Bible Word Study
עֵיטָם
ʻÊyṭâm · Etam, a place in Palestine
עֵיטָם
Etam, a place in Palestine
Definition
Etam (עֵיטָם) is a proper noun referring to a place name in ancient Palestine. It appears in two distinct contexts: as a location in the territory of Judah (1 Chronicles 4:3, 4:32) and as a site in the tribal territory of Simeon (2 Chronicles 11:6). Most notably, it is associated with Samson, who went to the 'rock of Etam' after striking down the Philistines (Judges 15:8, 15:11). The name likely describes the geographical character of the location.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a place name in historical and geographical contexts. It appears in the book of Judges in the narrative of Samson's conflict with the Philistines (Judges 15:8, 15:11). It is also listed among the towns and settlements of the tribes of Judah and Simeon in the genealogical and administrative records of 1 Chronicles (4:3, 4:32) and in the account of King Rehoboam's fortified cities in 2 Chronicles 11:6.
Etymology
The name Etam derives from the Hebrew root עַיִט (H5861, 'ayiṭ), meaning 'bird of prey,' 'hawk,' or 'vulture.' Therefore, עֵיטָם likely means 'place of birds of prey' or 'hawk-ground,' suggesting a rocky, elevated, or desolate area where such birds would nest or be commonly seen. This fits the description of the 'rock of Etam' where Samson took refuge.
Semantic Range
While primarily a geographical marker, Etam is significant in the Samson narrative (Judges 15) as a place of refuge and divine provision. After Samson's act of judgment against the Philistines, he retreats to the rock of Etam, where God later provides water for him (Judges 15:18-19). This connects the location to themes of God's sustaining power for His deliverers, even in desolate places, and highlights how God uses specific locations within the promised land as stages for His redemptive acts. In the ancient Near East, place names were often descriptive of a location's physical features. A name meaning 'hawk-ground' would immediately convey to an ancient Israelite that this was a rugged, perhaps isolated, rocky outcrop—a fitting place for refuge or a stronghold. This understanding enriches the reading of Judges 15, where Samson's choice of Etam as a hiding place makes practical sense. No direct synonyms as a proper place name. For related geographical terms: סֶלַע (sela', H5553) — 'rock, cliff,' the specific feature Samson used at Etam; עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — 'city, town,' a more general term for a settled location.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]