NATANIA (Hebr. Nethanjah and Nethanjahu = “gift of Jahweh”). — Name of five Israelites. 1. Son of Elisama (Jer. 41:1) and father of Ismael, the slayer of Godolias (II Reg. 25:23, 25; Jer. 40:8, 14 ff.; 41:1-18); he belonged to a royal family, of the tribe of Judah. 2. Son of Salathiel, one of the ancestors of Judith (Iud. 8:1, Vulgate); in the Septuagint he is called Nathanael. 3. Son of Selemia and father of Iudi, among the princes of Judah (Jer. 36:14). 4. Third son of Asaph, a musician in the Temple, contemporary with David; he was head of the fifth division (I Par. 25:2, 12). 5. One of the Levites sent by King Iosaphat, together with two priests and five princes, to the cities of Judah to instruct the people in the Law (II Par. 17:8).
BIBL.: M. Sales, La S. Bibbia, Vecchio Testamento, III, Torino 1924, pp. 235 ff., 310 ff., 364 ff.; IV, ivi 1933, p. 164 ff.; A. Pohl, Historia populi Israel, Roma 1933, p. 161.