Ethan (biblical figure)

For other uses, see Ethan (disambiguation).
Ethan (far right, in red robe), depicted in the Saint Mary Lutheran Church in Legnica

Ethan (Hebrew: אֵיתָן, Modern: ʾĒtan, Tiberian: ʾĒṯān, "Firm") the Ezrahite, is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Ethan was a boy at King David's court well known for his wisdom. He authored Psalms 89: this Psalm is entitled "a maschil or contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite". Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon theorised that this was the same person as Jeduthun.[1] Theologian John Gill refers to a Jewish tradition which identifies Ethan with Abraham, Heman with Moses, and Chalcol with Joseph.[2][3]

Ethan means strong and optimistic, solid and enduring, permanent. The name Ethan appears eight times in the Hebrew Bible (1 Kings 4:31, Psalm. 89 title, 1 Chronicles. 2:6 and 2:8, 1 Chronicles. 6:42 and 6:44, and 1 Chronicles. 15:17 and 15:19).

He was a standard of wisdom to whom King Solomon is compared favorably. Called there "Ethan the Ezrahite," to whom the title of Psalm 89 ascribes the authorship of that poem.[4]

A "son of Kishi" or "Kishaiah," of the Merarite branch of Levites, and also, with Heman and Asaph, placed by King David over the service of song (1 Chronicles 6:44; 1 Chronicles 15:17, 19).

An ancestor of Asaph of the Gershonite branch of the Levites (1 Chronicles 6:42).

  1. ^ Digitized by Liz-Ridolfo & Indexed by Valiant Sons Ministry (1885). CH Spurgeon, The Treasury Of David In One Volume.
  2. ^ Talmud Bavli Baba Batra14b and 16a
  3. ^ Hieron. Trad. Heb. in 2 Reg. fol. 80. 1, quoted in Gill, J., Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible on 1 Kings 4, accessed 25 September 2017
  4. ^ 1 Kings 4:31