Why does Axa ask Caleb for watered land, and what does he give her?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

She says the land he has given her is southern and dry and asks for a blessing of watered land too. Caleb gives her both the upper and lower watery ground. The account also records that her husband moved her to ask for a field before Caleb questioned her.

Chapter breakdown

Juda’s lot is given by kindreds from Edom’s frontier to the desert of Sin southward and the furthest southern coast. The southern boundary begins at the top of the most salt sea and its south-facing bay. It goes toward the ascent of the Scorpion, passes to Sina, rises to Cadesbarne, reaches Esron, goes up to Addar and circles Carcaa. From there it passes to Asemona and reaches Egypt’s torrent, ending at the great sea; this is the southern limit. The eastern side begins at the most salt sea and reaches the Jordan’s end. The northern boundary begins at the sea’s bay toward that same river.

The border rises to Beth-Hagla, passes north into Beth-Araba and goes up to the stone of Boen son of Ruben. From Achor’s valley it reaches Debara’s borders, looks north toward Galgal opposite Adommin’s ascent south of the torrent, passes the fountain of the sun and goes out at the fountain Rogel. It rises by the valley of Ennom’s son, south of the Jebusite side identified as Jerusalem, then to the mountaintop opposite Geennom westward at Raphaim’s valley’s northern end. From the summit it passes to Nephtoa’s water fountain and mount Ephron’s towns, bending to Baala, which is Cariathiarim, the city of woods. It circles west from Baala to Mount Seir, passes north along Mount Jarim’s side into Cheslon, descends to Bethsames and passes to Thamna. It reaches north to Accaron’s side, bends to Sechrona, passes Mount Baala and comes to Jebneel, bounded westward by the great sea. These are Juda’s surrounding borders by kindreds.

Caleb son of Jephone receives a portion amid Juda as the Lord commanded: Cariath-Arbe, the father of Enac, which is Hebron. Caleb destroys from it Enac’s three sons, Sesai, Ahiman and Tholmai, of Enac’s race. He goes from there to Dabir’s inhabitants; its former name is Cariath-Sepher, the city of letters. Caleb promises his daughter Axa as wife to whoever strikes and takes Cariath-Sepher. Othoniel, son of Cenez, the younger brother of Caleb, takes it, and Caleb gives him Axa as wife. As they go together, her husband moves her to ask her father for a field. She sighs while sitting on her ass, and Caleb asks what ails her. She asks for a blessing: he has given her southern, dry land, so she asks for watered land too. He gives her both the upper and lower watery ground. This is the possession of Juda’s children by kindreds.

The cities at Juda’s furthest parts by Edom’s southern border are Cabseel, Eder, Jagur; Cina, Dimona, Adada; Cades, Asor, Jethnam; Ziph, Telem, Baloth; New Asor and Carioth, Hesron which is Asor; Amam, Sama, Molada; Asergadda, Hassemon, Bethphelet; Hasersual, Bersabee, Baziothia; Baala, Jim, Esem; Eltholad, Cesil, Harma; Siceleg, Medemena, Sensenna; Lebaoth, Selim, Aen and Remmon. The account states twenty-nine cities and their villages.

In the plains the first list is Estaol, Sarea, Asena; Zanoe, Engannim, Taphua, Enaim; Jerimoth, Adullam, Socho, Azeca; Saraim, Adithaim, Gedera and Gederothaim. The stated count is fourteen cities and their villages. The next list is Sanan, Hadassa, Magdalgad; Delean, Masepha, Jecthel; Lachis, Bascath, Eglon; Chebbon, Leheman, Cethlis; Gideroth, Bethdagon, Naama and Maceda—sixteen cities and their villages.

The next list is Labana, Ether, Asan; Jephtha, Esna, Nesib; Ceila, Achzib and Maresa—nine cities and their villages. Accaron has its towns and villages. From Accaron to the sea are all places toward Azotus and their villages. Azotus has its towns and villages, and Gaza has its towns and villages, extending to Egypt’s torrent and the great sea as boundary.

In the mountain are Samir, Jether, Socoth; Danna and Cariath-senna, which is Dabir; Anab, Istemo, Anim; Gosen, Olon and Gilo—eleven cities and their villages. The next list is Arab, Ruma, Esaan; Janum, Beththaphua, Apheca; Athmatha, Cariath-Arbe which is Hebron, and Sior—nine cities and their villages.

