The Woman Who Was Bold Enough To Ask For More

The Woman Who Also Understood Inheritance

Photo by Bruno Guerrero on Unsplash

Give me a blessing; since you have given me land in the South, give me also springs of water.”

These are the words of Achsah as recorded in Joshua 15:19. Do you hear the boldness in her request? But first, an introduction:

Achsah is the daughter of Caleb who’s been taking conquest of the land that’s been promised to the Israelites – the one who had made his own bold request when it finally came time to take the land, “Give me my mountain!” And on the outskirts of a city yet to be conquered Caleb had announced “He who attacks Kirjath-Sepher and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife.” Caleb’s nephew Othniel rises to the occasion and takes the city, thus obtaining Achsah as his bride. Othniel however, receives much more than what he had been originally promised, and this was because of his willingness to listen to and receive the words of his wife.

But a quick side note – a woman who’s not given a choice as to who she will marry isn’t too tasteful by today’s standards, but let’s look at this from the culture out of which it came. Caleb was one of only two men who were willing to take God at His word and who had believed and declared “we can take the land” while the other ten men had said, “there are giants in the land and we are grasshoppers in their sight.” And during those forty years while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness waiting for the next generation to rise up and enter the promised land, imagine the stories Caleb likely shared with Achsah – the stories of God’s mighty deeds on behalf of his people. Imagine also Caleb instilling his spiritual DNA into his daughter through the telling of these stories. It’s highly probably Caleb raised her to be a strong woman. And what does a strong woman need? A strong man! And so by giving his daughter to the victor, Caleb was ensuring a strong man for his daughter, as he knew that only a strong man would suit her.

But back to Achsah now. Newly married to Othniel, she employs an astute and discerning eye to her situation and the land that’s been apportioned to her, and makes the bold decision to ask her father for more! Because she has accurately assessed that the land that’s been granted to her is far from ideal. It’s a land without water and a land without water or water rights is not enough! It will not reach its capacity for fruitfulness and Achsah is not willing to settle for less. She wants the full measure of her inheritance; she wants all that’s within her right to receive as the daughter of the one who’s been instrumental in taking the land.

Achsah therefore, after consulting with her husband, approaches her father with the only recorded words we have of her, “Give me a blessing…give me also spring of water.” In actuality, this is more of a demand than a request, and with these actions and these words we glean much insight into the character and virtue of Achsah. She comes not with timidity, but with boldness and with same measure of confident faith her father had expressed when he had boldly declared “we can take the land!” She portrays here that she is indeed her father’s daughter.

And without hesitation Caleb grants her both the upper and lower springs. He is her father and not surprisingly he wants what’s best for his daughter. And Achsah must have known this. After forty years spent in the wilderness, wandering with no battles to fight and no land to take, Caleb had ample time to share his heart with his daughter. Achsah models for us that we have a responsibility to ask, lest we become like those James speaks of who “have not because they ask not.” One of Achsah’s virtues was her boldness and her willingness to simply ask. She knew her father’s heart and she knew all she had to do was ask. She could have settled for less, but she understood there was more to be gained in the asking. And she asked forthrightly, without shame, and without guilt. She knew her worth in her father’s eyes. And in the asking and receiving, she proved her worth to her new husband through her role in the expansion of their newly-acquired territory. She honored him as well, by consulting him first, and in doing so she modeled she was a wife worthy of his trust.

You also have a loving Father who wants what’s best for you, a Father who has an inheritance for you, a Father who is more than willing. And able. And perhaps you also know your current situation is not enough. You know God has more for you. You have the vision and you see it. It doesn’t matter that others can’t see what you see or that other may only see what “is” and not what could be or should be; or that others may be willing to settle for a lesser portion. Hold true to who you are and what you know God has for you, as did Achsah. You too have a Father you can approach boldly with your requests, and there is never any reproach in the asking. In fact, God delights in the faith tucked inside of your ask. He is your father who delights to give you good gifts out of the abundance of the goodness of His heart toward you.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

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

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the counsel of His will…. Ephesians 1:11