דָּתָן

Definition of H1885: Dathan

A Reubenite chief who, with his brother Abiram, joined Korah’s infamous rebellion against Moses’ authority in the wilderness. His name possibly means “belonging to a fountain” or relates to “law/decree,” making his lawless rebellion deeply ironic. Dathan represents the tragic consequences of challenging God-appointed leadership.

What This Name Actually Means

The name Dathan (דָּתָן) carries fascinating layers of meaning that make his story even more striking. Most Hebrew scholars acknowledge the etymology is “of uncertain derivation,” but several compelling possibilities emerge from the ancient Near Eastern context.

One interpretation suggests Dathan means “belonging to a fountain,” which creates a powerful irony – here’s a man whose name connects him to life-giving water, yet he leads others into death through rebellion. Another possibility connects it to the foreign noun דת (dat), meaning “decree” or “well,” which makes his defiance of Moses’ God-given decrees particularly poignant.

Some sources relate the name to Hebrew concepts of “law” or “judgment,” making Dathan’s lawless rebellion against divine authority a tragic contradiction of his very identity.

Etymology Alert

The uncertainty around Dathan’s etymology isn’t unusual for ancient Semitic names. What’s fascinating is how each proposed meaning – fountain, decree, law, or judgment – creates dramatic irony with his rebellious actions. Sometimes Scripture’s silence on exact etymology invites us to see multiple layers of meaning.

How Scripture Uses This Name

Dathan appears in just a handful of verses, but each mention packs significant theological weight. His first appearance in Numbers 16:1 immediately associates him with rebellion: “Korah son of Izhar… conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab.”

The narrative consistently pairs Dathan with his brother Abiram, emphasizing how rebellion spreads through relationships and family systems. Together, they “were among the quarrelsome and seditious personages in Egypt and in the wilderness who sought, on every occasion, to” challenge Moses’ leadership.

Scripture records Dathan appearing 10 times in the NASB translation, always in contexts of rebellion, judgment, or historical remembrance of God’s justice.

Cultural Context

In ancient Israel, names weren’t just labels – they carried prophetic weight and family expectations. A man named “fountain” or “decree” would have been expected to bring life and order. Dathan’s rebellion wasn’t just personal failure; it was a betrayal of his very identity and calling.

The Word Behind the Word

The Hebrew construction of Dathan (דָּתָן) follows typical Semitic name patterns, likely containing a root concept plus a possessive or descriptive ending. The ן (-an) ending often indicates belonging or relationship in Hebrew names.

Interestingly, “the name is found in Assyrian, in the records of Shalmaneser II,” suggesting this wasn’t purely an Israelite name but had broader ancient Near Eastern usage. This external attestation helps confirm the historical reliability of the biblical narrative.

The root letters ד-ת (dalet-tav) appear in various Hebrew words related to law, decree, and established order – making Dathan’s disorder and rebellion particularly striking to ancient Hebrew readers.

Translation Challenge

Unlike action words or descriptive terms, proper names like Dathan rarely get translated – they’re simply transliterated. The challenge isn’t translation but interpretation: How do we help modern readers understand what this name would have meant to ancient audiences?

Why This Name Matters for Bible Study

Dathan’s story serves as Scripture’s case study in the devastating consequences of challenging God-appointed authority. Numbers 16:31 records the dramatic conclusion: “the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses.”

But Dathan represents more than individual rebellion – he embodies the human tendency to question God’s sovereignty when His ways don’t align with our expectations. The Reubenites felt overlooked for leadership positions, and rather than trusting God’s choices, they chose rebellion.

The rebellion reveals seven key causes: pride, jealousy, false accusations, democratic manipulation, religious pretense, family influence, and mob mentality. Dathan exemplifies how these destructive patterns work together.

“Dathan’s name may have meant ‘fountain,’ but his rebellion led others to drink from poisoned wells of pride and discontent.”

Where You’ll Find This Name

Primary passages where Dathan appears:

• Numbers 16:1 – The initial conspiracy with Korah and Abiram against Moses
• Numbers 16:12-15 – Dathan and Abiram’s refusal to come when Moses calls them
• Numbers 16:25-33 – The earth opens and swallows Dathan, his family, and possessions
• Numbers 26:9-10 – Historical reference to their rebellion and punishment
• Deuteronomy 11:6 – Moses reminds Israel of God’s judgment on Dathan and Abiram
• Psalm 106:17 – Poetic remembrance of how “the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan”

Notable translations across versions:

• ESV: Consistently renders as “Dathan”
• NIV: Consistently renders as “Dathan”
• NASB: Consistently renders as “Dathan”

Other translation options: As a proper name, Dathan is transliterated rather than translated across all major versions.

Related Names and Concepts

Associates in rebellion:

• H48 – Abiram – “father is exalted” – Dathan’s brother and partner in rebellion
• H7141 – Korah – “baldness/ice” – The Levite who led the overall rebellion
• H203 – On – “strength” – Another Reubenite conspirator who disappears from the narrative

Contrasting figures:

• H4872 – Moses – “drawn out” – The humble leader Dathan challenged
• H175 – Aaron – “mountain of strength” – The high priest Dathan questioned

Family connections:

• H446 – Eliab – “God is father” – Dathan and Abiram’s father
• H6396 – Pallu – “distinguished” – Their grandfather from the tribe of Reuben

Key Takeaway

Dathan’s tragic story reminds us that our names and callings mean nothing if we rebel against God’s authority. Whether his name meant “fountain,” “decree,” or “law,” Dathan became a source of death rather than life, chaos rather than order, lawlessness rather than justice. His legacy warns every generation: Question God’s ways with humility and trust, not pride and rebellion.

Dig Deeper

Internal Resources:

• Numbers 16:1-50 Study – Complete analysis of Korah’s rebellion
• H7141 – Korah lexicon entry – The Levite who led the rebellion
• H48 – Abiram lexicon entry – Dathan’s brother and fellow rebel

External Scholarly Resources:

• Blue Letter Bible entry – Comprehensive lexical data
• Bible Hub concordance – Usage examples and translations
• Abarim Publications name study – Etymology and cultural context
• Got Questions rebellion analysis – Theological significance of the rebellion
• Enduring Word commentary – Detailed verse-by-verse analysis

All external links open in new windows for continued study