By Lydia Teh

At 85, Caleb was given Hebron as an inheritance for his role in spying out the land of Canaan. At that age, he was still valiant and managed to drive out the sons of Anak from Hebron. He also had his eye on Debir, a city 13 km southwest of Hebron. He could easily have taken it too, but he used it to find a worthy son-in-law for his beloved daughter, Achsah (pronounced ak-sah). (Josh. 15:13-17).

Whoever conquered Debir would have Achsah’s hand in marriage. It was like killing two birds with one stone. The worthy man turned out to be his own nephew, Othniel the son of Kenaz.

Achsah was bold like her father. She persuaded her husband to ask her father for a piece of land. Caleb gave her a piece of land in Negev which was arid. She knew that without water, they won’t be able to work the land. So she approached her father for water-rich property and he granted her request.

Notice how she framed her request. Instead of “Father, why did you give me this dry land instead of a fertile one? You might as well not give me anything,” she said, “Give me a blessing; since you have given me land in the South, give me also springs of water.”

To this Caleb responded by giving her with not just the “upper springs” but the “lower springs” too. (Josh. 15:18-19). It was double portion!

Boldly she asked and generously she received.

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⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him (Matt. 7:7-11).

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (Jas. 4:3).