Mattaniah מַתַּנְיָ֫הוּ
Descendant of Elam, who divorced his foreign wife.
Who is Mattaniah in the Bible?
Mattaniah was a descendant of Elam who lived during the time of Ezra's religious reforms following the Jewish return from Babylonian exile. According to Ezra 10:27, Mattaniah was among the Israelite men who had married foreign women and was required to divorce his wife as part of Ezra's efforts to purify the community. This action reflected the concern that intermarriage with foreigners might lead the people away from their covenant with God, similar to the unfaithfulness that had contributed to their exile. Mattaniah's compliance with these reforms illustrates the spiritual renewal and commitment to the Law that characterized the post-exilic Jewish community.
Biography
Mattaniah was a man from the family of Elam who had married a foreign woman during the time of Ezra. As part of Ezra's reforms to purify the Jewish community after their return from Babylonian exile, Mattaniah and others who had married foreign wives were required to divorce them (Ezr.10.27). This action was taken to ensure that the Israelites remained faithful to the Lord and did not fall into the same sins that had led to their exile.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:27
"From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza."
Study Ezra →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | מַתַּנְיָ֫הוּ |