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חָתָן

𐤇𐤕𐤍

châthân

H2860 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חתן to become related by marriage, to enter into marriage alliance

Definition

A man who enters into a marriage relationship, specifically a bridegroom or more generally a son-in-law. The term is used both for a man at the time of marriage (bridegroom) and for the long-term familial relationship established by marriage (son-in-law). In some contexts, the word extends to refer to any male relative acquired by marriage, especially in patrilocal societies where marriage alters kinship ties. It can also carry metaphorical nuances denoting the act of becoming allied by marriage.

Semantic Range

bridegroom (man at the time of marriage), son-in-law, male relative by marriage, becoming related by marriage (allied), newlywed man

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root ח־ת־ן (חתן), which conveys the sense 'to become related by marriage' or 'to contract an alliance by marriage.' The relationship is formed by legal or social process, not blood. The exact further origin is uncertain, but it is attested as a Northwest Semitic root connected to wedding and marriage alliances.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָתָן appears in the Hebrew Bible as both 'bridegroom' (e.g., during the wedding celebration) and 'son-in-law' (e.g., Moses as the 'חָתָן' of Jethro). Its use is distinct from other kinship terms, marking relationship through marriage rather than birth. The term reflects ancient Israelite kinship structures, in which marriage was a significant means of forming alliances between families or groups. In cases like Exodus 4, it can appear in contexts with ritual or covenantal overtones. Later translation traditions (such as Greek or English) sometimes obscure the range of the term, favoring 'son-in-law' or 'bridegroom' exclusively, but in biblical usage both are valid depending on context. No distinctly religious meaning (such as 'circumcised child') is present in the core Hebrew; such interpretations likely reflect later theological readings or attempts to explain obscure ritual passages. The word should not be confused with terms for 'husband' that denote legal authority or household head (e.g. אִישׁ, בַּעַל). The form is used across all major biblical periods with little change in basic sense.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָתַן; a relative by marriage (especially through the bride); figuratively, a circumcised child (as a species of religious espousal); bridegroom, husband, son in law.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חתן (ḥ-t-n) — to enter into marriage alliance, to become related by marriage

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2859 חָתַן his marriage-alliance-forming woman
H2861 חֲתֻנָּה his wedding celebration

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2860-01 חָתָן֙ chatan HNcmsa son-in-law marriage-allied man 14
H2860-02 חֲתָנָ֣י/ו chatanayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his sons-in-law his sons-in-law 2
H2860-04 כֶּֽ/חָתָן֙ kechatan HRd/Ncmsa as a bridegroom as a bridegroom 2
H2860-03 חֲתָנ֗/וֹ chatano HNcmsc/Sp3ms his son-in-law his marriage-allied one 1
H2860-05 וַ/חֲתַ֥ן vachatan HC/Ncmsc son-in-law marriage-allied man of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

20 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2860-01 Genesis 19:12 חָתָן֙ chatan HNcmsa son-in-law marriage-allied man
H2860-02 Genesis 19:14 חֲתָנָ֣י/ו chatanayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his sons-in-law his sons-in-law
H2860-02 Genesis 19:14 חֲתָנָֽי/ו chatanayv-2 HNcmpc/Sp3ms his sons-in-law his sons-in-law
H2860-01 Exodus 4:25 חֲתַן chatan HNcmsc a bridegroom of marriage-allied man
H2860-01 Exodus 4:26 חֲתַ֥ן chatan HNcmsc a bridegroom of marriage-allied man
H2860-01 Judges 15:6 חֲתַ֣ן chatan HNcmsc son-in-law marriage-allied man
H2860-03 Judges 19:5 חֲתָנ֗/וֹ chatano HNcmsc/Sp3ms his son-in-law his marriage-allied one
H2860-01 1 Samuel 18:18 חָתָ֖ן chatan HNcmsa son-in-law marriage-allied man
H2860-05 1 Samuel 22:14 וַ/חֲתַ֥ן vachatan HC/Ncmsc son-in-law marriage-allied man of
H2860-01 2 Kings 8:27 חֲתַ֥ן chatan HNcmsc son-in-law marriage-allied man
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