Original Word: חָתָן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chathan
Pronunciation: khaw-THAN
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-thawn')
KJV: bridegroom, husband, son in law
Word Origin: [from H2859 (חָתַן - become the son-in-law)]

1. a relative by marriage (especially through the bride)
2. (figuratively) a circumcised child (as a species of religious espousal)

bridegroom, husband, son in law

From chathan; a relative by marriage (especially through the bride); figuratively, a circumcised child (as a species of religious espousal) -- bridegroom, husband, son in law.

see HEBREW chathan

חָתָן noun masculine daughter's husband, bride-groom (as one who undergoes circumcision, see above; Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic חַתְנָא, and (also sister's husband, etc.); vulgar Arabic daughter's husband, then more Generally wife's and husband's relations; Sabean (Lihyân) חֿתן daughter's husband DHM^{Epigr. Denkm. 87}; Assyrian —atanu, daughter's husband COT^Gloss) — absolute ׳ח 1 Samuel 18:18 10t. + Genesis 19:12 (where read חֲתָנֶיךָ ᵐ5 Ol Di); construct חֲתַן Exodus 4:23 4t.; suffix חֲתָנוֺ Judges 19:5; חֲתָנָיו Genesis 19:14 (twice in verse); —

1 in relation to a father, daughter's husband, or bridegroom Genesis 19:12,14 (לֹקְחֵי בְּנֹתָיו ׳ח), Genesis 19:14 (all J), Judges 15:6; Judges 19:5; 1 Samuel 18:18; 1 Samuel 22:14; Nehemiah 6:18; Nehemiah 13:28; see also חֲתַן בֵּית אַחְאָב 2 Kings 8:27 son-in-law of the house of Ahad, said of Ahaziah, whose mother Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab.

2 in relation to the bride, bridegroom דָּמִים אַתָּה לִי ׳ח Exodus 4:25 a bloody bridegroom art thou to me, compare Exodus 4:26 (J; on this see We^{Prol. 1886, 355}); "" כַּלָּה Jeremiah 7:34; Jeremiah 16:9; Jeremiah 25:10; Jeremiah 33:11; Joel 2:16; in simile of ׳י's work for and delight in his people Isaiah 61:10; Isaiah 62:5; of sun Psalm 19:6.

Root and Semantic Field

While חָתָן can denote either “bridegroom” or, by extension, “son-in-law,” every occurrence carries the idea of a man who has entered into an exclusive covenant with a bride’s family. The term presumes festivity, legal obligation, and the anticipation of a new household within the covenant community of Israel.

Literal Usage in Narrative Texts

1. Family Status: The word first appears in Genesis 19:12-14, where Lot’s prospective sons-in-law are warned of impending judgment on Sodom. Their disbelief illustrates how covenant privileges can be forfeited through unbelief.
2. Ritual Crisis: Exodus 4:25-26 records Zipporah calling Moses “a bridegroom of blood,” underscoring that covenant sign (circumcision) and marital covenant stand or fall together.
3. Domestic Hospitality: Judges 19:5 shows the father-in-law urging his “son-in-law” to prolong a visit, reflecting Near-Eastern hospitality expectations bound to marriage alliances.
4. Royal Courts: 1 Samuel 18:18 and 1 Samuel 22:14 present David as “son-in-law” to King Saul, marking the transition from shepherd to legitimate heir-apparent via marriage to Michal.
5. International Politics: 2 Kings 8:27 calls King Ahaziah “son-in-law of the house of Ahab,” explaining the spread of idolatry through dynastic marriage.
6. Post-exilic Reforms: Nehemiah 13:28 identifies a priestly offender “son-in-law to Sanballat,” exposing compromises that threatened the purity of temple ministry.

Social and Covenant Implications

Marriage in Israel was a covenantal act that extended familial borders, secured inheritance lines, and affirmed loyalty to Yahweh. By naming the groom חָתָן, Scripture highlights not merely a wedding day but an ongoing legal and spiritual role. Bridegrooms bore responsibility for shielding their bride, producing offspring under the Abrahamic promise, and ensuring future obedience (Malachi 2:15).

