---
title: אֵיתָן — perennial · The Tanakh dictionary
description: אֵיתָן (386), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 13 times: perennial. BDB 1906: adj. perennial, ever-flowing, permanent steady flow, permanence. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# אֵיתָן

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«אֵיתָן» in the Tanakh dictionary: **perennial** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 13 times · **Key:** 386 · **BDB:** אֵיתָן²

### Glosses

\[is\].enduring (2); ever-flowing (2); of.an.ever-flowing.\[stream\] (2)

### Meaning (OSHB)

perennial [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1488/386/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

adj. perennial, ever-flowing, permanent steady flow, permanence [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1488/386/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** 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.;— 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 of steady flow; as subst. also Ex 14:27 (J), the sea returned לְאֵיתָנוֹ to its steady flow, יֶרַח הָאֵיתָנִים 1 K 8:2 month of steady flowings = 7th mo., Oct.–Nov. (post-Bibl Tisri). fig. permanent, enduring גּוֹי אֵיתָן הוּא Je 5;15, i. e. a nation whose numbers never dwindle or fail, imperishable, וְרִיב עֲצָמָיו א׳ Jb 33:19 Kt the strife of his bones is constant, Gn 49:24 his bow abode בְּא׳ as an enduring, firm, one, א׳ מוֹשָֽׁבְךָ Nu 24:21 (‖ שִׂים בַּסֶּלַע), נְוֵה אֵיתָן Je 49:19 = 50:44 an abode of permanency (of Edom, and Babylon, suddenly depopulated by foe, figured as lion); האיתנים מוסדי ארץ Mi 6:2 ye ever-enduring ones, the foundations of the earth (but read prob. with We הַאֲזִינוּ), Jb 12:19 אֵיתָנִים יְסַלֵּף he subverteth them that are firmly seated (i.e. men established in hereditary offices or dignities). Very uncertain is Pr 13:15 דֶּרֶךְ בֹּגְדִים אֵיתָן, perhaps firm, hard, rugged (Ew De Hi Now: according to Str. the text is corrupt).

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 12 of its verses cited, 3 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (10 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 0 with the glosses (5 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «אֵיתָן» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1488/386/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Job 12:19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/JOB.12.19/)

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מוֹלִ֣יךְ כֹּהֲנִ֣ים שׁוֹלָ֑ל וְאֵֽתָנִ֣ים יְסַלֵּֽף׃

*Word for word:* \[he.is\].leading.away priests barefoot and.\[people\] long.established he.subverts

*JPS 1917:* He leadeth priests away stripped, and overthroweth the mighty.

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[Proverbs 13:15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PRO.13.15/)

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שֵֽׂכֶל־ט֭וֹב יִתֶּן־חֵ֑ן וְדֶ֖רֶךְ בֹּגְדִ֣ים אֵיתָֽן׃

*Word for word:* insight good it.gives favor and.\[the\] way of.\[those.who\].act.treacherously \[is\].enduring

*JPS 1917:* Good understanding giveth grace; but the way of the faithless is harsh.

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