אֶתְנַן (et.nan)
et.nan
wages
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun etnan literally means "wages" or "hire," but in Scripture it almost exclusively refers to the payment received by a prostitute. It appears only four times, concentrated in the prophetic books of Micah, Isaiah, and Hosea. The word carries a heavy moral weight, describing money earned through sexual immorality rather than honest labor.
What makes this term striking is its use as a metaphor for spiritual unfaithfulness. The prophets apply it to idolatrous Israel, Jerusalem, and even Tyre, suggesting that their worship of other gods was akin to paying for illicit sexual favors. This imagery highlights the transactional nature of their sin: they sought favor from false gods through rituals, just as one might pay a prostitute.
Translators typically render etnan as "wages of whoredom" or "prostitute's hire." The phrase underscores that such earnings are tainted and forbidden. By using this specific word, the prophets condemn not just the act of idolatry, but the mercenary spirit behind it—treating divine relationship as a commodity to be bought rather than a covenant to be honored.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word etnan refers specifically to wages earned by a prostitute. In the Old Testament, it is used as a sharp metaphor for idolatry. The prophets describe Israel’s worship of other gods as a transactional relationship, similar to paying for illicit sexual favors. This imagery highlights how spiritual unfaithfulness treats divine connection as a commodity rather than a covenant.
For your faith, this word serves as a sobering reminder that our relationship with God cannot be bought or sold. It calls us to examine our hearts for any hidden idols that might compete for our devotion. True worship is not about what we can gain from God, but about honoring Him in spirit and truth.
Even when sin leads to brokenness, there is hope. Isaiah 23:18 shows that even the wages of such unfaithfulness can eventually be made holy to the Lord. This points to God’s power to redeem and restore what has been tainted by sin, offering grace to those who turn back to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ hire/ its1×
- hire<s>/ its1×
- from/ [the] hire of1×
- and/ hire/ its1×
- [the] hire of a prostitute1×
- [the] hire of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מֵ/אֶתְנַ֤ן1×
- לְ/אֶתְנַנָּ֑/ה1×
- וְ/אֶתְנַנָּ֗/הּ1×
- אֶתְנָ֔ן1×
- אֶתְנַנֶּ֙י/הָ֙1×
- אֶתְנַ֥ן1×
Key Verses
-
Hosea 9:1
Don’t rejoice, Israel, to jubilation like the nations; for you were unfaithful to your God. You love the wages of a prostitute at every grain threshing floor.
This verse directly links the 'wages of a prostitute' to Israel’s unfaithfulness at grain threshing floors, illustrating how their idolatry was driven by transactional motives rather than genuine devotion.
-
Micah 1:7
All her idols will be beaten to pieces, all her temple gifts will be burned with fire, and I will destroy all her images; for of the hire of a prostitute has she gathered them, and to the hire of a prostitute shall they return.”
Here, Micah declares that the idols and temple gifts of Israel were gathered with prostitute’s hire, emphasizing that the very objects of their worship were tainted by mercenary sin.
-
Isaiah 23:18
Her merchandise and her wages will be holiness to Yahweh. It will not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise will be for those who dwell before Yahweh, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.
This verse offers a striking contrast by showing how even the 'wages' of Tyre’s unfaithfulness can be dedicated to Yahweh, demonstrating God’s ability to redeem what was once profane.