Othniel

Son of Kenaz. (Josh. xv. 17.) From Leth, time - - and El, God.

Oth´niel (lion of God), first judge of Israel, son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb, whose daughter Achsah he obtained in marriage by his daring valor at the siege of Debir (Jos 15:17; Jdg 1:13; 1Ch 4:13). Rendered famous among his countrymen by this exploit, and connected by a twofold tie with one of the only two Israelites of the former generation who had not died in the desert, we are prepared for the fact that on him devolved the mission to deliver Israel from the Mesopotamian oppression under which, in punishment for their sins, they fell after the death of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him (Jdg 3:9). This victory secured to Israel a peace of forty years.

Son of Kenaz, and first judge of the Israelites, delivering them from the tyranny of the king of Mesopotamia, and ruling them in peace forty years. His wife Achsa, daughter of his uncle Caleb, was the reward of his valor in taking the city of Debir, Jos 15:17 ; Jdg 1:13 ; 3:9-10.\par

Oth’ni-el. (lion of God). Son of Kenaz, and younger brother of Caleb. Jos 15:17; Jdg 1:13; Jdg 3:9; 1Ch 4:13. (B.C. 1460). The first mention of Othniel is on occasion of the taking of Kirjath-sepher, or Debir, as it was afterward called.

Caleb promised to give his, Achsah, to whosoever should assault and take the city. Othniel won the prize. The next mention of him is in Jdg 3:9, where he appears as the first judge of Israel, after the death of Joshua, and the deliverer of his countrymen, from the oppression of Chushanrishathaim. Jdg 3:8-9.

("lion of God".) 1Ch 4:13. Son of Kenaz. (See KENAZ, on his relation to Caleb or "the Kenizzite".) Caleb’s younger brother (Jos 15:17; Jdg 1:13; Jdg 3:9). First of the judges. Took Kirjath Sepher (Debir), in the mountainous region of Hebron in Judah (Jos 14:12-14), and received Achsah, his wife, as the prize. (See ACHSAH.) Van de Velde believes "the upper and nether springs" which she received was a spring rising on a hill N. of wady Dilbeh (two hours S.W. of Hebron), and brought down by an aqueduct to the foot of the hill. (But see DEBIR.) Othniel delivered Israel from Chushan Rishathaim, and gave "the land rest 40 years." (See CHUSHAN RISHATHAIM.) He had a son, Hathath (1Ch 4:13-14), and "Meonithai". (See MEONOTHAI.)

In Jdg 3:11 it is not asserted that Othniel lived to the end of the 40 years, which would make his life unduly long as the brother of Caleb; but simply, he died after restoring rest to the land. It was in answer to Israel’s cry that Jehovah raised up Othniel as their "saviour" (Psa 107:13-19; Psa 50:15). "The Spirit of Jehovah" came upon his human spirit, enabling him to accomplish what his natural strength could not. "He judged Israel (not merely settling their internal disputes in justice as civil judge, but restoring their right in relation to their foreign oppressor, for it is added), and went out to war." "Judging" means lastly restoring Israel to its right attitude toward Jehovah, putting down idolatry (Jdg 2:18-19; Jdg 6:25-32). All this needed the sevenfold "spirit of wisdom and understanding," etc. Isa 11:2-3.)

Othniel (ŏth’ni-el), lion of God. The successor of Joshua. He was the son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb, of the tribe of Judah; and for his valor in seizing the city of Debir, he was rewarded by the gift of Achsah, the daughter of Caleb, in marriage. He delivered the Hebrews from the bondage in which they had been held for eight years by the Mesopotamians, and during the 40 years of his administration the Hebrews remained faithful to Jehovah. Jos 15:16-19; Jdg 1:11-15; Jdg 3:8-11; 1Ch 4:13.

[Oth’niel]

Son of Kenaz, brother or nephew of Caleb. He took Kirjathsepher, and married Achsah, Caleb’s daughter. He afterwards became one of the judges, and prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. Under him the land had rest forty years. Jos 15:17; Jdg 1:13; Jdg 3:9; Jdg 3:11; 1Ch 4:13. An Othniel is mentioned in 1Ch 27:15, which may be the same or a descendant.

By: Emil G. Hirsch, Ira Maurice Price

One of the sons of Kenaz, according to the chronicler (I Chron. iv. 13); hence one of the Kenizzites. After Caleb had been assigned his possession (Josh. XV. 13 et seq.), he drove out the giants and otherwise secured it for himself, except the town of Kirjath-sepher, as a prize for whose capture he offered his daughter Achsah. "Othniel the son of Kenez, the brother of Caleb, took it, and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife" (ib. xv. 16, 17). Othniel's heroism, however, achieved the greatest results for his people when he delivered them from foreign oppression. The tribes had no sooner settled in the land than a conqueror from the country of Mesopotamia, Cushan-rishathaim, probably an Aramean, swept down over Syrian territory and subjected Israel. For eight years they were compelled to pay the price of submission and oppression. When they cried for mercy Yhwh raised up a savior, "even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother" (Judges iii. 9). By the spirit of Yhwh that came upon him he routed the king from Mesopotamia and saved Israel from its oppressor. "And the land had rest forty years." The question of marriage involved in this narrative is not troublesome. The marrying of near kin was allowable in that day, as is seen in the cases of Abraham (Gen. XX. 2, 5, 12), of Isaac and Rebekah, of Jacob and Rachel and Leah, and often in later times. Othniel's real relation to Caleb is plain if the narrative is allowed to tell its own story.

OTHNIEL (meaning unknown).—According to Jdg 1:13 the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. As a reward for taking Kiriath-sepher, he receives Achsah, the daughter of Caleb, for his wife. Othniel is the first mentioned among the ‘Judges’ of Israel; Cushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, had oppressed the Israelites for eight years, when Jahweh ‘raised up a saviour’ in the person of Othniel, who fought against the oppressor and overcame him, thus bringing rest to the land.

W. O. E. Oesterley.

oth´ni-el (עתניאל, ‛othnı̄’ēl): A hero in Israel, son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. He conquered Kiriath-sepher, later known as Debir, in the territory of Judah in the days of Joshua, and was given the daughter of Caleb, Achsah, to wife as a reward (Jos 15:17, parallel found in Jdg 1:13). He later smote Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, whom the children of Israel had served 8 years, and thus not only saved the Israelites, but by reviving national sentiment among them (compare Ant., V, iv, 3), and reestablishing government, became the first of those hero-rulers known as “judges.” The effects of his victory lasted an entire generation (40 years, Jdg 3:9-11). He had a son named Hathath (1Ch 4:13) and probably another named Meonothai (compare recensio Luciana of Septuagint, at the place). In the days of David we find a family bearing the name of Othniel, from which came Heldai the Metophathite, captain of the twelfth month (1Ch 27:15).