עׇתְנִי

𐤏𐤕𐤍𐤉

Teni

H6273 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

ʻOthnîy is a proper masculine personal name used in the Hebrew Bible, deriving from a rare or possibly archaic root, and occurring as a personal name. The word denotes a specific individual—Othni, a Levite—and does not carry a generic meaning outside of this context. The semantic range is thus limited to its function as a personal name.

Semantic Range

personal name (Othni, a Levite); possibly, if the root meaning is accepted, 'forceful' or 'strong,' but not attested as an adjective or noun outside the personal name

Root / Etymology

The name appears to derive from a root ע-ת-נ (possibly 'to force', 'to be strong'), but the root is not otherwise attested in Biblical Hebrew; thus, etymology is uncertain. The form עׇתְנִי appears to be constructed as a proper noun based on this root, though its formation is unique in the biblical record.

Historical & Contextual Notes

עׇתְנִי (ʻOthnîy) occurs only in 1 Chronicles 26:7 as the name of a Levite. The name's etymology is uncertain, but may be related to ideas of strength or force if the hypothesized root ע-ת-נ is correct, although this root is not otherwise used in the Hebrew Bible. The name is not equivalent to עָתְנִיאֵל (Othniel), a more common biblical name meaning 'God is my strength.' The form and meaning of עׇתְנִי are more obscure, and its use as a personal name suggests it may reflect a family or clan designation within the Levite community, or possibly an archaic naming tradition. English translations simply transliterate the name, as its meaning is not clear in the biblical context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root meaning to force; forcible; Othni, an Israelite; Othni.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

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Root Family

עתנ (ʿ-t-n) — strength, force, acting forcefully (hypothetical)

Root עְתנ to be strong, to force, to act forcefully (hypothetical, not attested in regular verb forms)
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6274 עׇתְנִיאֵל God-is-Strength

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6273-01 עָ֠תְנִי ateni HNp Othni Othni Teni 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6273-01 1 Chronicles 26:7 עָ֠תְנִי ateni HNp Othni Othni Teni