Othni is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Othni was a descendant of Jerahmeel, a branch of the tribe of Judah, and he is named in the genealogies recorded in 1 Chronicles. The Jerahmeelites were one of the clans that made up the larger tribe of Judah, and the Chronicler takes care to record their lines as part of the family history of God’s people. Othni appears in this record not because of any deed he performed, but because he belonged to a household that Scripture saw fit to remember.
He is listed in 1 Chronicles 26:7 as one of the sons of Shemaiah, alongside his brothers Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad. The same verse notes that their brethren were “strong men,” and also names Elihu and Semachiah. This Shemaiah and his sons are connected with the gatekeepers—the Levites appointed to guard the thresholds of the house of the LORD. The text describes these men and their relatives as capable and strong for the work.
Apart from this single mention, Scripture says nothing further about Othni. We are told his name, his father, his brothers, and the company of able men to which he belonged. That is the whole of his biblical record. He stands in the genealogy as one link in a long chain of faithfulness, a man whose life is summed up in the simple fact that he was counted among the strong men of a household devoted to the service of God’s house.
The Name
The name Othni is a Hebrew name, and its meaning is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text itself. Some have suggested a connection to a root carrying the sense of “my strength” or “force,” which would fit the context of the “strong men” named in the same verse, but this is a proposal rather than a settled meaning. Because the name appears only once in Scripture and is not explained by the text, it is best to say plainly that its meaning is uncertain. We should not press a definition onto it that the Bible does not give.
A Closing Thought
Othni’s whole legacy is one line in a long list—a name, a father, a few brothers, and a place among strong men who served at the doors of God’s house. Most of us will be remembered in much the same way: not for great exploits, but for belonging to a faithful household and doing the work that was ours to do. There is quiet honor in that. God keeps His own records, and a life spent in His service, however hidden, is never lost to Him.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 26:7 — The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah.