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Do Me a Special Favor:
The Love Between a Father and Daughter.
By Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro
“...When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, 'What can I do for you?' She replied, 'Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.' So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs,” Judges 1:14-15.
Aksah was Caleb’s only daughter. The meaning of names were and continue to be very important. Caleb named her Aksah, which means "jewel." In his eyes, she was “Daddy’s Jewel,” a rare treasure, worth everything. Every time he called her, he was reminded that she was his jewel.
However, the custom for inheritance was different for daughters. Girls didn’t receive inheritances, but Caleb gave her an inheritance anyway. To the Jewel of his heart. She received a piece of the land because Caleb promised “to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher” he would give his daughter in marriage and a piece of the land as a dowry.
Actually, this was brilliant on his part. He was going to find a man of valor who was respectable, honorable, and trustworthy: a real man that could take care of his daughter, someone like his own character. Caleb took the biggest mountain in the promised land. He was a man who believed God for the impossible. A man of great faith. A man who knew God. A man who took care of her and her mother. He made sure the man had to work to receive his only daughter. He wasn’t just going to hand his daughter to just anyone. At the same time, he was guaranteeing her an inheritance. This is a great dad. The blessed man who won his daughter’s hand in marriage was Othniel. Caleb kept his promise by securing a great husband for his daughter and an inheritance to boot.
Aksah was her father’s daughter, equally fearless and honorable. She decided to go to her dad. Let me explain. To understand the great significance of this story, we need to understand the custom of those days. Daughters were gifted jewelry and/or money, never land. It just wasn’t done. However, she received land.
Of course, the land was received by the courageous act of her husband as I explained above. So in reality, it wasn’t a gift to her per se by how it was done. I have no proof, but I can’t help but wonder, did Caleb set it up so that the man who married his daughter would be able to take care of his treasured jewel? I believe the answer is a yes. Her husband lived up to the expectations and became a judge. He was considered a godly man. He was honorable in his own way. Aksah is my kind of woman. If I lived in that timeframe, she would be my friend. She did something that was unusual and bold. She went to her dad to ask him for more land, not because she was greedy, rather because she needed springs. This time, her husband didn’t have to go get it, fight over it, or be put in any kind of danger. This was something she did on her own. She took the donkey, got on it, and went to ask her dad.
When she got to her dad, she got off the donkey, approaching him with her request. She tells him about the land he already gave her husband, then she respectfully asked for a special favor.
You see, she was respectful, grateful, and wise. She knew desert land was nothing to brag about, but she still was gracious about it. It was difficult to grow anything there. By asking her dad for a special favor, she knew exactly what she was doing and like I said, my kind of a woman. She was confident, self-assured, and intelligent. She knew that for her husband to be successful, they needed water. Any land with water is always more valuable. Then they could grow things. It wasn’t just wasteland.
Caleb, interestingly, cuts to the chase and asks, “What can I do for you?” Right here you can see the love between a father and his daughter. I understand that. When I was young, I would sit at the front stairs, waiting for my dad to come home. He would see me sitting there as he was driving down the street. My dad knew what I wanted: money to buy clothes. When he got out of his truck and made his way up the walkway to the house, he found me sitting on the steps, with that look on my face. “How much do you need?” He would ask. My reply was always "I need a new outfit." He would pull out his wallet and give me several $100 bills.
Aksah didn’t waste time. She reminded him of the land he had given her, but she needed springs of water. Obviously, to be successful she needed irrigation. Caleb not only granted her request, but he doubles what she asked for. He gives her the upper and lower springs. Go, Aksah, go! My dad always bought me more than just the clothes. I never shopped in places that were cheap. My dad knew I had an appointment at the clothing store. He knew those ladies would not only sell me a dress but also always the shoes, and a purse. So, like Caleb, my dad always gave me more money to complete the whole outfit.
I believe that Aksah watched her dad. I believe that she saw how he boldly asked Joshua for the mountain. I believe she learned boldness, courage, confidence, and strategic planning from her dad. She asked in the same way that her dad had asked of Joshua. Let me be clear, what we do, how we act, and what we say is being observed by our children. Whether you realize it or not, our children are watching, and they behave in the same way. Be alert, and teach for success in their lives. Be strong in raising men and women that will succeed in the calling that they have. Have good character and integrity, modeling and showcasing faith, trust, love, and hope in a God that will do more than they can imagine or think.
This story has taught me much personally. An important one is how to approach our Heavenly Father. He desires to bless us, honor us, and grant us the desires of our hearts. We can go before Him with holy boldness, confidence, and expectancy that what we ask for, according to His will, shall be granted.
Today, be bold! Be confident! Be wise! Be strong! Bring to Him your request, believe He will do more than what you can imagine. God is not like man. For those of us who have, or in my case had, a great dad, this concept is easy to understand. Many dads love their children. I was one of them. These dads give more than what we ask. Imagine a God who can give what no dad is able to give. Come before Him with a heart of thanksgiving and praise for what He has already done. Make your request known to Him, being grateful for what He has already provided. Then watch the pouring of blessings that He showers on YOU, His precious Jewel.
Praise & Worship: More Precious Than Silver with Lyrics - YouTube
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