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מַתְּנָא

𐤌𐤕𐤍𐤀

mattᵉnâʼ

H4978 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נתן to give, bestow, grant

Definition

A gift, present, or offering given to another, either voluntarily or in response to an occasion; in some contexts, a donation (including offerings to a temple or divinity) or a bribe. The term can describe both positive and negative types of gifts, including generosity or corruptive inducement, depending on the situation and intent.

Semantic Range

gift, present, offering (especially religious), donation, personal tribute, bribe

Root / Etymology

From the root נתן (to give). מַתְּנָא is the Aramaic form corresponding to the Hebrew מַתָּנָה. The noun is derived from the root by a nominal pattern indicating the object given or the act of giving.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term מַתְּנָא appears primarily in the Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible (notably Daniel and Ezra). It reflects the prevalent use of Aramaic in official and administrative contexts during the Persian period. It is often used for gifts given to authorities, including rulers or deities, which may take the form of donations, tribute, or offerings. While its Hebrew equivalent, מַתָּנָה, typically carries a positive or neutral sense, the Aramaic term can, in some contexts, also refer to bribes or gifts given with the intent to influence. In the post-exilic period, the distinction between offerings (gifts to deities or sacred contexts) and bribes (gifts for personal gain) becomes context-dependent rather than lexically marked. English translations may gloss מַתְּנָא as 'gift,' 'present,' 'offering,' or 'bribe,' but only context clarifies the precise nuance. The term should not be conflated with more specific Hebrew words such as תְּרוּמָה (offering/contribution) or שֹׁחַד (bribe, in the narrowly negative sense).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to מַתָּנָה; {a present; specifically (in a good sense), a sacrificial offering, (in a bad sense) a bribe}; gift.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נתן (n-t-n) — to give, bestow, grant

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3129 יוֹנָתָן in Yahweh-has-given
H4976 מַתָּן Mattan
H4977 מַתָּן Gift
H4979 מַתָּנָה with their gifts
H4980 מַתָּנָה Gift-place

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4978-03 וּ/מַתְּנָ֨ן umatenan AC/Ncfpa and gifts and gifts 1
H4978-01 מַתְּנָ֤ן matenan ANcfpa gifts gifts 1
H4978-02 מַתְּנָתָ/ךְ֙ matenatakhe ANcfpc/Sp2ms your gifts your gifts 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4978-01 Daniel 2:6 מַתְּנָ֤ן matenan ANcfpa gifts gifts
H4978-03 Daniel 2:48 וּ/מַתְּנָ֨ן umatenan AC/Ncfpa and gifts and gifts
H4978-02 Daniel 5:17 מַתְּנָתָ/ךְ֙ matenatakhe ANcfpc/Sp2ms your gifts your gifts
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