קָטָן (qa.tan)
qa.tan
Hakkatan
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Qatan means "small" or "little." It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Ezra 8:12. The text identifies him as a leader who returned from exile with Ezra. He is specifically noted as the father of Johanan.
His title Hakkatan translates to "the small." This likely distinguished him from another family member with the same name. In lists of returning exiles, such qualifiers helped clarify lineage and identity. The name reflects a common practice of using descriptive nicknames in ancient Israel.
This brief mention highlights the personal side of the return from Babylon. It shows that ordinary families, not just prominent figures, played a role in rebuilding their community. Qatan’s inclusion reminds readers that history is made up of many individual stories.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Qatan means "small" or "little," yet its single appearance in Ezra 8:12 carries significant weight for understanding community history. In this verse, he is identified as Hakkatan, distinguishing him from other family members with the same name. This practice of using descriptive nicknames helped clarify lineage and identity among the returning exiles.
His inclusion reminds us that rebuilding a community involves many individual stories, not just prominent figures. Ordinary families played crucial roles in restoring their society after exile. This detail highlights the personal side of faithfulness, showing how everyday people contributed to God's larger plan for restoration and renewal.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Hakkatan1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַקָּטָ֑ן1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 8:12
Of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him one hundred ten males.
This verse uses Hakkatan to distinguish this leader from others with the same name, showing how descriptive qualifiers clarified identity among returning exiles.