“All are well.”
“Thanks be to God.” Caleb gave the boy his blessing and sent him away. Then Caleb waited and looked out over the hill country. Othniel would come, and would bring Mesha and the rest of his sons and grandsons with him.
A flurry of excited activity gained Caleb’s attention. Startled, he saw Acsah come out of his house garbed in wedding finery. Covered as she was with veils, he could not see her face. She spoke to a servant and stood in the sunshine waiting. A donkey was brought to her. She turned to him again and bowed her head in deep respect. She remained that way for a long moment and then straightened. Then she mounted the donkey and rode away.
All had misjudged this girl, including him. She didn’t wait for her husband to come to her, but rode out to meet him. She tapped the side of the donkey with a stick so the animal trotted more quickly. He smiled. At least she wasn’t dragging her feet and going out with misgivings and hesitance. No, she went out eagerly to meet the man God had chosen for her.
As the distance widened between them and Acsah became smaller, Caleb felt sorrow mingle with joy. Until this moment when he watched her ride away, he had not realized how much comfort he received from his daughter’s presence.
Never had he felt so alone.
Days passed slowly and then word came that his sons were returning, Othniel at their head and Acsah with them.
“Acsah!” Too weak now to rise from his pallet, Caleb told the servants to take him outside. They lifted him and carried him out and made him comfortable so that he could see the procession coming up to his village. Acsah rode beside her husband, not behind him.
Othniel came to him first and greeted him with the respect due a father. And then, blushing, he asked for a field already producing grain. Taken aback, Caleb thought about it for a moment. It would take time to tame the Negev. Caleb granted his request. Next Caleb’s sons came, kissing him and talking excitedly of the battle. They then dispersed to their families.
Othniel went to Acsah and spoke to her. She smiled and put her hands upon her husband’s shoulders, alighting gracefully from her donkey. She said something to Othniel. He shook his head. She spoke again and came toward Caleb. She was no longer veiled, but her hair was covered. She had become a woman in the past few days, for there was an air about her that was different. She knelt close to Caleb, her hands loosely clasped in her lap.
“Thank you for granting my husband a field, Father.”
Caleb raised his brows. “Did you suggest he ask for it?”
She blushed as her husband had. “We must have grain to sustain ourselves until all the enemies of God are driven from the Negev.”
“Provisions.” He lowered his head and peered at her. “What is it? What can I do for you?”
She took a deep breath. “Give me a further blessing. You have been kind enough to give me land in the Negev; please give me springs as well.”
Caleb smiled. She was shrewd as well as courageous. He’d only thought of the land, not the provisions needed to take it. “The upper and lower springs are yours.”
It was time to celebrate, time to feast and give thanks. He watched his sons dance in the firelight and listened to their songs of praise. His daughter danced with the women, her face alight as she twirled and raised her hands.
Caleb dozed for a while, replete and deeply satisfied. When he awakened, the celebration was still going on, the stars twinkling in the canopy of the night sky. He saw Acsah and Othniel standing in the rim of firelight, off by themselves, talking. Othniel lifted his hand and touched her. It was a gesture of tenderness. When Acsah stepped closer and reached up to her husband, Caleb closed his eyes.
Othniel and Acsah came to him before they headed south. He knew it was the last time he would see his daughter, for he was an old man with death fast approaching. When she knelt before him, he held her face between his hands and looked long into her eyes. “Do not weep so.”
“How can I not weep?” She fell into his arms and buried her face in his shoulder.
“I have lived a long life and been a witness to God’s signs and wonders. Could any man ask for a greater blessing? And now, I hold hope for the future. I hold that hope in you.” His arms tightened around her briefly. “Your husband awaits.” As she drew back, he cupped her face and kissed her cheeks and forehead. “May the Lord bless you with many God-fearing sons.”
She smiled through her tears. “And daughters.”
“May all your children be like you.”
Othniel helped her to her feet and left his hand lightly upon her, a possessive gesture that pleased Caleb. He knew he had gained something precious, something to be protected and cherished. A wise man who saw what he himself had missed for far too long.
Caleb held his hands out as though to embrace them both. “May righteousness go before you, and the glory of the Lord be your rear guard.”
He couldn’t watch them ride away. They were followed by Othniel’s relatives and some of his own grandsons, eager now to wage war and drive God’s enemies from the land.
May they succeed this time, Lord. May they not pause to rest until every last enemy is vanquished!
