🔼The name Hathath: Summary
- Meaning
- Terror
- Etymology
- From the noun חתת (hatat), terror.
🔼The name Hathath in the Bible
The name Hathath occurs only one time in the Bible, although it's not wholly clear whether Hathath is supposed to be a name. If it is, then it belongs to a son of Othniel of Judah (1 Chronicles 4:13). The problem is that the Hebrew speaks of sons, not son, and this "name" is identical to a word meaning terror.
If the Chronicler would have wanted to submit that the many unnamed sons of Othniel were a terror, he or she would have written the exact same text. It means exactly that.
But from ancient times translators have endowed Othniel with one son named Hathath, and thus all modern translations do the same thing.
🔼Etymology of the name Hathath
The name Hathath is identical to the masculine noun חתת (hatat), meaning terror:
חתת
The verb חתת (hatat) means to deplete of strength, courage, willpower or any essential support, which results in a collapse of sorts. Nouns חת (hat), חתת (hatat), חתה (hitta), חתחת (hathat) and חתית (hittit) describe the various nuances of debilitating or paralyzing terror or fear. The identical adjective חת (hat) means shattered or dismayed. Noun מחתה (mehitta) means destruction, ruin or terror.
The verb חתה (hata) means to seize or snatch up, usually of fire or coals. Noun מחתה (mahta), meaning fire pan or censer.
🔼Hathath meaning
For a meaning of the name Hathath, both NOBSE Study Bible Name List and Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names read Terror. BDB Theological Dictionary does not interpret our name but does confirm that it is identical to the noun חתת (hatat), meaning terror.