Festive Joy and Human Experience

Psalm 19:5 likens the sun to “a bridegroom emerging from his chamber,” capturing exuberant strength and fresh purpose. Jeremiah repeatedly pairs “the voice of the bridegroom and bride” with the soundscape of communal joy (Jeremiah 7:34; 16:9; 25:10; 33:11). When those voices fall silent through divine judgment, the loss is palpable: covenant blessing withdrawn.

Prophetic and Messianic Symbolism

Isaiah 61:10 rejoices, “as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,” and Isaiah 62:5 foresees, “as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.” Both texts elevate human marriage to a theological metaphor for Yahweh’s unbreakable love toward Zion. Joel 2:16 commands even the bridegroom to depart his chamber for national repentance, teaching that covenant with God supersedes even the nearest earthly covenant.

Covenant Theology and Christological Foreshadowing

The New Testament picks up this imagery when John the Baptist calls himself “the friend of the bridegroom” (John 3:29) and when Jesus identifies Himself as the Bridegroom whose presence suspends fasting (Matthew 9:15). The Old Testament occurrences of חָתָן thus serve as typological groundwork:
• Israel’s unfaithful sons-in-law prefigure humanity’s failure to heed divine warning (Genesis 19).
• Moses’ threatened death highlights the Bridegroom’s need for covenant blood—a pointer to Christ’s atoning sacrifice (Exodus 4).
• David’s transformation from servant to royal son-in-law anticipates believers’ adoption through union with Christ.
• The silence of bridegroom and bride in Jeremiah’s oracles enthrones Jesus as the only Bridegroom who can restore everlasting joy (Revelation 19:7).

Ministry Applications

1. Marriage Counseling: Scripture presents the bridegroom as initiator, protector, and covenant keeper, offering a model for husbands (Ephesians 5:25-33) rooted in Old Testament precedent.
2. Worship and Liturgy: Isaiah’s marriage imagery justifies songs that celebrate Christ’s betrothal of the church while anticipating the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
3. Preaching Against Syncretism: The warnings in Nehemiah and Kings illustrate how ungodly marital alliances can corrupt worship; pastors may exhort believers to guard against spiritual or relational compromise.
4. Pastoral Care in Times of Judgment: Jeremiah’s removal of wedding joy demonstrates the seriousness of sin; yet Jeremiah 33:11 promises its restoration, offering hope to repentant communities.

Summary of Key References

Genesis 19:12, 14; Exodus 4:25-26; Judges 15:6; Judges 19:5; 1 Samuel 18:18; 1 Samuel 22:14; 2 Kings 8:27; Nehemiah 6:18; Nehemiah 13:28; Psalm 19:5; Isaiah 61:10; Isaiah 62:5; Jeremiah 7:34; 16:9; 25:10; 33:11; Joel 2:16.

Across historical narrative, poetry, and prophecy, חָתָן portrays covenant joy, responsibility, and typological anticipation of the ultimate Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, who secures everlasting union with His redeemed people.

וַחֲתַ֥ן וחתן חֲתַ֣ן חֲתַ֥ן חֲתַן־ חֲתָנ֗וֹ חֲתָנָ֣יו ׀ חֲתָנָֽיו׃ חָתָ֖ן חָתָ֥ן חָתָן֙ חָתָן֮ חתן חתן־ חתנו חתניו חתניו׃ כְּ֭חָתָן כֶּֽחָתָן֙ כחתן chaTan chataNav chataNo ḥă·ṯā·nāw ḥă·ṯā·nōw ḥă·ṯan ḥā·ṯān ḥă·ṯan- ḥăṯan ḥāṯān ḥăṯan- ḥăṯānāw ḥăṯānōw ke·ḥā·ṯān kə·ḥā·ṯān kechaTan Kechaton keḥāṯān kəḥāṯān vachaTan wa·ḥă·ṯan waḥăṯanInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts