אֹצֶם
Otsem, the name of two Israelites
Definition
Otsem (אֹצֶם) is a proper noun referring to two different individuals in the Old Testament. The name is likely derived from a root meaning 'strength' or 'strong one,' suggesting a characteristic of the person or a parental hope for their child. The first Otsem is listed as the sixth son of Jesse, making him a brother of King David (1 Chronicles 2:15). The second Otsem is identified as a son of Jerahmeel, from the tribe of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:25). In both contexts, the name serves to identify a specific person within a genealogical record.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively in the genealogical lists found in 1 Chronicles chapter 2. It appears only twice, functioning solely as a personal name to identify male descendants within the tribe of Judah. There are no narrative stories or other contexts associated with the name; its usage is purely for lineage documentation (1 Chronicles 2:15, 1 Chronicles 2:25).
Etymology
The name Otsem comes from an unused Hebrew root, likely עָצַם (ʻâtsam, H6105), which means 'to be strong, powerful, or vast.' It is related to the common noun עֹצֶם (ʻôtsem, H6109) meaning 'might' or 'power.' As a personal name, it is a substantivized form, meaning 'strength' or 'strong one,' a typical pattern for Hebrew names that express an attribute or a hope.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive. A name like Otsem ('strength') may have reflected the parents' hopes for their child's character or physical prowess, or it may have commemorated an event surrounding the birth. Its use in Chronicles highlights the importance of detailed genealogical records for establishing tribal lineage, inheritance rights, and, for the line of Jesse, the royal lineage of David and the Messiah.
עָז (ʻâz, H5797) — strength, often implying boldness or fierceness. עֹז (ʻôz, H5797) — strength, power, might, a more general term. גְּבוּרָה (gᵉbûwrâh, H1369) — strength, valor, often in the context of heroic might.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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