Lexical Definition

‎עֶתֶר‎ ʻEther (eh'ther) Ether ^N:N--L
from ‎עָתַר‎; abundance

Ether.

• § Ether = "abundant"
• Ether, a place in Palestine

1) a town in the lowlands of Judah allotted to Simeon

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Also see: עֲתָךְ

‎עֶ֫תֶר‎ proper name, of a location (√ dubious); — in Judah Josh 15:42 ( Ιθακ; A ᵐ5^L Αθερ), in Simeon Josh 19:7 (Ιεθερ; in both followed by ‎עָשָׁן‎); perhaps = ‎עֲתָךְ‎ q. v.; perhaps (Conder^{Survey iii. 261}) 'Atr, approximately 2 miles northwest of Beit Jibrin (compare GASm^{Geogr., Map}).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Ether • City allotted to Judah and Simeon

Ether, a city allotted to the tribes of Judah and Simeon in the Shephelah region.

• A location near Ashnah אַשְׁנָה first mentioned at Jos.15.42;
• only referred to as Ether עֶתֶר.
  

Ether is mentioned in the Book of Joshua as a city that was allotted to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:42) and later given to the tribe of Simeon as part of their inheritance within Judah's territory (Joshua 19:7).

The city is listed among other cities in the Shephelah, the lowland region between the coastal plain and the Judean hills. In Joshua 15:42, Ether is mentioned alongside Libnah, Ashan, and Ashnah, while in Joshua 19:7, it is listed with Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen as part of Simeon's inheritance.

No other details about Ether are provided in the Bible, and its exact location is unknown. The Shephelah was known for its fertile soil and served as a buffer zone between the Israelites and the Philistines, who occupied the coastal plain.

The mention of Ether in the lists of cities allotted to Judah and Simeon helps to define the extent of their territories and provides insight into the geography of the region during the time of the Israelite conquest and settlement of Canaan.

All entries for Ether: עֶתֶר