in sacred history, the son of Kenaz, of the tribe of Judah. We are told (Joth. xv. 17.), that Othniel was brother to Caleb; and (Judges i. 13.) it is expressly said, that he was Caleb's younger brother. There are, however, some difficulties in this: for if Caleb and Othniel had been brothers, the latter could not have married his niece Achsah the daughter of Caleb. Secondly, the scripture never affirms to Caleb and Othniel the same father: it always names Kenaz as father to Othniel, and Jephunneh as the father of Caleb. Lastly, Caleb must be much older than Othniel, since he he gave Othniel his daughter Achsah in marriage. Thus it seems much better to suppose Kenaz and Jephunneh to be two brothers, and that Othniel and Caleb were cousin-germans, and in this sense to be nearly related, or brothers, according to the language of scripture. Thus Achsah being but second cousin in respect of Othniel, he might marry her without doing any thing contrary to the letter of the law.

Caleb having received his portion in the mountains of Judah, in the midst of a country that was possessed by giants of the race of Anak, after he had taken the city of Hebron, he advances towards Debir, otherwise called Kirjath-jepher, and declares that he would give his daughter Achsah in marriage to him that should take Kirjath-jepher. Othniel took it, and had Achsah to wife.

After the death of Joshua, the Israelites not giving themselves the trouble to exterminate the Canaanites that were then in the land, and not having continued in their fidelity to the Lord, he delivered them over to Chushan-ruthahim king of Mefopotamia (Judges iii. 4, &c.) to whom they continued in subjection for eight years. Then they cried to the Lord, who raised them up a deliverer in the person of Othniel the son of Kenaz, who was filled with the spirit of God, and judged Israel. He came into the field, and gave battle to Chushan-ruthahim, beat him, and delivered Israel, in the year of the world 2599 ; and the country was at rest for 40 years. After this Othniel died; but the precise year of his death is not known.