מַתָּנָה (mat.ta.nah)
mat.ta.nah
gift
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 11 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mattnah simply means a gift or something given. It appears eleven times in the Old Testament, with significant usage in Numbers and Proverbs. In these texts, it refers to tangible items presented as offerings or tokens of favor, rather than abstract concepts.
A notable distinction arises in legal contexts where mattnah carries a negative connotation. Specifically, in Exodus 23:8 and Deuteronomy 16:19, receiving a gift is linked to blinding the wise and perverting justice. Here, the word highlights how material generosity can corrupt moral judgment, turning impartiality into partiality for the sake of personal gain.
The term also appears in Proverbs 18:16, where a gift opens doors before the mighty. This usage underscores the social power embedded in gift-giving within ancient Near Eastern culture. It serves as a tool for influence and access, illustrating that gifts were not merely acts of kindness but strategic instruments of relationship and status.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mattnah reminds us that giving is a fundamental part of human connection and divine order. In the Old Testament, it describes everything from the sacred offerings brought to the Tabernacle to the practical gifts Abraham provided for his family. These instances show that material items can be vehicles for honor, provision, and obedience when offered with the right heart.
However, Scripture also warns us about the shadow side of generosity. In passages like Exodus 23:8, we learn that a gift can become a bribe if it is used to twist justice or blind the wise. This teaches us to examine our motives carefully. Are we giving to build up others in love, or are we seeking to manipulate outcomes for our own gain?
Ultimately, mattnah invites us to reflect on how we use what God has entrusted to us. Whether it is a token of friendship or a contribution to worship, our gifts should always point toward righteousness and truth. Let your giving be a reflection of integrity, ensuring that your hands remain open and your conscience clear before God.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 11 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- gifts3×
- gifts/ your2×
- a gift2×
- and/ gifts1×
- according to/ [the] gift of1×
- a bribe1×
- [the] gifts of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מַתָּנֹ֣ת1×
- מַתָּנֹ֑ת1×
- מַתָּנָֽה\׃1×
- מַתָּנָ֤ה1×
- מַתָּנָ֗ה1×
- מַתָּנ֨וֹת1×
- מַתְּנֽוֹתֵי/כֶ֗ם1×
- מַתְּנֹ֣תֵי/כֶ֔ם1×
- מַתְּנֹ֖ת1×
- כְּ/מַתְּנַ֣ת1×
- וּ/מַתָּנ֖וֹת1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 18:6
Behold, I myself have taken your brothers the Levites from among the children of Israel. They are a gift to you, dedicated to Yahweh, to do the service of the Tent of Meeting.
Here the term describes the Levites themselves as a divine gift to the priests, highlighting its use for sacred dedication rather than personal profit.
-
Genesis 25:6
but Abraham gave gifts to the sons of Abraham’s concubines. While he still lived, he sent them away from Isaac his son, eastward, to the east country.
Abraham’s distribution of gifts to his concubines’ sons illustrates the word’s role in familial provision and legacy planning.
-
Esther 9:22
as the days in which the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned to them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending presents of food to one another, and gifts to the needy.
The establishment of Purim uses this term for sending food portions, showing its application in communal celebration and care for the needy.