עֶשְׁתֹּנָה (esh.to.nah)
esh.to.nah
thought
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun eshtoṯnā, appearing only once in the Bible, translates simply as "thought." Its sole occurrence is found in Psalm 146:4, where it describes the mental state of a person who has died. The verse notes that on that day, their plans and reflections cease entirely, returning to the earth from which they came.
This rare word highlights the biblical view of death not as a continuation of consciousness, but as a cessation of human agency and reflection. By using this specific term for "thought," the psalmist emphasizes the finality of earthly life. The focus shifts from the individual’s internal world to the eternal nature of God, who remains faithful forever.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word eshtoṯnā appears just once in Scripture, in Psalm 146:4. It refers to the thoughts and plans of a person who has died. The psalmist uses this rare term to show that earthly life ends when we return to the dust. Our minds stop working, and our human agency ceases.
This reality helps us focus on God, who remains faithful forever. Unlike humans, He does not lose His power or memory. We can trust Him with our future, knowing that our hopes rest in His eternal nature, not in our own fleeting plans.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- plans/ his1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָֽי/ו\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 146:4
His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish.
This verse uses eshtoṯnā to emphasize the finality of death, showing that human thoughts and plans perish when life ends.