Lexical Summary Etham: Etham Original Word: אֵתָם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Etham Of Egyptian derivation; Etham, a place in the Desert -- Etham. Brown-Driver-Briggs אֵתָם proper name, of a location (perhaps = Egyptian Chetem, compare EbGS 521 f. but ᵐ5 Ὀθομ, Ὀθωμ, compare LagBN 54) Exodus 13:20 in Egypt, place on edge of desert, so Numbers 33:6,7; אִדְבַּר אֵתָם Numbers 33:8. אַתֶּם see below אנת. אֶתְמוֺל see below תמל. אתן (meaning ? Thes compares Arabic Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Etham is identified in Scripture as “on the edge of the wilderness” (Exodus 13:20), evidently lying at the eastern frontier of Egypt where cultivated land gives way to the desert expanse that stretches toward the Red Sea and the Sinai Peninsula. Its precise modern location remains debated, yet the biblical data place it near the traditional caravan and military routes skirting the northern shore of the Gulf of Suez. Etham thus marks a strategic threshold between the security of Egypt and the desolation—and dependence upon God—of the wilderness. Role in the Exodus Itinerary 1. Departure Point from Egypt – After the Passover night, Israel left Succoth and “camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness” (Exodus 13:20). Here the nation paused before plunging into unknown terrain, underscoring the radical transition from bondage to pilgrimage. Theological Themes Deliverance and Guidance – Etham stands where God’s presence became visibly manifest: “The LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night” (Exodus 13:21). The location thus symbolizes divine leadership initiating the nation’s journey. Testing and Dependence – Situated at the brink of arid wasteland, Etham confronts Israel with the need to trust God for sustenance beyond the reach of Egyptian resources. It prefigures the larger wilderness motif of trial that produces faith (Deuteronomy 8:2–3). Strategic Providence – The detour from Etham to Pi-hahiroth illustrates God’s sovereign choreography of events for His glory: “I will gain glory for Myself through Pharaoh and all his army” (Exodus 14:4). What appeared tactically unsound became the means of decisive victory. Typological and Prophetic Reflections Etham foreshadows the believer’s passage from the domain of sin to the life of faith. As Israel camped between deliverance (Passover) and testing (wilderness), so Christians stand between justification and sanctification, led by the Spirit rather than reverting to the former slavery (Galatians 5:1, 18). The double mention of Etham before and after the sea anticipates baptism imagery—death to the old life and emergence into newness under divine guidance (1 Corinthians 10:1–2). Lessons for Ministry and Discipleship 1. Transitional Moments – Congregations often dwell at figurative Ethams when embarking on new directions. Like Moses, leaders must discern God’s cloud-and-fire guidance rather than rely on conventional strategy. Historical Legacy Early Christian pilgrims sought Etham as part of the Exodus route, though exact identification proved elusive. Patristic writers used Etham to illustrate the Church’s exodus from worldly systems. Modern scholarship continues to examine possible sites—Tell el-Maskhuta, Wadi Tumilat, or desert plateaus east of the Bitter Lakes—yet the spiritual import transcends geographical precision. Summary Etham occupies a modest textual footprint yet exerts substantial narrative weight. As the borderland encampment, it frames the dramatic transition from Egypt to wilderness, from human bondage to divine tutelage. Through Etham God reveals Himself as Guide, Defender, and Strategist, inviting every generation of His people to venture beyond the margins of self-reliance into the life of faith. Forms and Transliterations אֵתָ֔ם אתם בְאֵתָ֔ם באתם מֵֽאֵתָ֔ם מאתם ’ê·ṯām ’êṯām ḇə’êṯām ḇə·’ê·ṯām eTam mê’êṯām mê·’ê·ṯām meeTam veeTamLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 13:20 HEB: מִסֻּכֹּ֑ת וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ בְאֵתָ֔ם בִּקְצֵ֖ה הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃ NAS: and camped in Etham on the edge KJV: and encamped in Etham, in the edge INT: Succoth and camped Etham the edge of the wilderness Numbers 33:6 Numbers 33:7 Numbers 33:8 4 Occurrences |
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