Ματθάν
Matthán
G3157 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name: Matthan. Refers to a male individual in genealogical records, specifically identified in the Gospel of Matthew as an ancestor of Jesus. The core meaning is simply a proper name, typically serving to denote an individual by lineage or descent.
Semantic Range
personal name, proper noun (male), used solely as genealogical designation
Root / Etymology
From Hebrew מַתָּן (Mattan), meaning 'gift.' The Greek Ματθάν is a direct transliteration of the Hebrew name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the New Testament, Ματθάν appears only in Matthew 1:15, where it serves as a genealogical link in the ancestry of Jesus. The original Hebrew name מַתָּן (Mattan) is attested in biblical and later Jewish sources as a personal name, meaning 'gift,' particularly with the sense 'gift [of God],' though this fuller sense requires contextual clarification. As with many genealogical entries, the use in the Gospel serves to connect Jesus' lineage to traditional Israelite ancestry. Early Greek translations such as the Septuagint may use Ματθάν or variant forms for different Hebrew names with similar consonants. Standard English translations typically render Ματθάν as 'Matthan' or 'Mattan,' yet the name itself does not convey additional semantic nuance beyond personal designation. The presence of such names in genealogies reflects conventions of transliterating Hebrew personal names into Greek, and does not indicate any expansion of meaning beyond ancestry and identification.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (מַתָּן); Matthan (i.e. Mattan), an Israelite:--Matthan.
Root Family
Ματθάν (Matthan) — gift, personal name (male)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3157-01 |
Μαθθάν | maththan | N ACC M SG |
Matthan | Matthan | Matthan | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3157-01 |
Matthew 1:15 | Μαθθάν | maththan | N ACC M SG |
Matthan | Matthan | Matthan |
G3157-01 |
Matthew 1:15 | Μαθθὰν | maththan-2 | N NOM M SG |
Matthan | Matthan | Matthan |