מַתְּנַי (mat.t.nay)
mat.t.nay
Mattenai
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Mattenai means "gift of Jehovah." It appears three times in the Hebrew Bible, linking two distinct figures from the post-exilic period. One is a priest from the line of Joiarib who served during the time of Joiakim, mentioned in Nehemiah 12:19. The other is an Israelite listed in Ezra 10:33 as one of those who had married foreign wives and subsequently put them away.
Although the name itself carries a positive theological weight, its biblical usage highlights a moment of difficult obedience. In Ezra’s account, Mattenai is part of a group that dismantled mixed marriages to preserve religious identity. This action reflects the community's intense focus on separation during the restoration, showing how personal names were embedded in significant historical and spiritual decisions.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Mattenai carries the meaning "gift of Jehovah." In the Hebrew Bible, this name belongs to two different men living during the post-exilic period when Israel was rebuilding its community after returning from exile. One served as a priest in the line of Joiarib, while the other was listed among those who made difficult personal choices to align with religious standards.
Seeing these names reminds us that ordinary people played real roles in restoring faith. Their lives show how personal identity and obedience intersected during a time of great change. We can find encouragement in knowing that God values faithfulness in small, everyday decisions just as much as in grand public acts.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Mattenai3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מַתְּנַ֤י1×
- מַתְּנַ֖י1×
- מַתְּנַ֔י1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 10:33
Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
This verse lists Mattenai among those who ended foreign marriages, highlighting a moment of strict obedience to community standards.
-
Nehemiah 12:19
of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
Here Mattenai is recorded as a priest in the line of Joiarib, showing his role in maintaining worship practices during restoration.