Ethan (Hebrew Bible)

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For other uses, see Ethan.

Ethan (אֵיתָן "Firm", Standard Hebrew Etan or Eitan, Tiberian Hebrew ʾÊṯān) the Ezrahite, is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. It may be that Ethan was a cymbal-player in King David's court. He authored Psalm 89. Charles Spurgeon theorized that this was the same person as Jeduthun.

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

[edit] Teachings of Judaism

According to classical Jewish teachings in the Midrash, the name Eitan HaEzrachi in Psalm 89 refers to the Hebrew patriarch Abraham:

…Abraham,faith, self-nullification and love were etched indelibly on all subsequent Jewish souls and for them they longed for their great leader who god would name Ethan … [1]