Joshua 15:16 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Caleb said Made proclamation throughout the army which he led against Debir. Achsah my daughter to wife Which is to be understood with some conditions, as, if he were one who could marry her according to God's law; and if she were willing; for though parents had a great power over their children, they could not force them to marry any person against their own wills. He might otherwise be an unfit and unworthy person; but this was a divine impulse, that Othniel's valour might be more manifest, and so the way prepared for his future government of the people, Judges 3:9.