אֶתְנַן
a gift (as the price of harlotry or idolatry)
Definition
The Hebrew noun אֶתְנַן (ʼethnan) refers specifically to a gift or payment given in exchange for sexual services, most often in the context of ritual or common prostitution. In its primary sense, it denotes the 'hire' or 'wages' paid to a prostitute (Deuteronomy 23:18). The prophets powerfully extend this concrete meaning into a spiritual metaphor: the payment or 'reward' given to Israel for its idolatrous 'harlotry'—that is, the material gain sought from alliances with foreign nations and their gods (Hosea 9:1, Ezekiel 16:31, 34). This dual usage—literal prostitution and metaphorical spiritual unfaithfulness—is central to its biblical meaning.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in prophetic and legal contexts condemning sexual and spiritual infidelity. It appears in the Law (Deuteronomy 23:18), forbidding bringing a prostitute's wages to God's house. The major usage is in the prophets (Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Micah), where it serves as a key metaphor. Isaiah 23:17-18 applies it to Tyre's mercantile gain, while Ezekiel 16 uses it repeatedly (verses 31, 34, 41) to describe Jerusalem's pursuit of idols and foreign alliances as prostitution. Hosea 9:1 and Micah 1:7 similarly condemn Israel for playing the harlot for idolatrous gain.
Etymology
The word is derived from the root נתן (natan), meaning 'to give.' It is essentially the same as its feminine counterpart אֶתְנָה (ʼetnah, H866), also meaning 'hire' or 'gift.' This connection to 'giving' highlights the transactional nature of the term—it is not a voluntary gift but a payment given for services rendered, which shapes its negative moral and spiritual connotations in the biblical text.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it encapsulates the biblical concept of covenant betrayal. By labeling idolatry and trust in foreign powers as spiritual prostitution for which Israel receives an 'ʼethnan,' the prophets vividly portray sin as a breach of the exclusive marriage covenant with Yahweh (e.g., Ezekiel 16). It transforms a commercial term into a powerful indictment of misplaced worship, where material gain becomes the 'wages' of infidelity. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by revealing the depth of God's jealousy for pure worship and the seriousness with which he views spiritual adultery.
In the ancient Near East, temple prostitution and common prostitution were realities. An 'ʼethnan' was the standard payment for such services. The biblical authors leverage this well-understood cultural transaction to communicate the gravity of Israel's actions: seeking security and prosperity from idols or foreign nations was not just political pragmatism; it was equivalent to a wife selling herself for payment, a profound violation of social and covenant norms.
שָׂכָר (sakar, H7939) — A more general term for wages or payment for labor, not inherently negative. מַתָּן (mattan, H4979) — A general word for a gift or present, usually voluntary and without the negative, transactional connotation of ʼethnan.
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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