Ναθάν
Nathan
Definition
Ναθάν (Nathan) is a proper noun referring to a specific individual in the biblical genealogies. In the New Testament, it exclusively refers to Nathan, a son of King David (2 Samuel 5:14) and an ancestor of Jesus Christ through the line of Mary as recorded in Luke 3:31. This distinguishes him from the prophet Nathan, a key figure in David's court (2 Samuel 7, 12), who is not mentioned by name in the New Testament. The single New Testament occurrence serves to anchor Jesus's human lineage in the Davidic royal family, fulfilling messianic prophecies.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Luke 3:31, within the genealogy of Jesus. Its usage is strictly as a proper name in a historical, genealogical list, tracing ancestry from David to Jesus. There are no other contextual uses or patterns in the New Testament.
Etymology
Ναθάν is a direct Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name נָתָן (Nāṯān), meaning 'he has given' or 'gift.' It is a common Hebrew name, and the Greek form preserves the original sound and meaning. The name appears in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) for both David's son and the prophet.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is common, its inclusion in Luke's genealogy is theologically significant. It confirms Jesus's legal and biological descent from King David, a crucial requirement for the Messiah (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 11:1). Luke's genealogy traces Jesus's lineage through Nathan, rather than the royal kingly line through Solomon (found in Matthew 1:6-7), which may emphasize a different, perhaps more obscure or human, thread of the Davidic promise, connecting Jesus to the wider family of David.
In the original cultural setting, names were often meaningful and carried significance about character or divine action. 'Nathan' ('gift') was a positive name. The specific Nathan in Luke's genealogy would have been known to Jewish readers as one of David's sons, though less prominent than Solomon. Genealogies were vital for establishing identity, lineage, inheritance rights, and, crucially for Jesus, messianic claims.
Δαυίδ (Dauid, G1138) — The father; a direct ancestor in the same lineage. Σολομών (Solomōn, G4672) — Another son of David; the kingly line recorded in Matthew's genealogy.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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