STRONGS NUMBER H386

H386. ethan

I. אֵתָן אֵיתָן,‎ adjective perennial, ever-flowing, figurative permanent, as substantive steady flow, permanence; — absolute אֵיתָן‎ Genesis 49:24 8t.; אֵתָן‎ Job 33:19; suffix אֵיתָנוֺ‎ Exodus 14:27; plural אֵיתָנִים‎ Job 12:19; אֵתָנִים‎ 1 Kings 8:2; Micah 6:2; (in form, an 'elative,' Ew^{§ 162 b} = Arabic comparative and superlative); —

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

2 figurative permanent, enduring הוּא אֵיתָן גּוֺי‎ Jeremiah 5:15, i.e. a nation whose numbers never dwindle or fail, imperishable, א עֲצָמָיו ׳וְרִיב‎ Job 33:19 Kt the strife of his bones is constant, Genesis 49:24 his bow abode ׳בְּא‎ as an enduring, firm, one, ׳א מוֺשָֽׁבְךָ‎ Numbers 24:21 ("" בַּסֶּלַע שִׂים‎), אֵיתָן נְוֵה‎ Jeremiah 49:19 = 50:44 an abode of permanency (of Edom, and Babylon, suddenly depopulated by foe, figured as lion); ארץ מוסדי האיתנים‎ Micah 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).