But Caleb knew men were weak. They were like sheep in desperate need of a shepherd. As long as they had one, they followed. May all their shepherds be upright, honest men of integrity who will hold fast to Your laws and statutes, Lord.
We will rise up in faith and then fall into sin again, won’t we, Lord? Is that our destiny?
The servants came out to lift his pallet. “No. Leave me here a little longer.” He gestured impatiently when they hovered. “Go!” As they turned to obey, he called them back. “Bring me my sword.” Troubled, they hesitated. “My sword!”
A young man ran to do Caleb’s bidding and brought the weapon back. He bent down reverently, presenting the hilt to Caleb.
Caleb held his sword once more. He remembered a time when he would go into battle with this sword, swinging it to the right and left for hours without tiring. Now, he barely had the strength to lift it. Arm trembling, he used all his will not to drop it. “Go now.”
How is it, Lord, that within this aging husk of a body my heart still beats for battle? I remember the day I pounded my plowshare into this sword. I thought a day would come when I would heat it in the fire and place it upon the anvil and make another plowshare. But it was not to be. Even now, I know the battle is far from over.
We cried for a deliverer and You sent us Moses. When Pharaoh refused to let Your people go, You sent plagues upon Egypt. You opened the sea for our escape and closed it over the army of Your enemies. You sheltered us with a cloud by day and protected us as a pillar of fire by night. You fed us manna from heaven and water from a rock. You satisfied my thirsty soul and filled my hungry heart with what is good and lasting.
Caleb dozed in the afternoon sun, his strength seeping, his breath slowing. He saw a temple rise, shining white with gold, glorious. A strong wind came up and blew across the land, and the temple crumbled. People wailed as they were led away in chains. And then another procession back up the mountain and another temple rose, less grand, then walls around it and a man upon the battlements calling out to the workers. “Do not be afraid. Do not grow weary. Finish the work God has given you!” But again, destruction came, again a temple rose, grander still. And light came so bright that Caleb felt pain, such pain, he moaned and clutched at his heart. Oh, God, oh, God, will You have to do that? You are perfect! You are holy! And then the heavens darkened, but brightened again, light spreading slowly across the land like a new dawn.
Once again destruction came.
Caleb’s soul cried out in agony. His heart broke. Oh, Lord, will it ever be so? Oh, Lord, Lord!
The heavens opened and there came One riding a white horse, riding from the swirling clouds, riding swiftly with a sword in His hand, and upon Him emblazoned Faithful and True, the Word of God. Armies came with Him, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, following Him. Caleb heard the blast of th
e shofar. Eager to obey the call to battle, he grasped the hilt of his sword, half rising from his pallet. “Lord! Yes!”
King of kings, Lord of Lords!
A myriad singing. “Holy! Holy! Holy!”
Caleb drew in his breath at the blaze of colors: reds, yellows, blues, purples. Light streaming, water rushing, life pulsing.
Wait, and you will see.
Releasing his breath in a long, slow sigh, Caleb let his sword drop to his side. He closed his eyes. For now, he could rest.
For he knew one day he would awaken and rise again in strength.
Seek and Find
Dear Reader,
We hope you enjoyed this fictional account of the life of Caleb, tribal leader, half-breed, scout, and beloved of God. This powerful story of faith and obedience by Francine Rivers is meant to whet your appetite. Francine’s first and foremost desire is to take you back to God’s Word to decide for yourself the truth about Caleb—his persistence, his promises, and his source of peace.
The following Bible study is designed to guide you through Scripture to seek the truth about Caleb and to find applications for your own life.
Caleb’s walk with God enabled him to trust God even when circumstances screamed “not fair!” His loyalty required obedience at all costs. His trust in God’s promises provided calmness in the midst of turmoil. Caleb’s faith remained steadfast and growing throughout his life. It energized him in old age to aspire to all that God had promised.
May God bless you as you seek Him for the answers to your life’s turmoils and inequities. And may He find you faithful and resolute in your journey with Him.
Peggy Lynch
A Scout’s Report
SEEK GOD’S WORD FOR TRUTH
Read the following passage:
The Lord now said to Moses, “Send men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to Israel. Send one leader from each of the twelve ancestral tribes.” So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He sent out twelve men, all tribal leaders of Israel, from their camp in the wilderness of Paran. These were the tribes and the names of the leaders:
TribeLeader
Reuben Shammua son of Zaccur
Simeon Shaphat son of Hori
Judah Caleb son of Jephunneh
Issachar Igal son of Joseph
Ephraim Hoshea son of Nun
Benjamin Palti son of Raphu
Zebulun Gaddiel son of Sodi
Manasseh son of Joseph Gaddi son of Susi
Dan Ammiel son of Gemalli
Asher Sethur son of Michael
Naphtali Nahbi son of Vophsi
Gad Geuel son of Maki
These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. By this time Moses had changed Hoshea’s name to Joshua.
NUMBERS 13:1-16
The very first mention of Caleb in Scripture is found in this passage. Who was Caleb? What position did he hold?
What would it take to acquire and maintain this position?
Read the following passage:
Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: “Go northward through the Negev into the hill country. See what the land is like and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls or are they unprotected? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Enter the land boldly, and bring back samples of the crops you see.” (It happened to be the season for harvesting the first ripe grapes.)
So they went up and explored the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. Going northward, they passed first through the Negev and arrived at Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai—all descendants of Anak—lived. (The ancient town of Hebron was founded seven years before the Egyptian city of Zoan.) When they came to what is now known as the valley of Eshcol, they cut down a cluster of grapes so large that it took two of them to carry it on a pole between them! They also took samples of the pomegranates and figs. At that time the Israelites renamed the valley Eshcol—“cluster”—because of the cluster of grapes they had cut there.
After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned to Moses, Aaron, and the people of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. This was their report to Moses: “We arrived in the land you sent us to see, and it is indeed a magnificent country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is some of its fruit as proof. But the people living there are powerful, and their cities and towns are fortified and very large. We also saw the descendants of Anak who are living there! The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan Valley.”
But Caleb tried to encourage the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”
But the other men who had explored the land with him answered, “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread discouraging reports about the land among the Israelites: “The land we explored will swallow up any who go to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that’s what we looked like to them!”
NUMBERS 13:17-33
What instructions were given to the twelve men? How much time did they have to complete their mission?
What did the men find? What evidence did they bring back with them?
What was the nature of the scouts’ report? What was their attitude like?
What was Caleb’s report? How was his attitude different?
FIND GOD’S WAYS FOR YOU
Describe a time you followed the crowd. What was the result? What did you learn?
Describe a time you stood alone. What was the outcome? How did you feel?
O Lord, you are my refuge; never let me be disgraced. Rescue me! Save me from my enemies, for you are just. Turn your ear to listen and set me free. Be to me a protecting rock of safety, where I am always welcome.
PSALM 71:1-3
What are some reasons why we need not fear standing alone?
STOP AND PONDER
For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.
PHILIPPIANS 4:13
Wise Counsel
SEEK GOD’S WORD FOR TRUTH
Read the following passage:
Then all the people began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. Their voices rose in a great chorus of complaint against Moses and Aaron. “We wish we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they wailed. “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and little ones will be carried off as slaves! Let’s get out of here and return to Egypt!” Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt!”
Then Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground before the people of Israel. Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. They said to the community of Israel, “The land we explored is a wonderful land! And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey, and he will give it to us! Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites from above the Tabernacle. And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people reject me? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them? I will disown them and destroy them with a plague. Then I will make you into a nation far gr
eater and mightier than they are!”
“But what will the Egyptians think when they hear about it?” Moses pleaded with the Lord. “They know full well the power you displayed in rescuing these people from Egypt. They will tell this to the inhabitants of this land, who are well aware that you are with this people. They know, Lord, that you have appeared in full view of your people in the pillar of cloud that hovers over them. They know that you go before them in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. Now if you slaughter all these people, the nations that have heard of your fame will say, ‘The Lord was not able to bring them into the land he swore to give them, so he killed them in the wilderness.’”
NUMBERS 14:1-16
Describe the camp atmosphere after the scouting reports. What plans did the people propose?
When Moses and Aaron fell facedown on the ground, what words of comfort did Caleb and Joshua offer? What warning did they give?
What specifically demonstrated the faith of Caleb and Joshua?
How did the people respond to the warnings?
Describe God’s response to the people’s behavior.
FIND GOD’S WAYS FOR YOU
Discuss a time when you were a mediator. Why is this event memorable?
What advice did you offer? What was the outcome?
People who despise advice will find themselves in trouble; those who respect it will succeed. The advice of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.
PROVERBS 13:13-14
Apply these verses to Caleb and the Israelites. Apply them to yourself.
STOP AND PONDER
Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm.
PROVERBS 13:20