Joshua 15:18

18 And it came to pass when he was taking her, he persuaded her to ask of her father for land to cultivate. Then she lighted off her ass, and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?

Joshua 15:18 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 15:18

And it came to pass, as she came [unto him]
To her husband, being conducted from her father's house to his, in order to consummate the marriage, just as we may suppose when she was got to her husband's house, before she lighted off the beast on which she rode:

that she moved him to ask of her father a field;
or persuaded him to make such a request to him, or that he would give her leave to make it; that is, Achsah put Othniel her espoused husband upon it, to entreat her father Caleb, or suffer her to use her interest with him to obtain a field of him, over and above, and something better, than what he had already given;

and she lighted off [her] ass;
she leaped or threw herself from it; or bowing herself, she fell off on her feet, as Jarchi interprets it, and in an humble manner made her obeisance to her father; though De Dieu, from the use of the word in the Ethiopic language, gives a different sense, as if she continued on her ass, and did not alight, waiting the success of her husband's request; or that her father, taking notice of this, might ask the reason of it, which would give her an opportunity of asking the favour of him, which she judged was a proper time of doing it; and there are some versions which seem to countenance this sense the Septuagint version is,

``she cried from off the ass;''

and the Vulgate Latin version,

``she sighed as she sat upon the ass:''

and Caleb said unto her, what wouldest thou?
what wouldest thou have? what is thy request for he perceived, by the posture she put herself in, that she had something to say to him.

Joshua 15:18 In-Context

16 And Caleb said, He that smites Kirjathsepher and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
17 And Othniel, the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
18 And it came to pass when he was taking her, he persuaded her to ask of her father for land to cultivate. Then she lighted off her ass, and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?
19 And she answered, Give me a blessing, for thou hast given me a dry land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010