(6) The Judahites approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: “You know what instructions GOD gave at Kadesh-barnea to Moses, the agent of God, concerning you and me. (7) I was forty years old when Moses the servant of GOD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I gave him a forthright report. (8) While my companions who went up with me took the heart out of the people, I was loyal to my ETERNAL God. (9) On that day, Moses promised on oath, ‘The land on which your foot trod shall be a portion for you and your descendants forever, because you were loyal to my ETERNAL God.’

(13) So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and assigned Hebron to him as his portion. (14) Thus Hebron became the portion of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, as it still is, because he was loyal to the ETERNAL, the God of Israel.—

“And they went up into the south, and he came to Hebron” (Numbers 13:22). Why is the phrase “and he came” written in the singular form? The verse should have said: And they came. Rava says: This teaches that Caleb separated himself from the counsel of the other spies and went and prostrated himself on the graves of the forefathers in Hebron. He said to them: My forefathers, pray for mercy for me so that I will be saved from the counsel of the spies.

(14) Caleb dislodged from there the three Anakites: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak. (15) From there he marched against the inhabitants of Debir—the name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher— (16) and Caleb announced, “I will give my daughter Achsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher.” (17) His kinsman and“brother.” Othniel the Kenizzite Cf. 14.6, 14. captured it; and Caleb gave him his daughter Achsah in marriage. (

§ It is taught in a baraita: One thousand and seven hundred a fortiori inferences, and verbal analogies, and minutiae of the scribes were forgotten during the days of mourning for Moses. Rabbi Abbahu says: Even so, Othniel, son of Kenaz, restored them through his sharp mind [pilpulo], as it is stated: “And Caleb said: To he who smites Kiriath Sefer, and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as a wife. And Othniel, son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as a wife” (Joshua 15:16–17).The name “Kiriath Sefer,” which literally means the village of the book, is homiletically interpreted as a reference to those parts of the Torah that were forgotten, while the phrase “took it” is referring to Othniel’s acumen and learning.

(18) When she came [to him], she induced . to ask her father for some property. She dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb asked her, “What is the matter?” (19) She replied, “Give me a present; for you have given me away as Negeb-land;gNegeb-land I.e., as a dry land, that is, without a dowry. so give me springs of water.” And he gave her Upper and Lower Gulloth.hGulloth I.e., “springs.”

The Gemara relates another incident involving Achsah. The verse states: “And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she persuaded him to ask of her father a field; and she alighted from off her donkey; and Caleb said to her: What do you want?” (Joshua 15:18). The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of: “And she alighted [vatitznaḥ],” which can also be understood as crying out? Rava says that Rabbi Yitzḥak says: Achsah said to Caleb: Just as in the case of this donkey, when it has no food in its trough it immediately cries out, so too in the case of a woman, when she has no produce in her house she immediately cries out.