The mountain lists continue with Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Jota; Jezrael, Jucadam, Zanoe; Accain, Gabaa and Thamna—ten cities and their villages. Then come Halhul, Bessur, Gedor; Mareth, Bethanoth and Eltecon—six cities and their villages. Cariathbaal, the same as Cariathiarim, the city of woods, and Arebba form two cities and their villages.

In the desert are Betharaba, Meddin, Sachacha, Nebsan, the city of salt and Engaddi—six cities and their villages. Juda’s children cannot destroy the Jebusite dwelling in Jerusalem. The Jebusite dwells there with Juda’s children until this present day.

The story inside

The chapter traces Juda’s lot by kindreds through full southern, eastern and northern boundary descriptions to the western sea. It then records Caleb’s granted portion, the three named sons of Enac, his promise concerning Cariath-Sepher and Othoniel’s actual capture and marriage. Axa’s request has a recorded cause and sequence: her husband prompts a field request, she sighs on her ass, Caleb asks, and she names dry land as her reason for seeking watered land. Both upper and lower watery ground are given. The following city lists preserve each name, alias, stated count and villages in the southern, plain, coastal, mountain and desert passages. Their concluding limitation is specific: Juda cannot destroy Jerusalem’s Jebusite, who remains with Juda until the account’s present day. No motives for the lists or counterfactual outcomes are added.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Axa’s request has a concrete reason and outcome. She identifies southern, dry land and asks for watered land too; Caleb gives both upper and lower watery ground. The husband’s prompting and Caleb’s question belong to the same recorded exchange.
2
The town lists keep names, aliases and stated counts together. Cariath-senna is Dabir, Cariath-Arbe is Hebron and Cariathbaal is Cariathiarim. The south’s twenty-nine and the other group counts are preserved as the source states them, without silently correcting the lists.
3
A recorded allotment does not erase the chapter’s stated limit. The closing verse says Juda cannot destroy the Jebusite at Jerusalem and records their dwelling together until this present day. It supplies no new moral explanation for that inability.

