What does חָתָן (kəḥāṯān) mean in the Bible?
חָתָן (kəḥāṯān): Bridegroom or son-in-law; figuratively extends to circumcised child, signifying covenantal bonding relationship.
Hebrew · H2860
חָתָן
A relative by marriage (especially through the bride); figuratively, a circumcised child (as a species of religious espousal)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
חָתָן H2860
Pronunciation kəḥāṯān
What does חָתָן (kəḥāṯān) mean in the Bible?
חָתָן (kəḥāṯān): Bridegroom or son-in-law; figuratively extends to circumcised child, signifying covenantal bonding relationship.
Full entry for חָתָן (H2860) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2860?
The BSB source-word alignment has 20 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include bridegroom (4), the son-in-law (2), was a son-in-law (2), a bridegroom (1), a son-in-law (1).
Where does חָתָן (kəḥāṯān) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 19:12. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (4), Genesis (3), 1 Samuel (2), Exodus (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It bridegroom 4× Exodus 4:26, Jeremiah 7:34, Jeremiah 25:10, Jeremiah 33:11
the son-in-law 2× Judges 15:6, 1 Samuel 18:18
was a son-in-law 2× 2 Kings 8:27, Nehemiah 6:18
a bridegroom 1× Exodus 4:25
a son-in-law 1× Genesis 19:12
and as a bridegroom 1× Isaiah 62:5
and bridegroom 1× Jeremiah 16:9
as a bridegroom 1× Isaiah 61:10
But his sons-in-law 1× Genesis 19:14
had become a son-in-law 1× Nehemiah 13:28
his son-in-law 1× Judges 19:5
Let the bridegroom 1× Joel 2:16
Like a bridegroom 1× Psalms 19:5
son-in-law 1× 1 Samuel 22:14
the sons-in-law 1× Genesis 19:14
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 19:12 חָתָן֙ to a son-in-law Noun - masculine singular Genesis 19:14 חֲתָנָ֣יו׀ to the sons-in-law Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Genesis 19:14 חֲתָנָֽיו׃ to But his sons-in-law Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Exodus 4:25 חֲתַן־ to a bridegroom Noun - masculine singular construct Exodus 4:26 חֲתַ֥ן to bridegroom Noun - masculine singular construct Judges 15:6 חֲתַ֣ן to the son-in-law Noun - masculine singular construct Judges 19:5 חֲתָנ֗וֹ to his son-in-law Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular 1 Samuel 18:18 חָתָ֖ן to the son-in-law Noun - masculine singular 1 Samuel 22:14 וַחֲתַ֥ן to son-in-law Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct 2 Kings 8:27 חֲתַ֥ן to was a son-in-law Noun - masculine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 19:12
Aligned rows 20
Books represented 10
Genesis 3 Exodus 2 Judges 2 1 Samuel 2 2 Kings 1 Nehemiah 2 Psalms 1 Isaiah 2 Jeremiah 4 Joel 1
Source forms
חָתָ֖ן 5x ḥā·ṯān 1 Samuel 18:18, Nehemiah 13:28, Jeremiah 7:34, Jeremiah 16:9
חָתָן֙ 3x ḥā·ṯān Genesis 19:12, Isaiah 62:5, Joel 2:16
חֲתַ֥ן 2x ḥă·ṯan Exodus 4:26, 2 Kings 8:27
וַחֲתַ֥ן 1x wa·ḥă·ṯan 1 Samuel 22:14
חֲתַ֣ן 1x ḥă·ṯan Judges 15:6
חָתָ֥ן 1x ḥā·ṯān Nehemiah 6:18
חָתָן֮ 1x ḥā·ṯān Jeremiah 33:11
חֲתַן־ 1x ḥă·ṯan- Exodus 4:25
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 10x Genesis 19:12, 1 Samuel 18:18, Nehemiah 6:18, Nehemiah 13:28
Noun - masculine singular construct 4x Exodus 4:25, Exodus 4:26, Judges 15:6, 2 Kings 8:27
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular 2x Genesis 19:14
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct 1x 1 Samuel 22:14
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular 1x Judges 19:5
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular 1x Psalms 19:5
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular 1x Isaiah 61:10
Evidence Summary
Creation
Hebrew word. Bridegroom or son-in-law; figuratively extends to circumcised child, signifying covenantal bonding relationship.
Source Gloss
a relative by marriage (especially through the bride); figuratively, a circumcised child (as a species of religious espousal)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Bridegroom or son-in-law; figuratively extends to circumcised child, signifying covenantal bonding relationship.
a relative by marriage (especially through the bride); figuratively, a circumcised child (as a species of religious espousal) BDB: daughter's husband Usage: bridegroom, husband, son in law.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Like a bridegroom; signifies beauty, joy, and the radiant beginning of a new day
Showing 1 selected witness from 20 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
חָתָן is built from this root:
Canonical Themes
Creation
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain