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"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
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…