Joshua 15:18

Jos 15:18 And it came to pass, as she came [unto him], that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off [her] ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?

Ver. 18. She moved him to ask.] Or, She moved her husband that she might ask another field. Covetousness is never contented, but still craving more, as the horse leeches’ daughters. Othniel hardly yielded to this motion, but she would have it so, and therefore lighted off her ass, either as discontented, or as desirous to present her request.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jos 15:18. As she came — Or, as she went; namely, from her father’s house to her husband’s, as the manner was. She moved him — She persuaded her husband, either, 1st, That he would ask: or rather, 2d, That he would suffer her to ask, as she did. She lighted — That she might address herself to her father in an humble posture, and as a supplicant, which he understood by her gesture.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15:18-19 What’s the matter? No water source existed for the town Othniel conquered. Negev means “dry land.” • The upper and lower springs were close together but too far from Debir to belong to it naturally, so Acsah asked for the rights to the water.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Because her husband tarried too long.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

as she came unto him--that is, when about to remove from her father's to her husband's house. She suddenly alighted from her travelling equipage--a mark of respect to her father, and a sign of making some request. She had urged Othniel to broach the matter, but he not wishing to do what appeared like evincing a grasping disposition, she resolved herself to speak out. Taking advantage of the parting scene when a parent's heart was likely to be tender, she begged (as her marriage portion consisted of a field which, having a southern exposure, was comparatively an arid and barren waste) he would add the adjoining one, which abounded in excellent springs. The request being reasonable, it was granted; and the story conveys this important lesson in religion, that if earthly parents are ready to bestow on their children that which is good, much more will our heavenly Father give every necessary blessing to them who ask Him.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 18. As she came] As she was now departing from the house of her father to go to that of her husband.

She moved him] Othniel, to ask of her father a field, one on which she had set her heart, as contiguous to the patrimony already granted.

She lighted off her ass] ותצנח vattitsnach, she hastily, suddenly alighted, as if she had forgotten something, or was about to return to her father's house. Which being perceived by her father, he said, What wouldest thou? What is the matter? What dost thou want?

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. And it came to pass as she came unto him, etc Although we may conjecture that the damsel Acsa was of excellent morals and well brought up, as marriage with her had been held forth as the special reward of victory, yet perverse cupidity on her part is here disclosed. She knew that by the divine law women were specially excluded from hereditary lands, but she nevertheless covets the possession of them, and stimulates her husband by unjust expostulation. In this way ambitious and covetous wives cease not to molest their husbands until they force them to forget shame, modesty, and equity. For although the avarice of men also is insatiable, yet women are apt to be much more precipitate. The more carefully ought husbands to be on their guard against being set as it were on flame by the blast of such importunate counsels.

But a greater degree of intemperance is displayed when she acquires additional boldness from the facility of her husband and the indulgence of her father. Not contented with the field given to her, she demands for herself a well-watered district. And thus it is when a person has once overleaped the bounds of rectitude and honesty, the fault is forthwith followed up by impudence. Moreover, her father in refusing her nothing gives proof of his singular affection for her. But it does not therefore follow that the wicked thirst of gain which blinds the mind and perverts right judgment is the less hateful. In regard to Acsa’s dismounting from the ass, some interpreters ascribe it to dissimulation and craft, as if she were pretending inability to retain her seat from grief. In this way her dismounting or falling off is made an indication of criminality and defective character. It is more simple, however, to suppose that she placed herself at her father’s feet with the view of accosting him as a suppliant. Be this as it may, by her craft and flattery she gained his consent, and in so far diminished the portion of her brothers.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

18. as she came unto him] i. e. as she proceeded to the home of Othniel at Debir to become his wife. “When the parties live in different villages, the bridegroom accompanied by his friends, all well mounted and armed, and escorted with music, repair to the house of the bride, and escort her to her new home.” See the picture of such a procession in Van Lenneps’ Bible Lands and Customs, p. 550.

she moved him] The original word denotes (1) to impel, (2) to incite, induce. Comp. 2Ch_18:2, “And Ahab persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-Gilead.” “The which, whanne she went to togidre, hir man meeued to hir for to axe of hir fader a feeld.” Wyclif.

a field] more definitely, the field, either (a) which belonged to Debir, as some suppose, or (b) the field which was fit for cultivation, and had a sufficient supply of water.

she lighted off her ass] The original word only occurs in three places; (a) here; (b) the parallel passage in Jdg_1:14; and (c) in Jdg_4:21, “Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent … and went softly unto him.” It denotes (1) to force oneself away from: (2) to descend quickly from, to sink down from, as in Gen_24:64, “And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.” The LXX. have rendered it, apparently from a different reading, “she cried from the ass;” the Vulgate, “suspiravitque ut sedebat in asino;” and so Wyclif, “And she siçide, as she sat in the asse.”

