Caleb’s Portion and Conquest

Joshua gives Caleb Hebron as the LORD commanded, and Caleb drives out Anak's descendants there before advancing against Debir. His inheritance is shown as something received and actively secured.

A¹³ccording to the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah — Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) ¹⁴And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak — the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. ¹⁵From there he marched against the inhabitants of Debir (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher).

Caleb offers Acsah to the man who captures Debir, and Othniel wins both the city and the marriage. Acsah then asks Caleb for springs along with her Negev land, and her inheritance is enlarged with water.

¹⁶And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.” ¹⁷So Othniel son of Caleb’s brother Kenaz captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage. ¹⁸One day Acsah came to Othniel and urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you desire?” ¹⁹“Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.”