Joshua 15:16

16 And Chaleb said, Whosoever shall take and destroy the city of Letters, and master it, to him will I give my daughter Ascha to wife.

Joshua 15:16 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 15:16

And Caleb said, he that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it,
&c.] Which he ordered to be proclaimed through the army that was under his command; and which was done not so much on the account of the difficulty of taking the place, through the number of the inhabitants of it, and its fortifications, which it seems had fallen again into the hands of the Canaanites, since it was taken by Joshua; nor through inactivity, diffidence, and timorousness in himself; but that others, who were officers, and men of valour under him, might gather some laurels as well as himself; and chiefly being under a divine impulse, he ordered this declaration to be made, whereby his brother Othniel, who was to be a judge in Israel, might appear a great man, and fit for such an office; and as an encouragement, he promises as follows:

to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife;
and to be married into the family of the chief prince of the tribe of Judah was a very great honour, as well as no doubt a very large dowry might be expected, and was given with her, and very probably the city of Debir was promised that should be taken. This Achsah seems to be a daughter of Caleb by a concubine, ( 1 Chronicles 2:48 1 Chronicles 2:49 ) .

Joshua 15:16 In-Context

14 And Chaleb the son of Jephone destroyed thence the three sons of Enac, Susi, and Tholami, and Achima.
15 And Chaleb went up thence to the inhabitants of Dabir; and the name of Dabir before was the city of Letters.
16 And Chaleb said, Whosoever shall take and destroy the city of Letters, and master it, to him will I give my daughter Ascha to wife.
17 And Gothoniel the son of Chenez the brother of Chaleb took it; and he gave him Ascha his daughter to wife.
18 And it came to pass as she went out that she counselled him, saying, I will ask of my father a field; and she cried from off her ass; and Chaleb said to her, What is it?

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.