Judges 1:12

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Kalev said: "To whoever overpowers Kiryat-Sefer and captures it I will give my daughter 'Akhsah as his wife."

Berean Standard Bible:

And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.”

American Standard Version:

And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kiriath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Caleb^{H3612} said^{H559}, He that smiteth^{H5221} Kirjathsepher^{H7158}, and taketh^{H3920} it, to him will I give^{H5414} Achsah^{H5915} my daughter^{H1323} to wife^{H802}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:

BibleHub.com BibleRef.com

Commentary for Judges 1:12

Judges 1:12 is a verse set within the broader context of the Israelite conquest and settlement of the Promised Land of Canaan. This particular verse captures a moment in the narrative of Caleb, one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to scout out the land of Canaan (Numbers 13). Caleb, along with Joshua, had given a positive report, trusting in God's promise to deliver the land into their hands despite its formidable inhabitants. As a reward for his faithfulness, Caleb was promised a portion of the land.

In Judges 1:12, Caleb offers his daughter Achsah's hand in marriage to the man who successfully conquers Kirjathsepher, a strategically important city within his allotted territory. This offer highlights several themes:

1. **Faithfulness and Reward**: Caleb's actions reflect his steadfast faith in God's promises, a characteristic that is rewarded not only with land but also with the opportunity to extend his legacy through his daughter's marriage.

2. **Inheritance and Land**: The verse underscores the importance of inheritance in ancient Israel. Land was a tangible expression of God's promise and played a crucial role in the social and economic stability of the Israelite tribes.

3. **Military Conquest**: The challenge set forth by Caleb illustrates the militaristic aspect of the settlement period, where the Israelites had to engage in battles to secure their territories.

4. **Family and Social Dynamics**: The offer of Achsah as a wife to the conqueror also reflects the social customs of the time, where marriages were often used to form alliances and reward valor.

5. **Transition of Leadership**: This event occurs during the period following Joshua's leadership, as the Israelites are transitioning into the era of the judges, a time marked by a lack of central authority and the recurring cycle of apostasy and deliverance among the Israelites.

In summary, Judges 1:12 captures a moment where the personal faithfulness of Caleb intersects with the broader historical narrative of the Israelites' struggle to possess the land promised to them by God. It reflects the themes of divine promise, inheritance, military conquest, and social practices of the time, while also setting the stage for the stories that follow in the book of Judges.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H3612
   There are 35 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כָּלֵב
   Transliteration: Kâlêb
   Pronunciation: kaw-labe'
   Description: perhaps a form of כֶּלֶב, or else from the same root in the sense of forcible; Caleb, the name of three Israelites; Caleb.
   
2. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
   
3. Strong's Number: H5221
   There are 460 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָכָה
   Transliteration: nâkâh
   Pronunciation: naw-kaw'
   Description: a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively); beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound.
   
4. Strong's Number: H7158
   There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: קִרְיַת סַנָּה
   Transliteration: Qiryath Çannâh
   Pronunciation: keer-yath' san-naw'
   Description: or קִרְיַת סֵפֶר; from קִרְיָה and a simpler feminine from the same as סַנְסִן, or (for the latter name) סֵפֶר; city of branches, or of a book; Kirjath-Sannah or Kirjath-Sepher, a place in Palestine; Kirjath-sannah, Kirjath-sepher.
   
5. Strong's Number: H3920
   There are 112 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לָכַד
   Transliteration: lâkad
   Pronunciation: law-kad'
   Description: a primitive root; to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by lot); figuratively, to cohere; [idiom] at all, catch (self), be frozen, be holden, stick together, take.
   
6. Strong's Number: H5414
   There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָתַן
   Transliteration: nâthan
   Pronunciation: naw-than'
   Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
   
7. Strong's Number: H5915
   There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עַכְסָה
   Transliteration: ʻAkçâh
   Pronunciation: ak-saw'
   Description: feminine of עֶכֶס; anklet; Aksah, an Israelitess; Achsah.
   
8. Strong's Number: H1323
   There are 499 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בַּת
   Transliteration: bath
   Pronunciation: bath
   Description: from בָּנָה (as feminine of בֵּן); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively); apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village.
   
9. Strong's Number: H802
   There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אִשָּׁה
   Transliteration: ʼishshâh
   Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
   Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.