H4981 H4981
Mithnite; gentillic designation of uncertain geographical origin
This designation appears in the list of David's mighty warriors, identifying Joshaphat as 'the Mithnite.' Like many such gentillics in these military rosters, the derivation is unknown—we don't know what place or clan this refers to. The Septuagint's widely variant readings show the translators had no tradition to guide them. These ethnic or geographical tags helped identify warriors who shared the same name, distinguishing this Joshaphat from others in David's service.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A gentillic or ethnic designation of unknown derivation, used in 1 Chronicles 11:43 to identify Joshaphat the Mithnite, one of David's mighty warriors. The term presumably refers to a place or clan, but BDB notes the origin is unknown. The Septuagint's drastically varied renderings (ho Baithanei, Maththanei, Matthani) show the Greek translators had no clear tradition about this name, simply attempting transliteration. Such designations helped distinguish individuals with common names in military lists, providing geographical or family identification in an era before standardized naming conventions. The Mithnite remains mysterious, his home territory lost to us. 1×
AR["المِتْنِي"]·ben["মিথনীয়"]·DE["[המתני]"]·EN["the-Mitnite"]·FR["[המתני]"]·heb["ה-מתני"]·HI["मित्नी"]·ID["orang-Mitna"]·IT["[המתני]"]·jav["tiyang-Mitni"]·KO["그-미드니-사람"]·PT["o-mitnita"]·RU["митнитянин"]·ES["el-mitnita"]·SW["Mmithni"]·TR["Mitnili"]·urd["متنی"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מִתְנִי adj.gent. (deriv. unknown);—only יוֹשָׁפָט הַמּ׳ I Ch 11:43. 𝔊 ὁ Βαιθανει, A Μαθθανει, 𝔊L Ματθανι.