Greek word · G3157

Ματθάν

matthan

Matthan

A personal name from Hebrew mattān, "gift." Related forms include Mattaniah, Mattithiah and Mattathias, "gift of YHWH." In the Old Testament, a Mattan appears as a Baal priest (2 Kings 11:18) and as the father of Shephatiah (Jeremiah 38:1).

Appears 2 times in 1 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

Μαθθάν (Rec. Ματθ-, see: Μαθθαῖος), ὁ indecl. (Heb. מַתָּן),

Matthan: Matthew 1:15.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 1:15

Range of meaning

A personal name from Hebrew mattān, "gift." Related forms include Mattaniah, Mattithiah and Mattathias, "gift of YHWH." In the Old Testament, a Mattan appears as a Baal priest (2 Kings 11:18) and as the father of Shephatiah (Jeremiah 38:1).

Against the English

Every English version transliterates it as "Matthan." No translation question arises.

Used elsewhere in the period

Names built on the "gift" root were extremely common in the Second Temple period (roughly 515 BC to AD 70). The Hasmonean family descended from Mattathias, and the name appears often on ossuaries (bone boxes) and in Josephus. In Luke's genealogy, Joseph's grandfather is called Matthat (Ματθάτ, G3158, Luke 3:24), a name that looks very similar.

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 2

  1. Matthew 1:15 Ματθάν· Ματθὰν Matthan;, Matthan

    Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob,

    Here: From Hebrew mattān, "gift." It is related to names like Mattaniah and Mattathias ("gift of the LORD"). Here he is Joseph's grandfather.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.