Mattaniah

Gift of Jehovah. (1.) A Levite, son of Heman, the chief of the ninth class of temple singers (1 Chr. 25:4, 16).

(2.) A Levite who assisted in purifying the temple at the reformation under Hezekiah (2 Chr. 29:13).

(3.) The original name of Zedekiah (q.v.), the last of the kings of Judah (2 Kings 24:17). He was the third son of Josiah, who fell at Megiddo. He succeeded his nephew Jehoiakin.

1. The original name of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was changed when Nebuchadnezzar placed him on the throne. (2 Kings 24:17)
2. A Levite singer of the sons of Asaph. (1 Chronicles 9:15) He was leader of the temple choir after its restoration, (Nehemiah 11:17; 12:8) in the time of Nehemiah, and took part in the musical service which accompanied the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 12:25,35)
3. A descendant of Asaph, and ancestor of Jahaziel the Levite, in the reign of Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 20:14)
4. One of the sons of Elam. (Ezra 10:26)
5. One of the sons of Zattu. (Ezra 10:27)
6. A descendant of Pahath-moab, (Ezra 10:30) and
7. One of the sons of Bani. (Ezra 10:37) who all put away their foreign wives at Ezra’s command.
8. A Levite, father of Zaccur and ancestor of Hanan the under-treasurer who had charge of the offerings for the Levites in the time of Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 13:13)
9. One of the fourteen sons of Heman, whose office it was to blow the horns in the temple service appointed by David. (1 Chronicles 25:4,16)
10. A descendant of Asaph the Levite minstrel, who assisted in the purification of the temple in the reign of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 29:13)

mat-a-ni'-a (mattanyaha, "gift of Yah"):

(1) King Zedekiah's original name, but changed by Nebuchadnezzar when he made him king over Judah instead of his nephew Jehoiachin (2Ki 24:17).

(2) A descendant of Asaph (1Ch 9:15), leader of the temple choir (Ne 11:17; 12:8). Mentioned among the "porters," keepers of "the storehouses of the gates" (Ne 12:25), and again in Ne 12:35 as among the "priests' sons with trumpets."

(3) May be the same as (2), though in 2Ch 20:14 he is mentioned as an ancestor of that Jahaziel whose inspired words in the midst of the congregation encouraged Jehoshaphat to withstand the invasion of Moab, Ammon and Seir (20:14 ff).

(4-7) Four others who had foreign wives,

(a) the Matthanias of 1 Esdras 9:27 (Ezr 10:26);

(b) the Othonias of 1 Esdras 9:28 (Ezr 10:27);

(c) the Matthanias of 1 Esdras 9:31 (Ezr 10:30);

(d) the fourth of these in 1 Esdras 9:34 the King James Version has had his name blended into that of Mattenai, and the two appear as the composite name Mamnitanemus (Ezr 10:37). He is a son of Bani.

(8) A Levite, father of Zaccur, ancestor of Hanan the under-treasurer of the Levitical offerings under Nehemiah (Ne 13:13).

(9) One of the sons of Heman the singer, whose office it was to blow the horns in the temple-service as David had appointed it (1Ch 25:4,5). He was head of the 9th division of the 12 Levites (1Ch 25:16), who were proficient in the Songs of Yahweh (1Ch 25:7).

(10) One of the sons of Asaph who helped Hezekiah in the fulfilling of his vow to cleanse the house of the Lord (2Ch 29:13).

Henry Wallace