אֶתְנָה
a present (as the price of harlotry)
Definition
The Hebrew noun אֶתְנָה (ʼethnâh) refers specifically to a gift or payment given in the context of prostitution. It denotes the 'price' or 'reward' paid to a prostitute for her services. In its sole biblical occurrence in Hosea 2:12, it is used metaphorically by God, who declares He will destroy the 'gifts' (אֶתְנָה) Israel received from her lovers, exposing them as the wages of spiritual adultery. The word carries a strong negative connotation, linking material gain directly to illicit sexual and spiritual unfaithfulness.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the prophetic book of Hosea. It appears in Hosea 2:12 within God's judicial speech against Israel, personified as an unfaithful wife. The context is entirely metaphorical, where the physical 'rewards' or payments from Israel's political alliances (her 'lovers') are condemned as the earnings of a harlot, symbolizing idolatry and covenant betrayal.
Etymology
Derived from the root תָּנָה (H8566), meaning 'to give, to repeat, or to recount.' אֶתְנָה is a noun form that specifically denotes 'a gift' or 'a present,' but its usage became specialized for a payment given in exchange for something, particularly in the context of prostitution. This semantic narrowing highlights the transactional nature of the gift.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it is central to the metaphor of covenant marriage in Hosea. It vividly portrays idolatry and reliance on foreign nations not merely as sin, but as spiritual prostitution where God's blessings are exchanged for hollow 'payments.' Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Hosea by clarifying that God condemns the very source of Israel's misplaced trust, exposing its tainted and degrading nature.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, payments to prostitutes were a recognized social and economic transaction. By using this term, the prophet Hosea taps into a well-understood cultural reality to shock his audience. The metaphor equates the nation's political treaties and the resulting material wealth (like grain, wine, and wool mentioned in the context) with morally and ritually defiling income, a powerful indictment of their foreign policy and religious syncretism.
שָׂכָר (sāḵār, H7939) — A more general term for wages or payment for labor, not inherently negative. מַתָּן (mattān, H4979) — A general word for a gift or present, typically without the connotation of payment for services.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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