Bible Encyclopedias
Etam

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ē´tam עיטם , ‛ēṭam ; Codex Alexandrinus, Απάν , Apán , Codex Vaticanus, Αἰτάν , Aitán ):

(1) Mentioned in Septuagint along with Tekoa, Bethlehem and Phagor (Joshua 15:59 ). In 2 Chronicles 11:6 it occurs, between Bethlehem and Tekoa, as one of the cities built "for defense in Judah" by Rehoboam. Josephus writes that "there was a certain place, about 50 furlongs distant from Jerusalem which is called Ethan, very pleasant it is in fine gardens and abounding in rivulets of water; whither he (Solomon) used to go out in the morning" ( Ant. , VIII, vii, 3). Mention of ‛Ain ‛Aitān , which is described as the most elevated place in Palestine, occurs in the Talmud (Zebhāḥı̄m 54b ), and in the Jer. Talmud (Yōmā ) 3 fol 41) it is mentioned that a conduit ran from ‛Atān to the Temple.

The evidence all points to ‛Ain ‛Atān , the lowest of the springs supplying the aqueduct running to Solomon's pools. The gardens of Solomon may very well - by tradition, at any rate - have been in the fertile valley below ‛Urtas . The site of the ancient town Etam is rather to be looked for on an isolated hill, with ancient remains, a little to the East of ‛Ain ‛Atān . 1 Chronicles 4:3 may also have reference to this Etam.

(2) A town assigned to Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:32 ). Mentioned with EN-RIMMON (which see), identified by Conder with Khurbet ‛Aiṭūn in the hills Northwest of Beersheba.

(3) The rock of Etam , where Samson took up his dwelling after smiting the Philistines "hip and thigh with a great slaughter" (Judges 15:8 , Judges 15:11 ), was in Judah but apparently in the low hill country (same place) . The rocky hill on which lies the village of Beit ‛Atab , near Sur‛ah (Zorah), was suggested by Conder, but unless (3) is really identical width (1), which is quite possible, the cavern known as ‛Arak Isma‛in , described by Hanauer (PEFS , 1886, 25), suits the requirements of the story better. The cavern, high up on the northern cliffs of the Wady Isma‛in , is a noticeable object from the railway as the train enters the gorge.