Othniel: A Quiet Hero
A Lion. A Dog. What’s in a name?
During the wilderness wanderings, a set of hopeful parents named their son Othniel, God’s Lion. It was a remarkable declaration of faith from a family who were probably not Israelites. They are thought to be descendants of Jacob’s brother Esau. Edomites. “Foreigners.” But three members of this family are mentioned in the Bible as remarkable examples of faith.
Othniel’s father, Kenaz, was the younger brother of the more well-known Caleb. While Othniel began life with a strong name. His uncle Caleb did not. Caleb means dog. Some commentators believe this was a derogatory nickname given to him in Egypt because he was a despised outsider. Whatever the story of his name, Caleb’s courage in standing up for God is inspirational. His name is now synonymous with courage and faithfulness, remembered for the Caleb and Joshua story where he urged the people to believe any enemies they would face in Canaan, even giants, were nothing to the God who defeated Pharaoh.
The young man Othniel proved to be God’s Lion. As brave as his uncle Caleb, only much less vocal. When the tribes broke camp at Gilgal to go claim their tribal inheritance in Canaan, Caleb, now an old man of 80, asked for territory around Hebron. There he defeated the Anakim giants who frightened the people into rebellion forty plus years earlier. Next he promised to give his daughter Acsah in marriage to any brave young warrior who would take Debir, the last stronghold of the Anakim giants. Othniel took on his uncle’s challenge, conquered the city, and claimed Acsah as his bride. Othniel’s love story is recorded in Scripture, but not a word of his speech. Both Caleb and Acsah speak to him, but Othniel never speaks. He was a man of action on a quiet path to heroic destiny.
About twenty-five years after the conquest of Canaan, Othniel and Acsah were peacefully living in their home near Hebron. Joshua had died and the next generation was already beginning to forget what God had done for them. Some were even worshipping the vile gods of the defeated Canaanites. Then Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram, began to oppress the Israelites in the northern territory. This was no ordinary adversary. Rishathaim means Double Wickedness. Think Hitler plus Stalin. For eight years, the people of the north were trapped in a living nightmare. Finally, they remembered who they were––the covenant people of Yahweh. They cried out to the God of their fathers, and he heard them. The Holy Spirit stirred Othniel to action. First, he led the people back to repentance and commitment to their covenant with Yahweh. Then he led the army into battle and a glorious victory.
Yahweh God chose the descendants of Israel to be his people. They were integral to his plan to save the world, but they were human, constantly messing up. Just being of the chosen ethnicity wasn’t enough. Just claiming to be in a covenant relationship with God wasn’t enough. Othniel, most likely not a full-blooded Israelite, shows what God needs in a hero. A heart loyal to him and a willingness to stand up to the enemies of God when necessary.
Othniel played a significant role in claiming the promised land. He appears in scripture as a hero of faith, but his story doesn’t shout at us from the pages of scripture. You have to look for him. Israel’s first Warrior-Judge was a quiet man and his story is quietly told.
“Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.”
—James Allen
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