And Caleb said: This sudden introduction of a new character Caleb at this point in the narrative is somewhat surprising. As in verse 1.1, the narrator seems to assume the hearer-reader is familiar with the contents of the book of Joshua. If the book of Judges is to be published as a portion by itself, information about who Caleb is might be provided in introductory notes or in a footnote.
Caleb is Joshua’s successor and has already proven his bravery. He was one of the spies sent into the Promised Land by Moses. Later, because of his faithfulness to the LORD, he was given the town of Hebron (Num 13–14; verse 14.6-15), a detail that explains in part Caleb’s appearance here, given the mention of this town in verse 1.10. Though the name Caleb means “dog” (usually considered an insult in Hebrew; see verse 1 Sam 17.43), most scholars make no mention of the meaning of his name here.
Because of this new participant, a few versions begin a new paragraph here. However, it is clear from the Hebrew text that the narrator sees a tight connection between this verse and what precedes. In order to give a smooth transition to help the reader identify this new participant, Good News Translation begins with “One of them, called Caleb….” This may be a helpful model in some languages. We may be even more explicit: “One of the men of Judah named Caleb…” or “One of Judah’s leaders, Caleb….”
The Hebrew verb rendered said is very general. Contemporary English Version specifies the addressee: “Caleb told his troops.” His speech is a public declaration, so if there is a kind of formulaic language typical of such a situation, it can be used here. We might say “One of Judah’s men, named Caleb, cried out [or, declared].”
He who attacks Kiriath-sepher and takes it describes the person whom Caleb will reward. In Hebrew this clause begins with the relative pronoun “Who.” Translators might say “Anyone who,” “Whoever,” or “The man who.”
For the Hebrew verbs rendered attacks and takes, see verse 1.8, where they are translated “smote” and “took.” Not every language will need two verbs here. We might say “successfully attacks” or “captures.”
For Kiriath-sepher, see verse 1.11. If a new paragraph begins here, this name can be reintroduced. If not, translators may prefer to say “the town.”
I will give him Achsah my daughter as wife: This reflects the cultural setting of the time of the judges. Daughters were under the jurisdiction of their fathers and though sometimes consulted, they normally had little say in the marriages arranged by their parents (Gen 29.23; verse 1 Sam 18.27; verse 2 Sam 3.13). Translators should use natural expressions in their language reflecting the customs of that day. In many parts of the world, these practices still exist. In old English, people spoke of “asking for the hand of” or “giving the hand of” a daughter in marriage, and even today, people speak of “giving away” their daughter. In languages where the verb give is not appropriate, translators can find other expressions, such as “I will offer him my daughter Achsah to be his wife” or “I will let him marry my daughter Achsah.” As in many languages, the Hebrew word for wife is simply “woman.”
The text does not mention how many daughters Caleb had, or if Achsah had some special qualities. Usually in this kind of story, it is the most beautiful or valiant daughter who is offered as a reward. Achsah my daughter reflects the order in Hebrew, but in many languages it may be more natural to say “my daughter Achsah.”
Many languages will follow the same order as Hebrew, putting the relative clause in initial position. However, some languages will prefer to reverse the clauses, as in Good News Translation: “I will give my daughter Achsah in marriage to the man who succeeds in capturing Kiriath Sepher.”
Possible models for this verse are:
• One of the leaders of Judah, Caleb, announced to his troops: “To the one who captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give my daughter Achsah in marriage.”
• Caleb, one of the men of Judah, cried out, “To the man who captures the City of the Book, I will give Achsah my daughter as a reward.”
Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .