Lexical Summary Tachan: Tahan Original Word: תַּחַן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance night hawk Probably from chanah; station; Tachan, the name of two Israelites -- Tahan. see HEBREW chanah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chanah Definition an Ephraimite NASB Translation Tahan (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs תַּ֫חַן proper name, masculine (perhaps abbreviated from תַּחֲנֶה) — an Ephraimite Numbers 26:35 ᵐ5 Ταναχ, 1 Chronicles 7:25 ᵐ5 Θαεν, ᵐ5L Θααν. Topical Lexicon Genealogical Context Tahan is listed among the sons of Ephraim, Joseph’s younger son (Genesis 46:20), and thus belongs to the prominent house through which Jacob’s blessing of fruitfulness and strength was prophetically conferred (Genesis 48:19–20). The appearance of Tahan in later genealogies underlines the continuity of that blessing: “Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, then Telah his son, Tahan his son” (1 Chronicles 7:25). The repetition affirms the reliability of Israel’s records and highlights the importance Scripture assigns to tracing lineage for covenantal purposes (cf. Ezra 2:62). Occurrences in Scripture 1. Numbers 26:35 records Tahan in the wilderness census: “These were the descendants of Ephraim: by Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; by Becher, the clan of the Becherites; and by Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites”. Though brief, these mentions situate the family both in the journey from Egypt and in the settled life of the land, bridging two crucial eras in Israel’s history. Role in the Tribal Census The second wilderness census (Numbers 26) was taken as Israel prepared to enter Canaan. Each clan name served two immediate functions: The clan of the Tahanites therefore received a distinct inheritance within Ephraim’s territory, anchoring the memory of their ancestor in the very soil of the promised land. Their presence encouraged later generations to see the fulfillment of God’s promise firsthand. Historical Legacy within Israel While Scripture does not assign specific exploits to Tahan himself, the clan’s later prominence is implied: The enduring mention of Tahan’s line within this influential tribe signals a quiet but steady contribution to Israel’s covenant life. Spiritual and Ministry Lessons 1. God values every name. Even a seemingly incidental figure like Tahan is preserved in the biblical record, reminding believers that “the Lord knows those who are His” (2 Timothy 2:19). Typological Reflections Ephraim’s fruitfulness foreshadows the expansive growth of the gospel among the nations. In Acts 1:8, Jesus projects a witness “to the ends of the earth,” echoing Jacob’s blessing that Ephraim would become “a multitude of nations” (Genesis 48:19). The inclusion of minor names like Tahan accentuates how God weaves many strands into His redemptive tapestry. Application for Contemporary Discipleship • Record and celebrate testimonies of God’s faithfulness within families and churches, as Israel chronicled her clans. Tahan’s brief biblical footprint thus invites modern readers to marvel at the meticulous providence of God, who remembers every household, fulfills every promise, and integrates every believer into His unfolding account of redemption. Forms and Transliterations וְתַ֥חַן ותחן לְתַ֕חַן לתחן lə·ṯa·ḥan leTachan ləṯaḥan veTachan wə·ṯa·ḥan wəṯaḥanLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 26:35 HEB: מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַבַּכְרִ֑י לְתַ֕חַן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽתַּחֲנִֽי׃ NAS: of the Becherites; of Tahan, the family KJV: of the Bachrites: of Tahan, the family INT: the family of the Becherites of Tahan the family of the Tahanites 1 Chronicles 7:25 2 Occurrences |
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