The man who outlived everyone in his graduating class.

As you begin reading the Book of Judges and the war report recorded in the first chapter, you may not expect to see Caleb’s name suddenly appear. After all, his contemporary Joshua has died, and Caleb was already an old man when he entered the promised land and won some decisive battles against the enemy. Here in Judges, we read another story about Caleb that confirms how remarkable a man he was. Don’t skip over it or you will miss a blessing.

We know Caleb as one of the two spies who returned to Moses with a completely different reconnaissance report than the other ten spies. The ten spies were too fearful to believe that Israel could drive the Canaanites out of the promised land. As a result, God sentenced the Israelites to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, and none of the adults from that day lived to cross the Jordan River into the promised land. None except Caleb and Joshua. 

As a reward for their faith, God allowed Caleb and Joshua to enter the promised land 40 years later. Joshua became Moses’s replacement as Israel’s valiant leader. He was the leader who appointed each tribe their allotment of land. Caleb received the land he spied out as his reward for faithfully serving God. As an 85-year-old man, Caleb entered Canaan and led his people into battle against the Anakites, driving them out to inhabit Hebron (where Abraham was buried). 

Most people in Caleb’s case would have hung up their sword by now. After all, he was a blessed man and had the opportunity to enjoy the land God gave him. After settling the territory God gave him, he was able to watch his children and grandchildren flourish. However, complacency never described Caleb. Some people get complacent by living in the shadow of yesterday’s spiritual victories, but not Caleb. This is why Caleb’s name does not stop in the book of Joshua, and why we see him again in Judges chapter 1.

God had more for Caleb, and Caleb has the integrity to accept the task. Not only was Hebron promised to Caleb, but Debir had also been promised, although it had not yet been conquered in Joshua’s time. God promised the victory, but Caleb had to fight for it. This is where his resourcefulness became apparent. As an old man, he was in no shape to carry a sword into battle. That is why he did some recruiting. If God is going to allow him to gain more territory for his future generations, Caleb’s not passing up the opportunity. But knowing his limitations, Caleb needed a capable young man to lead them into battle. 

Not only does Caleb need a military leader, he also needs a good husband for his daughter, Achsah. What better candidate to marry your daughter than an accomplished warrior who leads the fight to win your family more territory? Caleb pledged his daughter in marriage to whoever defeated the city for him. Othniel accepted the offer; he was the son of Caleb’s younger brother. This was a win-win scenario for everyone. Caleb gained the territory God promised him; Othniel gained a good wife from a godly family; Achsah gained a noble husband; and Caleb found a husband for his daughter who met his high standards.  

The more we learn about Caleb, the more the compliments pile up. His life has evidenced godliness, courage, and resourcefulness. And as the story continues, we also see some evidence that he was good father. After keeping his promise and giving his daughter in marriage to Othniel, Caleb granted them some land. However, there was a problem with the land given to them – it was barren.

Othniel needed springs of water to farm crops and raise livestock. That lead Achsah to make a special request to her father, and the way she approached him not only tells us something about her, it tells us something about the way she was raised. Her actions in verse 4 convey respect – gratitude for the gift of land Caleb had already given them. Her request for a spring was not accompanied with a complaintive disposition, but rather respect for her father. Naturally, Caleb granted them springs of water because his intent was to establish the next generation of Israelites who would inhabit the promised land. The entire incident showcases a daughter who was trained to be appreciative and respectful, in addition to being just as resourceful as her father.