old folks (of which I am now one) used to say, “closed mouths don’t get fed.”
On the contrary
If you think she was a greedy little booger, then the lesson is to be content with what we get.
Trust God to provide because He always will.
Alright. You’ve kept me waiting long enough!
So, what do you think about Achsha in the Bible?
