Aksah boldly asked for and claimed additional blessings for her family in times when land and inheritances were not generally given to women. She had the confidence to approach her father and ask for what she needed. And Caleb gave her what she asked for. Just like our heavenly Father is ready and willing to bless us, we must also go to Him with this same faith.
16 And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Akash in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” 17 Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Akash to him in marriage.
18 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”
19 She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs. Judges 15:16-19
Aksah was given to her cousin in marriage by Caleb, Joshua’s right-hand man, as a reward for driving out the inhabitants of Caleb’s inherited land.
Caleb and Aksah Were Not Israelites
Now, Caleb was a Kennizite. While not much is known about the Kenizzites, scholars believe they were a group from Abraham’s time who joined the Israelites’ conquest to take the land of Caanan.
Because Caleb followed wholeheartedly after the Lord all those years beside Joshua, he was included in the allotment of land with the Israelites and was given a portion of the tribe of Judah’s land.
Aksah Boldly asks for a Portion of Land
When she was given to Othniel, she asked her husband for his consent to ask her father Caleb for a field, which she got in the Negev region. This is a bold request for a woman of that time!
Women didn’t typically inherit much during those times because they and their belongings were joined to their husband’s households and became their property.
The scripture doesn’t say what she wanted that land for, but after she got it, she realized she needed one more thing.
Aksah knew, What is a land without water?
The Negev is known for its dryness and so Aksah returns to Caleb and makes another request. She asks her father for water. And Caleb gives her the springs known as the upper and lower springs (Joshua 15:19).
Aksah knew that land also needed water in order to be useful so she steps up again and asks for her needs to be met by the one who can do it- her father.
With water, livestock could be fed and food could be grown. With water, life could begin and be sustained.
Our Father has what we need, we only need to ask
Aksah stepped out on faith and claimed additional blessings for her family because she was bold enough to ask for more. She knew her Father had the resources she needed and she felt confident that he would grant her request.
Just like our heavenly Father is ready and willing to bless us, we must also go to Him with this same faith.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 1 John 5:14
Our Father in heaven does not shrink back from a bold ask!
In fact, He encourages it. When we confidently ask God to meet our needs, we demonstrate our faith in His ability to do so. This pleases Him. Faith pleases our heavenly Father.
Now, of course, this doesn’t mean that we can selfishly ask for whatever we want whenever we want.
But the scripture does say that we can come to Him for our needs and that He will meet those needs as we grow in Him.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
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“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11
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“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
So ask, and ask boldly
As Aksah went to her father for her needs, we can go to ours with our needs and He WILL provide!
I hope this post inspires you to seek God for your needs and trust that He will meet your every need.
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