Lexical Definition

‎חָתַן‎ châthan (khaw-than') relative ^H:N-M
a primitive root

join in affinity, father in law, make marriages, mother in law, son in law.

• to give (a daughter) away in marriage
• hence (generally) to contract affinity by marriage

1) to become a son-in-law, make oneself a daughter's husband
1a) (Qal) wife's father, wife's mother, father-in-law, mother-in- law (participle)
1b) (Hithpael) to make oneself a daughter's husband

See Greek: ἐπιγαμβρεύω · πενθερά · πενθερός

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎חֹתֵן‎ verbal noun 1. masculine wife's father (Arabic a circumciser, hence father-in-law, with reference to circumcision performed on young men just before marriage; relation on wife's side; see We^{Prol. 1886, 355 Anm, 1; Skizzen iii, 154} Sta^{ZAW 1886. 143 Aum.} Nö^{ZMG 1886, 187}; otherwise Dl^{Pr 91} Lag^{BN 116}) — construct ‎חֹתֵן‎ Exod 18:1 + 9t., ‎חֹתֶנְךָ‎ Exod 18:6, ‎חֹתְנוֺ‎ Exod 3:1+ 9 t.; — usually of Moses' wife's father Exod 3:1; Exod 4:18; Exod 18:1; Exod 18:2; Exod 18:5; Exod 18:6; Exod 18:7; Exod 18:8; Exod 18:12 (twice in verse); Exod 18:14; Exod 18:15; Exod 18:17; Exod 18:24; Exod 18:27 (all E), Num 10:29 (J), Judg 1:16; Judg 4:11 of a Levite Judg 19:4; Judg 19:7; Judg 19:9.

2. feminine wife's mother, only suffix ‎חֹתַנְתּוֺ‎ Deut 27:23.

II. ‎חתן‎ verb denominative only Hithpa`el make oneself a daughter's husband (Late Hebrew Hithpa`el id., Aramaic Ithpa`al id.) — Perfect 2 masculine plural ‎וְהִתְחַתַּנְתֶּם‎ consecutive Josh 23:12 Imperfect ‎וַיִּתְחַתֵּן‎ 1Kgs 3:1; 2Chr 18:1 2 masculine ‎תִּתְחַתֵּן‎ Deut 7:3; 1Sam 18:21 Imperative ‎הִתְחַתֵּן‎ 1Sam 18:22, ‎הִתְחַתְּנוּ‎ Gen 34:9 Infinitive ‎הִתְחַתֵּן‎ 1Sam 18:23 + 3 t.; —

1. make oneself daughter's husband (son-in-law) to, with ‎בְּ‎ 1Sam 18:21; 1Sam 18:22; 1Sam 18:23; 1Sam 18:26; 1Sam 18:27 with ‎אֶת‎ 1Kgs 3:1; Gen 34:9 (P); with ‎לְ‎ 2Chr 18:1, of marriage of Jehoshaphat's son and Ahab's daughter (compare 2Kgs 8:18 = 2Chr 21:6).

2. in general form marriage-alliance with, with ‎בְּ‎ Deut 7:3; Josh 23:12 (D), Ezra 9:14.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References