Test your recall

What condition of her existing land does Axa give as the reason for asking Caleb for more land, and what two parts does he grant?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 23873–23895
Josue Chapter 15 The borders of the lot of Juda. Caleb’s portion and conquest. The cities of Juda. 15:1. Now the lot of the children of Juda by their kindreds was this: From the frontier of Edom, to the desert of Sin southward, and to the uttermost part of the south coast. 15:2. Its beginning was from the top of the most salt sea, and from the bay thereof, that looketh to the south. 15:3. And it goeth out towards the ascent of the Scorpion, and passeth on to Sina: and ascendeth into Cadesbarne, and reacheth into Esron, going up to Addar, and compassing Carcaa. 15:4. And from thence passing along into Asemona, and reaching the torrent of Egypt: and the bounds thereof shall be the great sea, this shall be the limit of the south coast. 15:5. But on the east side the beginning shall be the most salt sea even to the end of the Jordan: and towards the north from the bay of the sea unto the same river Jordan.
Lines 23897–23925
15:6. And the border goeth up into Beth-Hagla, and passeth by the north into Beth-Araba: going up to the stone of Boen the son of Ruben. 15:7. And reaching as far as the borders of Debara from the valley of Achor, and so northward looking towards Galgal, which is opposite to the ascent of Adommin, on the south side of the torrent, and the border passeth the waters that are called the fountain of the sun: and the goings out thereof shall be at the fountain Rogel. 15:8. And it goeth up by the valley of the son of Ennom on the side of the Jebusite towards the south, the same is Jerusalem: and thence ascending to the top of the mountain, which is over against Geennom to the west in the end of the valley of Raphaim, northward. 15:9. And it passeth on from the top of the mountain to the fountain of the water of Nephtoa: and reacheth to the towns of mount Ephron: and it bendeth towards Baala, which is Cariathiarim, that is to say, the city of the woods. 15:10. And it compasseth from Baala westward unto mount Seir: and passeth by the side of mount Jarim to the north into Cheslon: and goeth down into Bethsames, and passeth into Thamna. 15:11. And reacheth northward to a part of Accaron at the side: and bendeth to Sechrona, and passeth mount Baala: and cometh into Jebneel, and is bounded westward with the great sea. 15:12. These are the borders round about of the children of Juda in their kindreds.
Lines 23927–23953
15:13. But to Caleb the son of Jephone he gave a portion in the midst of the children of Juda, as the Lord had commanded him: Cariath-Arbe the father of Enac, which is Hebron. 15:14. And Caleb destroyed out of it the three sons of Enac, Sesai and Ahiman, and Tholmai of the race of Enac. 15:15. And going up from thence he came to the inhabitants of Dabir, which before was called Cariath-Sepher, that is to say, the city of letters. 15:16. And Caleb said: He that shall smite Cariath-Sepher, and take it, I will give him Axa my daughter to wife. 15:17. And Othoniel the son of Cenez, the younger brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Axa his daughter to wife. 15:18. And as they were going together, she was moved by her husband to ask a field of her father, and she sighed as she sat on her ass. And Caleb said to her: What aileth thee? 15:19. But she answered: Give me a blessing: thou hast given me a southern and dry land, give me also a land that is watered. And Caleb gave her the upper and the nether watery ground. 15:20. This is the possession of the tribe of the children of Juda by their kindreds.
Lines 23955–23979
15:21. And the cities from the uttermost parts of the children of Juda by the borders of Edom to the south, were Cabseel and Eder and Jagur, 15:22. And Cina and Dimona and Adada, 15:23. And Cades and Asor and Jethnam, 15:24. Ziph and Telem and Baloth, 15:25. New Asor and Carioth, Hesron, which is Asor. 15:26. Amam, Sama and Molada, 15:27. And Asergadda and Hassemon and Bethphelet, 15:28. And Hasersual and Bersabee and Baziothia, 15:29. And Baala and Jim and Esem, 15:30. And Eltholad and Cesil and Harma, 15:31. And Siceleg and Medemena and Sensenna, 15:32. Lebaoth and Selim and Aen and Remmon: all the cities twenty-nine, and their villages.
Lines 23981–23999
15:33. But in the plains: Estaol and Sarea and Asena, 15:34. And Zanoe and Engannim and Taphua and Enaim, 15:35. And Jerimoth and Adullam, Socho and Azeca, 15:36. And Saraim and Adithaim and Gedera and Gederothaim: fourteen cities, and their villages. 15:37. Sanan and Hadassa and Magdalgad, 15:38. Delean and Masepha and Jecthel, 15:39. Lachis and Bascath and Eglon, 15:40. Chebbon and Leheman and Cethlis, 15:41. And Gideroth and Bethdagon and Naama and Maceda: sixteen cities, and their villages.
Lines 24001–24015
15:42. Labana and Ether and Asan, 15:43. Jephtha and Esna and Nesib, 15:44. And Ceila and Achzib and Maresa: nine cities, and their villages. 15:45. Accaron with the towns and villages thereof. 15:46. From Accaron even to the sea: all places that lie towards Azotus and the villages thereof. 15:47. Azotus with its towns and villages. Gaza with its towns and villages, even to the torrent of Egypt, and the great sea that is the border thereof.
Lines 24017–24030
15:48. And in the mountain Samir and Jether and Socoth, 15:49. And Danna and Cariath-senna, this is Dabir: 15:50. Anab and Istemo and Anim, 15:51. Gosen and Olon and Gilo: eleven cities and their villages. 15:52. Arab and Ruma and Esaan, 15:53. And Janum and Beththaphua and Apheca, 15:54. Athmatha and Cariath-Arbe, this is Hebron and Sior: nine cities and their villages.
Lines 24032–24044
15:55. Maon and Carmel and Ziph and Jota, 15:56. Jezrael and Jucadam and Zanoe, 15:57. Accain, Gabaa and Thamna: ten cities and their villages. 15:58. Halhul, and Bessur, and Gedor, 15:59. Mareth, and Bethanoth, and Eltecon: six cities and their villages. 15:60. Cariathbaal, the same is Cariathiarim the city of woods, and Arebba: two cities and their villages.
Lines 24046–24055
15:61. In the desert Betharaba, Meddin and Sachacha, 15:62. And Nebsan, and the city of salt, and Engaddi: six cities and their villages. 15:63. But the children of Juda could not destroy the Jebusite that dwelt in Jerusalem: and the Jebusite dwelt with the children of Juda in Jerusalem until this present day.