Encyclopedia entry
Etam
Disambiguation
The source enumerates 2 distinct subjects under Etam. Jump to one below, or read in order.
Eyrie.
Etam (1)
#A village of the tribe of Simeon (1 Chr. 4:32). Into some cleft (“top,” A.V.,; R.V., “cleft”) of a rock here Samson retired after his slaughter of the Philistines (Judg. 15:8, 11). It was a natural stronghold. It has been identified with Beit ’Atab, west of Bethlehem, near Zorah and Eshtaol. On the crest of a rocky knoll, under the village, is a long tunnel, which may be the “cleft” in which Samson hid.
Etam (2)
#A city of Judah, fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chr. 11:6). It was near Bethlehem and Tekoah, and some distance apparently to the north of (1). It seems to have been in the district called Nephtoah (or Netophah), where were the sources of the water from which Solomon’s gardens and pleasure-grounds and pools, as well as Bethlehem and the temple, were supplied. It is now ‘Ain ’Atan, at the head of the Wady Urtas, a fountain sending forth a copious supply of pure water.
Also from Smith's (1884) +−
(lair of wild beasts).
A village of the tribe of Simeon, specified only in the list in (1 Chronicles 4:32) comp. Josh 19:7 A place in Judah, fortified and garrisoned by Rehoboam. (2 Chronicles 11:6) Here, according to the statements of Josephus and the Talmudists, were the sources of the water from which Solomon’s gardens and the pleasure-grounds were fed, and Bethlehem and the temple supplied.
In the Bible
5
Verses where Etam is named. Berean Standard Bible (public domain).
- 1 Chronicles 4:3
These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. And their sister was named Hazzelelponi.
- 1 Chronicles 4:32
And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan—five towns—
- 2 Chronicles 11:6
He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
- Judges 15:8
And he struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter, and then went down and stayed in the cave at the rock of Etam.
- Judges 15:11
In response, three thousand men of Judah went to the cave at the rock of Etam, and they asked Samson, “Do you not realize that the Philistines rule over us? What have you done to us?” “I have done to them what they did to me,” he replied.
Scripture on Etam
4
Entries that reference Etam
8
See all 8 +−
Etam references
14
Voices on Etam
1
Surfaced by name match — accuracy varies by title clarity.
Sources · Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869) · Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884)
Public-domain text. Modernized only where archaic spelling impedes reading; original facts preserved. Verify against an authoritative modern reference before quoting.