Achsah

Achsah

With a great urge to study one of the women in the Holy Bible, I tapped my finger on my computer desk thinking who am I going to study about. As I searched through the names of women in the Bible, I came across the name Achsah. I wondered who is Achsah was? I felt dawned to Achsah and a great need for me to know her and hear her story.

Achsah which means adorned, bursting the veil was the only daughter of the great and faithful warrior of Israel, Caleb. She had three brothers. Why study the life of Achsah alone I said to myself? Why not involve the lovely ladies at church to come on this study trip with me? I am so glad I did. Below are some of our findings.

pexels-photo-131616

Achsah’s story can be found in Joshua 15:16-19.

16 And Caleb said, “He who attacks Kirjath Sepher and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife.” 17 So Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. 18 Now it was so, when she came to him, that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. So she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you wish?” 19 She answered, “Give me a blessing; since you have given me land in the South, give me also springs of water.” So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

This narrative is an incident in the Bible involving three people: Caleb, his daughter, Achsah; and his son-in-law Othniel.
Achsah has been made the price for a competition. Her father who was one of the two in his generation to enter the promised Canaan land has declared to give Achsah as a bride to whoever conquered Kirjath Sepher.

pexels-photo-56926In those times and even in this present age marriages are sometimes arranged. It is not necessarily boy meet a girl, and fall in love and marry. It was also the custom that the fathers looked for a spouse for their children. This may seem incomprehensible to our generation, that Achsah would have no choice to whom she is to spend the rest of her life with. The customs and traditions of those days – especially relating to dowry and of the relationships between fathers and daughters, and between wives and husbands. They were placed in contractual marriages and we’re expected to be obedient to their fathers and husbands. Achsah was obedient to her father and married the man whom he planned for her. She made no objection and accepted the will of her father.

Othniel, Achsah’s cousin took up the challenge that Caleb gave. There were no guarantees that he would survive this conquest, however, Othniel conquers Kirjath Sepher and he became a worthy groom to Caleb’s only daughter.

Achsah, most likely she grew up admiring her father’s courage, as he went to battle and took over city after city, his faith, his devotion and his loyalty to God, bearing in mind that any battle could have been his last. Such that being offered as a prize for taking down a city would have been an honour and pride for her rather than bitterness and contempt. All her father’s generation were dead in the wilderness expect her father and Joshua. O what legacy of faith has been handed down to her.

negev2Achsah knew she was highly esteemed and valued by her papa. He had given her landed property as her inheritance, it was not the norm to give lands to daughters in those days. The only precedence to this was when the daughters of Zelophehad paved the way for daughters to get an inheritance.

Achsah, now married went to her husband not only with the normal dowries that were used customarily for marriage but she also brought with her the land south of the Negev which her father had given her. This land was dry and Achsah wanted more. She wanted springs of water to probably water the dry land. She acknowledged her husband’s lordship and respected him in seeking his cooperation before going to her father.

Othniel has experienced some great success, he conquered Kirjath Sepher and was Achsah’s husband yet he was able to listen to her and was convinced of her persuasion. So Achsah who approached her father.

The act of persuasion is a virtue.

The Cambridge dictionary defines persuade as to make someone do or believe something by giving them a good reason to do it or by talking to that person and making them believe it:
Achsah was very privileged. Most people her age did not have their parents in the Promised Land. That was the generation that God did not permit to enter the promise land. She saw her over 80 years old father still doing battle and still having a constant faith in God and also motivating others to fight for their inheritance. Achsah had received a big gift from her father nevertheless she was not afraid to approach her father to ask for more.

magarence

Achsah humbly went back to her father, she dismounted from her donkey and even before she spoke, Caleb asked her what she wished. Achsah acknowledged the blessing of the land her father gave, but she states some facts that the land was dry. So the gift she asked her father seems logical. She also knew her father had the capacity to meet her request. Achsah requested for the springs of water and Caleb gave Achsah the upper and lower springs.

(If Achsah and Othniel decided to use the land south of the Negev for farming they now have a way to irrigate the land).

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Ephesians 3:20

There was an intimate relationship between Achsah and her father. Achsah knew her father loved her, and he made provision for her that was beyond the general expectation of customs and traditions. Achsah also loved her father and demonstrated it in her acts of obedience to him. Achsah approached her father boldly and also with humility.

So much more does God loves us. God loves us so much that He made provision for us to be His children and it is our acts of obedience to Him that actually show that we love Him. As we approach God boldly in prayer, knowing His capacity is limitless we should come in humility.

 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.        Hebrews 4:16

cropped-azure.jpg

Achsah is an example of a daughter and her relationship with a loving father, which should reflect our relationship with our heavenly Father. The Bible says we should come boldly before the throne of grace – she certainly did. She came, acknowledged her father’s previous blessings, made her request, she was specific in her request, and Caleb responded favorably to his daughter. A ‘daddy’s girl’ who knew that her father would not withhold anything good from her?

For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory.

The Lord will withhold no good thing  from those who do what is right.

Psalms 84: 11

Achsah has taught us about love, obedience, submission, persuasion, boldness, requesting and relationship.

I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this study. God bless you all.

Contributors: Daisy, Omoh, Banke, ID, Bunmi, Christy and Moyo

Get Your Free E-Book
I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information )
Join thousands of believers learning how to study their Bible using our free E-Book on "How to study the Bible".
We hate spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.