H0386 H0386
Enduring, ever-flowing, permanent; as a noun: strength, firmness, or a mighty/enduring one.
An adjective built on an elative pattern (comparable to the Arabic superlative), conveying the idea of something that never ceases or yields. It most famously describes the ever-flowing wadi in Amos 5:24 — 'Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.' In Gen 49:24, Jacob blesses Joseph with a bow that remains 'in strength,' using the abstract noun sense. The month name 'Ethanim' (1 Kgs 8:2) preserves the word as a seasonal marker for October-November, the month of perennial streams after the early rains.
Senses
1. enduring, firm, permanent — Strong, firm, enduring, permanent in a general adjectival sense. Applied to a nation that is ancient and mighty (Jer 5:15), to a nest set in rock that seems unassailable (Num 24:21), and to suffering described as hard or constant (Job 33:19). Spanish uses both 'firme' and 'constante,' while French offers 'durable,' reflecting the range from physical hardness to abstract permanence. Prov 13:15 extends this to the unyielding way of the treacherous. 6×
AR["دائِمٌ","دَائِمٍ","صَعْبَةٌ","عَتِيدَةٌ","مَتِينٌ","مَنِيعٍ"]·ben["কঠিন","দৃঢ়","শক্ত","শক্তিশালী","শাশ্বতের","স্থায়ীর"]·DE["[איתן]","[אתן]","bestaendig","enduring"]·EN["constant","enduring","is-their-ruin","permanence"]·FR["durable","enduring","איתן","אתן"]·heb["איתן"]·HI["कठोर","दृढ़-की","निरंतर","मज़बूत","शक्तिशाली"]·ID["keras","kuat","yang-kuat","yang-subur"]·IT["constant","duraturo","enduring","è-loro-ruin"]·jav["Kukuh","ingkang-kiyat","keras","kiyat"]·KO["거칠다","견고하다","견고한","굳세다"]·PT["Firme","antiga","constante","perene","permanente"]·RU["крепкое","могущественный","неизменен","постоянным","прочно"]·ES["constante","duro","firme","permanente","robusta"]·SW["imara","lenye-nguvu","nguvu","ni-ngumu"]·TR["güçlü","güçlü'nün","kalıcıdır","sağlam","sürekli"]·urd["سخت-ہے","مسلسل","مضبوط","ہرا-بھرا","ہمیشہ-کی"]
2. ever-flowing, perennial — Ever-flowing, perennial — describing a stream or wadi that does not dry up in summer. In Deut 21:4, the heifer ritual requires a נַחַל אֵיתָן, a wadi with running water, and Ps 74:15 speaks of rivers of steady flow. The most celebrated use is Amos 5:24, where justice should be like an ever-flowing stream. Spanish 'perenne' and the French 'éternel' both capture the sense of water that never fails. 3×
AR["دائِمٍ","دائِمَةً","دَائِمٍ"]·ben["চিরপ্রবাহী","চিরস্থায়ী","শক্তিশালী।"]·DE["[איתן]","je-flowing"]·EN["ever-flowing"]·FR["[איתן]","ever-coulant","éternel"]·heb["איתן"]·HI["एतान","बारहमासी।"]·ID["yang-deras","yang-mengalir-terus","yang-selalu-mengalir"]·IT["[איתן]","mai-fluente"]·jav["ingkang-mlampah-salaminipun","ingkang-terus-mili","kang-boten-asat"]·KO["마르지-않는","흘르는"]·PT["perene","perenes","água-corrente"]·RU["могучие","неиссякающий","непересыхающую"]·ES["aguas-perennes","perenne","perennes"]·SW["lenye-maji","usiokoma","yenye-nguvu"]·TR["sürekli-akan"]·urd["بہتی-ہوئی","بہتے-والے","کبھی-نہ-ختم-ہونے-والے"]
3. enduring ones, mighty ones — Used as a substantive to denote enduring foundations or mighty persons. In Job 12:19 God leads away 'the mighty ones,' stripping established power; in Mic 6:2 the mountains and enduring foundations of the earth are called to hear God's case. The plural form אֵיתָנִים shifts from describing a quality to naming the bearers of that quality — those things which have stood firm from ancient times. 2×
AR["وَالأَسَاسَاتِ","وَالأَعِزّاءَ"]·ben["এবং-অচল","এবং-শক্তিশালীদের"]·DE["[ואתנים]","[והאתנים]"]·EN["and-mighty-ones","and-the-enduring-ones"]·FR["et-les-fondements","et-ואתנים"]·heb["ו-איתנים","ו-ה-איתנים"]·HI["और-चट्टानो","और-शक्तिशालों-को"]·ID["dan-yang-kekal","dan-yang-kuat"]·IT["[והאתנים]","e-e-mighty-ones"]·jav["lan-ingkang-mboten-ewah","lan-ingkang-santosa"]·KO["그리고-강한-자들-을","그리고-영원한-것들아"]·PT["e-fortes","e-os-perenes"]·RU["и-непоколебимые","и-сильных"]·ES["y-a-los-poderosos","y-los-eternos"]·SW["na-misingi-ya-kudumu-ya","na-wenye-nguvu"]·TR["ve-güçlüler-o","ve-güçlüleri"]·urd["اور-طاقتوروں-کو","اور-مضبوط"]
4. strength, firmness — Abstract noun sense meaning strength or firmness, typically governed by a preposition. In Gen 49:24, Joseph's bow remains בְּאֵיתָן — 'in strength' — describing the resilient power of his arms. In Exod 14:27, the sea returns לְאֵיתָנוֹ — 'to its normal force' — as the waters snap back to their natural, steady state after the crossing. Spanish 'en firmeza' and 'a su fuerza' preserve the prepositional construction. 2×
AR["إِلَى-قُوَّتِهِ","فِي-قُوَّةٍ"]·ben["তার-স্থানে","শক্তিতে"]·DE["in-Stärke","zu-sein-Staerke"]·EN["in-strength","to-its-strength"]·FR["dans-force","à-son-force"]·heb["ב-איתן","ל-איתנו"]·HI["में-दृढ़ता","शक्ति-अपनी-में"]·ID["dalam-kekuatan","ke-keadaannya-semula"]·IT["a-suo-forza","in-forza"]·jav["dhateng-kekiyatan-ipun","wonten-kukuh"]·KO["그의-힘으로","에-견고함으로"]·PT["em-firmeza","para-sua-força,"]·RU["в-крепости","к-силе-своей"]·ES["a-su-fuerza","en-firmeza"]·SW["na-imara","nguvu-yake"]·TR["gücüne","sağlam"]·urd["جگہ-اپنی-پر","مضبوط-میں"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. אֵיתָן, אֵתָן adj. perennial, ever-flowing, fig. permanent, as subst. steady flow, permanence;—abs. אֵיתָן Gn 49:24 + 8 times; אֵתָן Jb 33:19; sf. אֵיתָנוֹ Ex 14:27; pl. אֵיתָנִים Jb 12:19; אֵתָנִים 1 K 8:2 Mi 6:2; (in form, an ‘elative,’ Ew§ 162 b = Arabic compar. and superl.;— 1. 3 (opp. אַכְזָב), נַחַל אֵיתָן Am 5:24 an 3 wādy, Dt 21:4 (v. Dr); as subst. in נַהֲרוֹת אֵיתָן ψ 74:15 rivers…