Joshua 15:19

19 She answered, "Give me a blessing, for thou hast given me a south land. Give me also springs of water." And he gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.

Joshua 15:19 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 15:19

Who answered, give me a blessing
By which she meant not a paternal benediction, or that he would wish and pray for a blessing on her; nor food, or a maintenance, as Jarchi, that her husband would provide for her; but rather an inheritance or possession, as the Targum; or a gift, as Abendana, a present, or something over and above what he had already given her; or an addition to her portion, as Kimchi: the word is sometimes used for a fish pool, as well as a blessing, and so glances at what she had in view, pools of water, or a well watered land:

for thou hast given me a south land;
a dry land, as the Jewish writers

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 generally interpret this word, otherwise all the land belonging to the tribe of Judah was south land, and Caleb could give her no other; but Debir, as Hebron was, was in the hill country, was mountainous and so dry, and wanted watering:

give me also springs of water;
she means land in which there were springs of water; for unless she was possessed of the land in which they were, she would have no command of the springs, and so have little or no use of them:

and he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs;
such as were in the higher grounds, and such as were in the lower ones, that she might have a sufficiency to water all her lands and fields; or as she moved her husband to ask a field, and he put her on doing the same, Caleb gave her a field, in the upper part of which were springs, and also in the lower part; though he seems to have given more than she requested.

F1 So Jarchi and Kimchi in loc. R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 34. 1.

Joshua 15:19 In-Context

17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.

18 And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field; and she alighted from her ass, and Caleb said unto her, "What wouldest thou?"

19 She answered, "Give me a blessing, for thou hast given me a south land. Give me also springs of water." And he gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.

20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families:

21 And the outermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,