BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY

Othniel

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6274

עׇתְנִיאֵל

ot.ni.el — Othniel

A Judge living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jos.15.17; son of: Kenaz (H7073I); brother of: Seraiah (H8304J); married to Achsah (H5915); father of: Hathath (H2867) and Meonothai (H4587)(?) § Othniel = "lion of God" son of Kenaz, younger brother of Caleb, and husband of Achsah the daughter of Caleb and his own niece; first judge of Israel, who after the death of Joshua, delivered the Israelites from the oppression of Chushanrishathaim

6 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H8304

שְׂרָיָהוּ

se.ra.yah — Seraiah

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.8.17; father of: Elihoreph (H0456) and Ahijah (H0281); also called Shavsha at 1Ch.18.16; Sheva(Ketiv: Sheya) at 2Sa.20.25; Shisha at 1Ki.4.3; § Seraiah = "Jehovah is ruler" 1) the scribe or secretary of David 2) son of Azariah, father of Jehozadak, and the chief priest in the reign of king Zedekiah of Judah and at the time of the capture of Jerusalem 3) son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite and one of the men who went to Gedaliah, the governor over Judah appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, and gave their oath to serve the king of Babylon 4) a Judaite, son of Kenaz, brother of Othniel, and father of Joab 5) a Simeonite, father of Josibiah and grandfather of Jehu 6) a people of the province who returned from exile with Zerubbabel 6a) maybe the same as 10 7) son of Azariah and father of Ezra the priest and scribe 8) a priest who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah 9) a priest, son of Hilkiah in the time of Nehemiah 10) a priest or Levite who returned from exile with Zerubbabel 10a) probably a priest and the head of a family of priests after the exile. Maybe same as 6 11) son of Meraiah and messenger sent by the prophet Jeremiah to Babylon with a book of his writings 12) son of Azriel and one of the 3 men commanded by king Jehoiakim of Judah to seize Jeremiah and Baruch

18 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7073

קְנַז

qe.naz — Kenaz

A man of the Edomites living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.36.11; son of: Eliphaz (H0464); brother of: Teman (H8487), Omar (H0201), Zepho (H6825), Gatam (H1609), Amalek (H6002H) and Korah (H7141H) § Kenaz = "hunter" 1) son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau; one of the dukes of Edom 2) a brother of Caleb and father of Othniel

11 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5915

עַכְסָה

akh.sah — Achsah

A woman living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jos.15.16; daughter of: Caleb (H3612); sister of: Iru (H5900), Elah (H0425J) and Naam (H5277); married to Othniel (H6274) § Achsah = "ankle chain" or "anklet" the daughter of Caleb and wife of Caleb's brother Othniel to whom she was given as a reward for capturing Debir

5 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3573

כּוּשַׁן רִשְׁעָתַ֫יִם

ku.shan rish.a.ta.yim — Cushan-rishathaim

A man living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.3.8 § Chushan-rishathaim = "twice-wicked Cushan" a king of Mesopotamia defeated by the judge Othniel the son-in-law of Caleb

2 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4587

מְעוֹנֹתַי

me.o.no.tay — Meonothai

A man of the tribe of Judah living before Israel's Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.14; son of: Othniel (H6274)(?) whose wife was Achsah (H5915); brother of: Hathath (H2867)(?); father of: Ophrah (H6084I) § Meonothai = "my habitations" a son of Othniel, the younger brother of Caleb

2 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2798

חֲרָשִׁים

cha.ra.shim — (Ge)-harashim

Charashim or Harashim = "valley of craftsmen" a valley near Lydda, a few miles east of Joppa, founded by Joab of Othniel's family Combined with gay (גַּיְא "Ge" H1516K)

1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2867

חֲתַת

cha.tat — Hathath

A man of the tribe of Judah living before Israel's Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.13; son of: Othniel (H6274) whose wife was Achsah (H5915); brother of: Meonothai (H4587)(?) § Hathath = "fearful" son of Othniel and grandson of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb

1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →

Historical dictionary entry

Lion of God, the first of the judges. His wife Achsah was the daughter of Caleb (Josh. 15:16, 17; Judg. 1:13). He gained her hand as a reward for his bravery in leading a successful expedition against Debir (q.v.). Some thirty years after the death of Joshua, the Israelites fell under the subjection of Chushan-rishathaim (q.v.), the king of Mesopotamia. He oppressed them for full eight years, when they “cried” unto Jehovah, and Othniel was raised up to be their deliverer. He was the younger brother of Caleb (Judg. 3:8, 9-11). He is the only judge mentioned connected with the tribe of Judah. Under him the land had rest forty years.

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Othniel in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →