Original Word: עָתְנִיאֵל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: `Othniy'el
Pronunciation: awth-nee-ale'
Phonetic Spelling: (oth-nee-ale')
KJV: Othniel
NASB: Othniel
Word Origin: [from the same as H6273 (עָתנִי - Othni) and H410 (אֵל - God)]

1. force of God
2. Othniel, an Israelite

Othniel

From the same as Otnniy and 'el; force of God; Othniel, an Israelite -- Othniel.

see HEBREW Otnniy

see HEBREW 'el

Word Origin
from atham
Definition
a hero in Isr.
NASB Translation
Othniel (7).

עָתְנִיאֵל proper name, masculine son of Kenaz, a hero in Israel, Γοθονιηλ, Joshua 15:17; Judges 1:13; Judges 3:9,11; 1 Chronicles 4:13 (twice in verse); name of family 1 Chronicles 27:15.

Family and Tribal Context

Othniel is introduced as “the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb” (Joshua 15:17). He therefore belongs to the clan of the Kenizzites, a family incorporated into the tribe of Judah. His close relationship to Caleb, the faithful spy, places him within a lineage noted for wholehearted devotion to the LORD.

Conquest of Debir and Marriage Alliance

During Judah’s southern campaign, Caleb issued the challenge, “Whoever attacks Kiriath Sepher and captures it, I will give him my daughter Achsah in marriage” (Joshua 15:16-17). Othniel accepted the task, took the city, and received Achsah as his wife. The episode portrays him as a courageous warrior and establishes a dynastic link between Caleb’s line and Othniel’s descendants. Achsah’s subsequent request for additional springs (Joshua 15:18-19) hints at the couple’s partnership in securing inheritance and provision within the Promised Land.

The First Judge Raised Up by the LORD

After Joshua’s generation passed, “the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD” (Judges 3:7). They fell under the oppression of Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram-Naharaim, for eight years. “Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and He raised up a deliverer for the Israelites, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother” (Judges 3:9). Endowed with the Spirit—“The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel” (Judges 3:10)—Othniel defeated the Mesopotamian foe and ushered in forty years of peace (Judges 3:11). His judgeship sets the theological pattern repeated throughout Judges: sin, oppression, supplication, divine deliverance, and rest.

Spiritual Significance

1. Spirit-empowered Leadership: Othniel is the first person after Joshua explicitly said to receive the Spirit for national leadership, foreshadowing later judges, kings, and ultimately the Messiah (Isaiah 11:2).
2. Faithfulness in a Transitional Generation: He bridges the era of conquest and the unsteady period of the Judges, showing that covenant loyalty was still possible when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).
3. Prototype Deliverer: His decisive, unqualified victory contrasts with later judges who exhibit moral or doctrinal compromise. The narrative thus underlines the sufficiency of obedience and divine empowerment without reliance on clever stratagems or large armies.

Genealogical Legacy

1 Chronicles 4:13 records, “The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah; the sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai.” This verse preserves his line within Judah’s post-exilic genealogies, affirming that his family retained significance centuries later.

Military Influence in the Monarchy

During David’s reign a descendant of Othniel appears among the commanders of the army’s monthly divisions: “The twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel’s family; and in his division were twenty-four thousand men” (1 Chronicles 27:15). The inclusion of Othniel’s house in this elite structure demonstrates the enduring martial reputation of his lineage.

Theological and Practical Lessons

• God preserves faithful leadership within every generation, even in widespread apostasy.
• Spirit-filled courage and covenant obedience bring deliverance and rest to God’s people.
• Early faithfulness (the capture of Debir) often becomes the training ground for larger kingdom service (the deliverance of Israel).
• Familial influence matters: Caleb’s zeal appears to have shaped Othniel, whose own faith then shaped future generations, illustrating Deuteronomy 6:6-7 in action.

Summary

Othniel emerges in Scripture as a valiant warrior, devoted family man, Spirit-empowered judge, and progenitor of a distinguished clan within Judah. His brief but decisive ministry demonstrates that, when the covenant community turns back to the LORD, He is both willing and able to raise up deliverers who restore peace and order among His people.

לְעָתְנִיאֵ֑ל לעתניאל עָתְנִיאֵ֖ל עָתְנִיאֵ֣ל עָתְנִיאֵ֥ל עתניאל ‘ā·ṯə·nî·’êl ‘āṯənî’êl ateniEl lə‘āṯənî’êl lə·‘ā·ṯə·nî·’êl leateniElInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts