Lexical Summary eshtonah or eshton: Eshtonah or Eshton Original Word: עֶשְׁתֹּנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance thought From ashath; thinking -- thought. see HEBREW ashath NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ashath Definition thought NASB Translation thoughts (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [עֶשְׁתֹּנָה] noun feminine id. (Aramaic: ᵑ6 עֶשְׁתּוֺנִין; construct עשׁתוני Ecclus 3:24); **< [עֶשְׁתּוֺן] Margolis (privately). — plural suffix אָֽבְדוּ עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָיו Psalm 146:4. Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Context עֶשְׁתֹּנָה surfaces only once in Scripture, in Psalm 146:4. The psalm contrasts the fleeting help of “princes” with the steadfast faithfulness of the Lord. The term is rendered “plans” in the Berean Standard Bible: “When his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish.” The verse sits within a wisdom-style call to trust Yahweh alone (Psalm 146:3-5). Theological Themes 1. Human Frailty. The sudden collapse of עֶשְׁתֹּנָה underscores humanity’s dependence on God for both breath and purpose (Genesis 2:7; Job 34:14-15). Comparison with Other Scriptural Terms for Inner Deliberation • מַחֲשֶׁבֶת (makhăshevet, “thought, intention”) appears frequently (e.g., Jeremiah 29:11). עֶשְׁתֹּנָה adds a poetic nuance: plans inseparably tied to the breath that conceives them. Human Mortality and the Transience of Planning The imagery of spirit departing and return to dust recalls “for dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Every earthly agenda stops at death’s door, yet God’s purposes advance undiminished (Psalm 33:10-11). The psalm thus functions as a corrective to overconfidence, steering readers toward eternal priorities. Implications for Faith and Worship • Worship: Psalm 146 opens and closes with “Hallelujah,” framing the lesson about failed plans within praise. Adoration arises not from human achievement but from God’s reliability. Pastoral and Homiletical Applications Funeral services frequently draw on Psalm 146:4 to highlight the brevity of life and the hope found in the living God. Preachers can: 1. Contrast temporary human agendas with the eternal gospel plan (Ephesians 1:9-10). Christological and Eschatological Connections In the incarnation, Christ experienced human breath and mortality (Luke 23:46), yet His resurrection proved that God’s redemptive plan cannot perish (Acts 2:23-24). The same contrast reappears eschatologically: earthly kingdoms fade, but “the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ … will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). Practical Discipleship • Daily planning should begin with surrender—“If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:15). Summary עֶשְׁתֹּנָה, though appearing only in Psalm 146:4, powerfully illustrates the perishability of human designs when detached from God. Its solitary occurrence amplifies a universal truth: human breath and human plans share the same expiration date. The word summons believers to replace fragile self-reliance with robust trust in the Lord, whose counsel stands forever and whose faithfulness secures every promise. Forms and Transliterations עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָֽיו׃ עשתנתיו׃ ‘eš·tō·nō·ṯāw ‘eštōnōṯāw eshtonoTavLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 146:4 HEB: הַ֝ה֗וּא אָבְד֥וּ עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָֽיו׃ NAS: In that very day his thoughts perish. KJV: in that very day his thoughts perish. INT: he perish his thoughts 1 Occurrence |
    |