עֵט (et)
et
stylus
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun et refers to a writing instrument, specifically a stylus used for inscribing text. In its most common biblical usage, it denotes an iron tool with a hard tip, likely diamond or hardened steel, designed to scratch words into durable surfaces like stone or metal tablets. This imagery appears prominently in Jeremiah 17:1, where the prophet describes sin being engraved on the heart of the people with such a stylus, emphasizing permanence and depth.
While less frequent, the term can also refer to a reed pen used for writing on scrolls, reflecting the variety of writing materials available in the ancient Near East. The word appears only three times in Scripture, primarily in Jeremiah and Job, always pointing to the physical act of recording something significant. Its presence highlights how biblical authors viewed written words not as fleeting thoughts, but as fixed records capable of enduring over time.
Understanding et helps readers appreciate the tangible nature of ancient communication. Whether scratching laws into stone or drafting letters on papyrus, the stylus was the bridge between thought and text. This concrete detail reminds us that Scripture itself was preserved through careful, deliberate human effort, guided by divine purpose, ensuring its message reached generations long after the ink dried.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word et describes a stylus, often made of iron or diamond, used to carve words into stone. In Jeremiah 17:1, this image shows how deeply sin can mark a person’s heart. It is not a surface scratch but an engraving that endures. This reminds us that our choices leave lasting marks on who we are.
Yet the same tool that records guilt also preserves God’s truth. When scribes used pens to copy Scripture, they relied on careful, deliberate effort. The Bible was not written in haste. It was crafted with care so its message would reach us today. We can trust that these words were kept safe through human hands guided by divine purpose.
Whether we are being shaped by our own actions or learning from ancient texts, the act of writing matters. It shows that what we value becomes part of our story. May we seek to have God’s wisdom engraved in our hearts, not just on stone, but in how we live each day.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with/ a stylus of2×
- a stylus of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עֵ֖ט1×
- בְּ/עֵט\־1×
- בְּ/עֵ֥ט1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 17:1
“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond. It is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars.
This verse uses the stylus imagery to show that sin is deeply ingrained in the heart, not just a surface mistake.
-
Job 19:24
That with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!
Job longs for his innocence to be carved permanently in stone, using the stylus as a symbol of enduring truth against his accusers.
-
Jeremiah 8:8
“‘How do you say, “We are wise, and Yahweh’s law is with us”? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has made that a lie.
Here the 'false pen' contrasts with true divine law, showing how human error can distort God’s words when not guided by truth.