English · KJV
H4982

מַתְּנַי

Mattᵉnay /mat-ten-ah'ee/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom מַתָּן
Meaningliberal; Mattenai, the name of three Israelites
KJV usageMattenai.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Mattᵉnay — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew name Mattᵉnay, represented by H4982, means liberal. It is derived from מַתָּן and identifies three Israelites in the biblical record. This name appears 3 times across 3 unique verses, placing it within specific genealogical and community lists.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H4982 appears exclusively in post-exilic texts, specifically within lists of individuals. In the book of Ezra, a person named Mattᵉnay is first listed among the sons of Hashum Ezra 10:33. He is mentioned again shortly after in a similar list of names Ezra 10:37. In Nehemiah, a different Mattᵉnay is identified in a list of priests, associated with the family of Joiarib Nehemiah 12:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several other names appear alongside Mattᵉnay, providing context for his associations within the community:

  • H2828 Châshum (enriched): Mattenai is listed as one of the "sons of Hashum" Ezra 10:33.
  • H4992 Mattattâh (gift of Jah): This individual is listed immediately beside Mattenai in the list of the sons of Hashum Ezra 10:33.
  • H3114 Yôwyârîyb (Jojarib): In Nehemiah's list of priests, Mattenai is associated with the family line of Joiarib Nehemiah 12:19.
  • H5813 ʻUzzîy (forceful): A priest named Uzzi is mentioned in the same priestly register as Mattenai Nehemiah 12:19.

Theological Significance

The narrative significance of H4982 is tied to its role in the historical records of Israel's restoration.

  • Community Records: The inclusion of Mattᵉnay in lists within Ezra and Nehemiah underscores the importance of documenting individuals and families during the rebuilding of the nation.
  • Genealogical Identity: Being named as one of the "sons of Hashum" Ezra 10:33 or as part of the priestly line of Joiarib Nehemiah 12:19 establishes a person's place and lineage within the restored Israelite community.
  • Post-Exilic Life: The name appears exclusively in these records, highlighting individuals who were part of the generation returning from captivity and re-establishing their community.

Summary

In summary, H4982, Mattᵉnay, is a personal name meaning liberal. Its three biblical appearances are confined to the historical records of Ezra and Nehemiah. While not a major figure, the mention of Mattᵉnay is significant for its role in the meticulous lists that define the families and priestly lines of the community rebuilding its identity after the exile.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 3 occurrences, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • מַתְּנַי

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H2828 חָשֻׁם from the same as חַשְׁמַן; enriched; Chashum, the name of two or three Israelites; Hashum. H4992 מַתַּתָּה for מַתִּתְיָה; gift of Jah; Mattattah, an Israelite; Mattathah. H3114 יוֹיָרִיב a form of יְהוֹיָרִיב; Jojarib, the name of four Israelites; Joiarib. H5813 עֻזִּי from עָזַז; forceful; Uzzi, the name of six Israelites; Uzzi.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ezra (2 verses); never once in the other 37.

2
Ezra
1
Nehemiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.