18. and Caleb said unto her] It would seem as though Othniel could not be prevailed upon to make such a request himself, and that Achsah therefore determined to prefer it herself. Her action in springing from the ass so astonished Caleb, that he put to her the question, “What wouldest thou?”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Afield - In Jdg 1:14, “the field,” i. e. the well-known field asked by Achsah and given by Caleb as a “blessing,” i. e. as a token of goodwill, which when the Book of Judges was written had become historical. The “field” in question was doubtless in the neighborhood of Debir, and was especially valuable because of its copious springs. Achsah’s dismounting was a sign of reverence.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Was moved; as the Syriac, Arabic, Junius, &c., represent the matter. Others render the Hebrew in a different sense: "she moved him to ask of her father a field, and she lighted off her ass, and Caleb said unto her," &c., which seems very abrupt, as she herself is represented as soliciting for the favour in the next verse, instead of her husband. The Chaldean supposes that she was restrained by natural modesty, from preferring the petition; but when Othoniel refused to do it, or was denied what he requested, she took courage and asked herself. The sense of the Vulgate seems more natural, (Calmet) as the husband might easily suppose that she would have greater influence with her father. (Haydock) --- Sighed. The original term is found only in this history, and in that of the death of Sisara, Judges iv. 21. Septuagint, "she cried out." Others translate, "she remained fixed," (Menochius) or "she waited sitting on the ass," till she had obtained her request.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

As she came unto him, or, as she went, to wit, from her father’s house to her husband’s, as the manner was: see Poole "Mat 1:18".

She moved him to ask; she persuaded her husband; either,

1. That he would ask; or rather,

2. That he would suffer her to ask, as she did.

She lighted off her ass, that she might address herself to her father in a humble posture, and as a suppliant, which he understood by her gesture.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. And it came to pass — We have now full proof that Caleb acted from affection to his daughter and with her confiding love.

As she came — In bridal procession, all riding upon asses, from her father’s house to the house of her bridegroom, by whom she is escorted to his and her future home. See note on Mat_25:1-6.

She moved him — Her bridegroom, by the side of whom, probably, she rode in procession. She believes the request of Othniel would be with Caleb even more powerful than her own; but he, perhaps silently, declines.

To ask… a field — “Underneath the hill on which Debir stood is a deep valley, rich with verdure from a copious rivulet, which, rising at the crest of the glen, falls, with a continuity unusual in the Judean hills, down to its lowest depth. On the possession of these upper and lower ‘bubblings,’ so contiguous to her lover’s prize, Achsah had set her heart.” — Stanley.

Lighted off — At her bridegroom’s door, where she and her father meet each other.

What wouldest thou — The heart of her father at this melting moment is open to any request, and she seizes the golden chance.}

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As she came to him. Whether the bridal procession of the later Jews were already in existence or not, we have no evidence to show. A field. The narrative in Judges has "the field," meaning the particular field mentioned in the passage. Lighted off. Or, sank down; spoken of gradual motion, as of the nail which, when smitten by Jael into Sisera"s temples, went down into the ground. So Knobel. Our translation renders it "fastened" there, which is hardly the meaning. This word has been a difficulty to translators. The LXX renders ibohsen ek tou onou , and the Vulgate still more strangely, "Suspiravit, ut sedebat in asino." The LXX seems to have read qx for jnx. The Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic render as our version. What wouldest thou? Or, what is the matter? Literally, What to thee? Achsah"s conduct surprised Caleb. It was probably accompanied by an imploring gesture, and occurred before she had reached the house of Othniel, who no doubt had come to meet her; or possibly, according to the later Oriental custom, had escorted her the whole way. A blessing. (see 2Ki_5:15; also Gen_33:11 1Sa_25:27) The use of the word in the sense of "gift" comes from the fact that to bless is to bestow benefits upon the person blessed. (see Deu_28:1-6, Deu_28:11, Deu_28:12)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As she came - Or, as she went, namely, from her father's house to her husband's, as the manner was. She moved him - She persuaded her husband, either,

1. That he would ask: or rather,

2. That he would suffer her to ask, as she did. She lighted - That she might address herself to her father in an humble posture, and as a suppliant, which he understood by her gesture.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Aksah came to Othniel

This is an idiom that refers to Aksah becoming Othniel's wife. AT: "when Aksah became Othniel's wife" (See: Idiom)

she urged him to ask her father for a field.

This can be translated as direct speech. AT: "she urged him, 'Ask my father to give me a field.'" (See: Direct and Indirect Quotations)

translationWords

donkey

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

She leaned [off the donkey]. According to Targum, וְאִתְרְכִינַת, she leaned. She bent herself to fall at his feet.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.