Etam

2 definitions found

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Etam
     eyrie. (1.) A village of the tribe of Simeon (1 Chr. 4:32). Into
     some cleft ("top," A.V.,; R.V., "cleft") of a rock here Samson
     retired after his slaughter of the Philistines (Judg. 15:8, 11).
     It was a natural stronghold. It has been identified with Beit
     'Atab, west of Bethlehem, near Zorah and Eshtaol. On the crest


     of a rocky knoll, under the village, is a long tunnel, which may
     be the "cleft" in which Samson hid.
     
       (2.) A city of Judah, fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chr. 11:6). It
     was near Bethlehem and Tekoah, and some distance apparently to
     the north of (1). It seems to have been in the district called
     Nephtoah (or Netophah), where were the sources of the water from
     which Solomon's gardens and pleasure-grounds and pools, as well
     as Bethlehem and the temple, were supplied. It is now 'Ain
     'Atan, at the head of the Wady Urtas, a fountain sending forth a
     copious supply of pure water.
     

From Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's) [hitchcock]:

  Etam, their bird, their covering