Ματθάτ, Μαθθάτ (Matthat, Maththat)
Matthat, Maththat
Matthat
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The name Matthat appears twice in the New Testament, specifically within the genealogy of Jesus found in Luke 3:24 and 3:29. It identifies a male ancestor in the line leading to Christ, serving as a link between generations in the recorded history of his human family.
Etymologically, the name derives from the Hebrew matan, meaning "gift." This connects it closely to other biblical names like Mattathias or Matthew, both carrying the sense of a divine gift. In this context, Matthat means "gift of God," reflecting a common Jewish naming tradition that acknowledges God’s provision.
Although the text provides no further details about his life or character, his inclusion in the genealogy highlights the continuity of God’s plan through ordinary generations. The name itself serves as a quiet reminder of grace woven into the historical record of Jesus’ ancestry.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Matthat means "gift." It appears only twice in the Bible, tucked quietly into the long genealogy of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. We do not know much about this man’s life, but his name tells us something important: he was seen as a gift from God. In Jewish tradition, names often reflected hope or gratitude, and Matthat carries that sense of divine provision.
His inclusion reminds us that Jesus’ human family was built by ordinary people who trusted in God’s plan across generations. Each name in the list is a link in a chain of faithfulness. When we read these records, we see that God works through real lives, not just famous figures. This gives comfort, knowing that our own stories matter to Him too.
Even when we feel unnoticed, we are part of God’s larger story. Matthat’s name invites us to recognize the gifts in our own lineage and daily life. It is a gentle reminder that grace has been weaving through history long before we arrived.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- of Matthat2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Μαθθὰτ2×
Key Verses
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Luke 3:24
the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
This verse places Matthat as the son of Levi, anchoring him in a specific generational link within Luke’s careful record of Jesus’ ancestry.
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Luke 3:29
the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
Here Matthat appears again further down the line, showing how the name persists across generations as part of the continuous chain leading to Christ.