Lexical Summary Mattanyah or Mattanyahu: Mattaniah or Mattanyahu Original Word: מַתַּנְיָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Mattaniah Or Mattanyahuw {mat-tan-yaw'-hoo}; from mattan and Yahh; gift of Jah; Mattanjah, the name of ten Israelites -- Mattaniah. see HEBREW mattan see HEBREW Yahh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom mattan and Yah Definition "gift of Yah," the last king of Judah, also a number of Isr. NASB Translation Mattaniah (16). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַתַּנְיָ֫הוּ, מַתַּנְיָה proper name, masculine (compare GrayProp. N. 294, No. 82); — ᵐ5 Μαθθας, Μανθανιας, Ματθανιας, etc.; — 1 מַתַּנְיָה, last king of Judah, name changed to Zedekiah 2 Kings 24:17. 2 מַתַּנְיָ֫הוּ, Levite name: a. son of Heman 1 Chronicles 25:4. b. Asaphite 1 Chronicles 25:16. c. id., 2 Chronicles 29:13 (Hezekiah's time). 3 מַתַּנְיָה, Levite name: a. Asaphite 1 Chronicles 9:15; Nehemiah 11:17,22; Nehemiah 12:8,35, perhaps = 2b, c (but much confusion and uncertainty; e.g. ׳מ is of Hezekiah's time 2 Chronicles 29:13, and 4th Generation before Nehemiah, Nehemiah 11:12; Nehemiah 12:35; while contemporary of Zerubbabel Nehemiah 12:8 and of Nehemiah Nehemiah 11:17). b. other Levites: (1) 2 Chronicles 20:14, (2) Nehemiah 12:25, (3) Nehemiah 13:13. 4 מַתַּנְיָה, name of several who took strange wives: a. Ezra 10:26. b. Ezra 10:27. c. Ezra 10:30. d. Ezra 10:37. Topical Lexicon Name Significance A name that extols the generosity of the covenant God, Mattaniah appears sixteen times in the Old Testament and is borne by at least six distinct men. Together they span the monarchy’s last days, the exile, and the post-exilic reforms, illustrating both divine judgment and gracious restoration. 1. Mattaniah the Royal Cousin renamed Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:17) Placed on Judah’s throne by Nebuchadnezzar after Jehoiachin’s deportation, “the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah” (2 Kings 24:17). The change of name underscored Babylonian sovereignty, yet the original name reminds readers that Judah’s final king began as one whose very identity proclaimed Yahweh’s gift. His subsequent rebellion and the destruction of Jerusalem (586 BC) form a sobering counterpoint: rejecting the Giver forfeits the gift. 2. Levitical Worship Leaders in David’s Order (1 Chronicles 25:4, 16) Under David, Heman’s descendants were set over twenty-four courses of temple music. Among them: “Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth” (1 Chronicles 25:4). Verse 16 records “the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons, and his brothers—twelve.” This Mattaniah oversaw a full choir division, highlighting how organized, skillful praise was already central to Israel’s worship centuries before the exile. 3. An Ancestral Link in Jehoshaphat’s Day (2 Chronicles 20:14) When Moab and Ammon threatened Judah, “the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel… son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph” (2 Chronicles 20:14). The prophetic word that followed assured victory without battle (verses 15-17). Though Mattaniah himself is not active in the scene, his place in the lineage of an inspired Levite shows the ongoing ministry of Asaph’s line and God’s use of faithful family heritage. 4. A Participant in Hezekiah’s Revival (2 Chronicles 29:13) During Hezekiah’s first-year reformation, Levites were summoned to cleanse the temple: “of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah” (29:13). This Mattaniah helped reopen the sanctuary after the apostasy of Ahaz, underscoring that genuine revival always includes renewed worship. 5. Four Post-Exilic Laymen Who Repented (Ezra 10:26-37) After returning from Babylon, Israel again compromised by intermarriage. Among the repentant were four bearing the name Mattaniah, from the families of Elam (10:26), Zattu (10:27), Pahath-Moab (10:30), and Bani (10:37). Their willingness to “put away their wives” (10:44) demonstrated communal submission to the Law, even at personal cost. 6. The Chief Cantor of Jerusalem’s New Community (Nehemiah 11:17, 22; 12:8, 25) “Mattaniah son of Mica… was the leader who began the thanksgivings and prayer” (Nehemiah 11:17). His role included: In Nehemiah’s dedication ceremony his name reappears in a priestly genealogy (12:35) and as the grandfather of a reliable treasurer (13:13). Collectively these notices portray a man (and a family) central to the organization, security, and worship of the restored temple. Thematic Observations 1. Worship Leadership: At least three Mattaniahs are tied to temple music, emphasizing the continuity of musical praise from Davidic to post-exilic times. Ministry Significance for Today • Names remind believers of divine grace, but only obedience preserves the blessing. Forms and Transliterations וּמַתַּנְיָ֣ה וּמַתַּנְיָֽהוּ׃ וּמַתַּנְיָה֙ ומתניה ומתניהו׃ מַתַּנְיָ֑ה מַתַּנְיָ֔הוּ מַתַּנְיָ֖ה מַתַּנְיָ֛ה מַתַּנְיָ֡הוּ מַתַּנְיָ֣ה מַתַּנְיָ֤ה מַתַּנְיָ֥ה מַתַּנְיָ֧ה מַתַּנְיָה֙ מתניה מתניהו mat·tan·yā·hū mat·tan·yāh mattanYah mattanyāh mattanYahu mattanyāhū ū·mat·tan·yā·hū ū·mat·tan·yāh umattanYah ūmattanyāh umattanYahu ūmattanyāhūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 24:17 HEB: בָּבֶ֛ל אֶת־ מַתַּנְיָ֥ה דֹד֖וֹ תַּחְתָּ֑יו NAS: his uncle Mattaniah king KJV: of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother INT: the king of Babylon Mattaniah his uncle his place 1 Chronicles 9:15 1 Chronicles 25:4 1 Chronicles 25:16 2 Chronicles 20:14 2 Chronicles 29:13 Ezra 10:26 Ezra 10:27 Ezra 10:30 Ezra 10:37 Nehemiah 11:17 Nehemiah 11:22 Nehemiah 12:8 Nehemiah 12:25 Nehemiah 12:35 Nehemiah 13:13 16 Occurrences |
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