STRONGS NUMBER H386


Word Summary
ethan: perennial, ever-flowing, permanence
Original Word: אֵיתָן
Transliteration: ethan
Phonetic Spelling: (ay-thawn')
Part of Speech: Adjective
Short Definition: perennial, ever-flowing, permanence
Meaning: perennial, ever-flowing, permanence
Strong's Concordance
hard, mighty, rough, strength, strong

Or (shortened) ethan {ay-thawn'}; from an unused root (meaning to continue); permanence; hence (concrete) permanent; specifically a chieftain -- hard, mighty, rough, strength, strong.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

H386. ethan

I. אֵתָן אֵיתָן,adjective perennial, ever-flowing, figurative permanent, as substantive steady flow, permanence; — absolute אֵיתָןGenesis 49:24 8t.; אֵתָןJob 33:19; suffix אֵיתָנוֺExodus 14:27; plural אֵיתָנִיםJob 12:19; אֵתָנִים1 Kings 8:2; Micah 6:2; (in form, an 'elative,' Ew§ 162 b = Arabic comparative and superlative); —

1 ever-flowing (opposed to אַכְזָב‎), אֵיתָן נַחַלAmos 5:24 an ever-flowing wady, Deuteronomy 21:4 (see Dr); as substantive in אֵיתָּן נַהֲרוֺתPsalm 74:15 rivers of steady flow; as substantive also Exodus 14:27 (J), the sea returned לְאֵיתָנוֺ‎ to its steady flow, הָאֵיתָנִים יֶרַת1 Kings 8:2 month of steady flowings = 7th mo., Oct.-;Nov. (post-Biblical Tisri).

2 figurative permanent, enduring הוּא אֵיתָן גּוֺיJeremiah 5:15, i.e. a nation whose numbers never dwindle or fail, imperishable, א עֲצָמָיו ׳וְרִיבJob 33:19 Kt the strife of his bones is constant, Genesis 49:24 his bow abode ׳בְּא‎ as an enduring, firm, one, ׳א מוֺשָֽׁבְךָNumbers 24:21 ("" בַּסֶּלַע שִׂים‎), אֵיתָן נְוֵהJeremiah 49:19 = 50:44 an abode of permanency (of Edom, and Babylon, suddenly depopulated by foe, figured as lion); ארץ מוסדי האיתניםMicah 6:2 ye ever-enduring ones, the foundations of the earth (but read probably with We הַאֲזִינוּ‎), Job 12:19 יְסַלֵּף אֵיתָנִים‎ he subverteth them that are firmly seated (i.e. men established in hereditary offices or dignities). Very uncertain is Proverbs 13:15 אֵיתָן בִּגְדִים דֶּרֶךְ‎, perhaps firm, hard, rugged (Ew De Hi Now according to Str. the text is corrupt).