Lexical Summary Qatan: Small, little, insignificant, young Original Word: קָטָן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hakkatan including the article The same as qatan; small; Katan, an Israelite -- Hakkatan (including the article). see HEBREW qatan NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom qaton Definition "the small," father of a postexilic Isr. NASB Translation Hakkatan (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. קָטָן proper name, masculine (the small); — ׳הַקּ, post-ex, name Ezra 8:12, Ακ(κ)ατά Topical Lexicon Canonical Placement and Form Strong’s Hebrew 6997 קָטָן appears a single time, in Ezra 8:12, where the definite article turns the adjective “small” into the proper name “Hakkatan” (“the Small”). Textually, it is part of the genealogical list of families returning from Babylon with Ezra. Historical Setting in Ezra 8 Ezra’s caravan (Ezra 8:1-14) catalogs family heads and numbers, highlighting the voluntary nature of the return and the variety of social standing among the exiles. “Johanan son of Hakkatan” (Ezra 8:12) reminds the reader that in God’s restoration plan even those deemed “small” or insignificant have a place. The single occurrence therefore serves as a narrative emblem of the broader restoration theme—God gathers all who are willing, regardless of former status. ‘Smallness’ as a Biblical Motif 1. Divine Choice of the Insignificant 2. Encouragement to Despised Beginnings 3. Kingdom Paradox The name Hakkatan is therefore more than a genealogical footnote; it targets the theme that God advances His redemptive program through what appears modest. Contribution to Second-Temple Identity Within Ezra–Nehemiah, personal names often preach. “Hakkatan” complements names like “Shecaniah” (“Yahweh has dwelt”) and “Ebed” (“servant”), together proclaiming humility, divine presence, and service as hallmarks of the restored community. The exiles’ willingness to leave the comparative security of Babylon for a precarious Jerusalem underscores their faith. In ministry terms, today’s servants may find in Hakkatan a prototype of quiet faithfulness that nonetheless becomes instrumental in covenant renewal. Intertextual Echoes with Haggai and Zechariah Haggai calls the remnant to rebuild despite limited resources (Haggai 2:3-9). Zechariah speaks of small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). Ezra’s list supplies the human actors who obeyed those prophetic calls. Thus קָטָן links lexically and theologically with the prophetic encouragements surrounding the temple’s reconstruction. Practical Ministry Applications • Valuing Every Believer: Congregational leaders should remember that membership rolls, like Ezra 8, are sacred accounts in which each “small” name matters. Christological Perspective Jesus Himself enters history in apparent smallness—born in an obscure Bethlehem stable (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:7) and raised in despised Nazareth (John 1:46). The solitary Old Testament instance of קָטָן thus foreshadows the Messiah’s pattern: greatness veiled in humility. Summary Though Strong’s 6997 occurs only once, it anchors a rich strand of biblical theology. “Hakkatan” stands as a living witness that God notices, names, and employs the least, weaving their obedience into His unfolding plan of redemption—from the return from exile to the consummation of the kingdom promised to the “little flock.” Forms and Transliterations הַקָּטָ֑ן הקטן hakkaTan haq·qā·ṭān haqqāṭānLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 8:12 HEB: יוֹחָנָ֖ן בֶּן־ הַקָּטָ֑ן וְעִמּ֕וֹ מֵאָ֥ה NAS: the son of Hakkatan and 110 KJV: the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred INT: Johanan the son of Hakkatan with an hundred 1 Occurrence |
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