Lexical Summary Ether: Ether Original Word: עֶתֶר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Ether From athar; abundance; Ether, a place in Palestine -- Ether. see HEBREW athar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originperhaps from athar Definition perhaps "abundance," a place in Judah NASB Translation Ether (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs עֶ֫תֶר proper name, of a location (√ dubious); — in Judah Joshua 15:42 ( Ιθακ; A ᵐ5L Αθερ), in Simeon Joshua 19:7 (Ιεθερ; in both followed by עָשָׁן); perhaps = עֲתָךְ q. v.; perhaps (ConderSurvey iii. 261) 'Atr, approximately 2 miles northwest of Beit Jibrin (compare GASmGeogr., Map). III. עתר (√of following) Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrences Joshua 15:42 places Ether among the “nine cities with their villages” allotted to Judah’s tribe in the Shephelah: “Libnah, Ether, and Ashan—nine cities with their villages”. Later, Joshua 19:7 records Ether transferred to Simeon: “Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—four cities and their villages”. The shift reflects the divine directive that Simeon’s inheritance lie “within the portion of Judah” (Joshua 19:1), a detail that expresses both the sufficiency of Judah’s territory and the covenant principle that every tribe would receive its appointed share. Historical and Geographical Setting Ether lay in the low hill country southwest of Hebron, part of the agricultural belt known as the Shephelah. Ancient roadways linked these foothill towns with Philistine coastal centers to the west and Judean highlands to the east. Modern identifications often point to Khirbet el-‘Atr or nearby ruins overlooking the Wadi el-Ghweir—sites marked by cisterns, terrace walls, and pottery from Iron Age II, confirming occupation during the period of the Judges and early Monarchy. Tribal Allocation and Covenant Fulfillment 1. Judah received extensive territory in keeping with Jacob’s prophetic blessing (Genesis 49:8-12). Ether’s inclusion illustrates the breadth of that promise. Later History and Possible Developments Though Ether fades from the biblical record after Joshua, Chronicles hints that Simeonites later migrated “to the entrance of Gedor” and further south because “they found rich, good pasture” (1 Chronicles 4:39-41). Ether’s omission in that later list suggests either depopulation or absorption into Judahite administration—an eventuality consistent with the post-exilic absence of a distinct Simeonite identity (compare Nehemiah 11). Archaeological surveys in the western Negev reveal numerous small Judean sites abandoned during the Assyrian and Babylonian incursions, providing a plausible context for Ether’s disappearance. Spiritual and Theological Insights • God values seemingly minor places. Ether never hosts a prophet or a king, yet its precise location is recorded twice, affirming the meticulous nature of divine providence. Lessons for Ministry Today 1. Shepherd overlooked communities. Ether reminds church leaders not to neglect smaller towns or congregations; gospel investment in out-of-the-way places accords with the Lord’s heart (Matthew 18:12-14). Key Cross-References Genesis 49:7; Genesis 49:8-12; Joshua 15:20-42; Joshua 19:1-9; 1 Chronicles 4:39-41; 1 Peter 1:4; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13. Forms and Transliterations וָעֶ֖תֶר וָעֶ֣תֶר ועתר vaEter wā‘eṯer wā·‘e·ṯerLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:42 HEB: לִבְנָ֥ה וָעֶ֖תֶר וְעָשָֽׁן׃ NAS: Libnah and Ether and Ashan, KJV: Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan, INT: Libnah and Ether and Ashan Joshua 19:7 2 Occurrences |
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