Home › Glossary › Letter A

Achsa

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Daughter of Caleb, who boldly requested and received additional land and water rights in Judah.

Detailed Definition
Achsa’s assertiveness in securing resources (Joshua 15:18–19) highlights rare female agency in biblical narrative. In poetry, she symbolizes courage, negotiation, and the claiming of one’s inheritance, often invoked to explore themes of empowerment, land, and the intersection of gender and blessing.
Example
Example in poetry:
Achsa—daughter of Caleb who asked for water-rich land—inspires eco-feminist verse: “Give me springs, Achsa demanded, and the desert bloomed with her courage”; A poem on inheritance declares, “Not gold, but wells—like Achsa, I claim what sustains”; In a sonnet on agency, “Achsa spoke, and the map of Judah shifted with her voice”; Contemporary poetry might say, “When they offered me dust, I asked like Achsa: where are the upper and lower springs?”
Additional Notes
Achsa, daughter of Caleb (Joshua 15:16–19; Judges 1:12–15), is notable for her assertiveness in requesting additional land and water sources after her marriage to Othniel. Her bold negotiation reflects rare female agency in biblical narrative and has inspired feminist readings and poetic reinterpretations. Achsa’s story illustrates how biblical women could influence inheritance and resource allocation, offering a counterpoint to passive female archetypes and a model for poems about voice, land, and kinship.
Also Known As
Achsah
Skip to main content