עֵטָא
𐤏𐤈𐤀
ʻêṭâʼ
H5843 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A quality or act of prudent thought, discernment, or wise counsel; the ability to make judicious decisions or provide sound advice, especially in complex or delicate matters. Used primarily in wisdom or advisory settings to indicate the exercise of insight, shrewdness, or strategic planning.
Semantic Range
prudence, shrewd counsel, strategic advice, advisement, discretion
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root יעט (yeʻat), meaning 'to counsel' or 'consult.' This Aramaic noun formation denotes the result or substance of counseling activity, i.e., prudence or wise advice. The Hebrew equivalent root עֵט is not attested, indicating an Aramaic linguistic development tied to similar Semitic notions of planning or advising.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עֵטָא (ʻêṭâʼ) occurs only within Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible, notably in Daniel 6:5 ([5]) in the context of court officials seeking a pretext against Daniel. Its usage conveys not simply the act of counseling, but a quality of strategic prudence or shrewdness, highlighting skillful political maneuvering. The nuance extends beyond mere advice to encompass calculated foresight and discernment, especially in administrative or royal contexts. English translations often render it 'counsel' or 'device,' but these do not always capture the element of strategic prudence. The term is distinctly Aramaic and should be distinguished from Hebrew terms like עֵצָה (ʻēṣāh, advice or counsel) that carry a similar, but more general, sense without the same emphasis on shrewdness.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) from יְעַט; prudence; counsel.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
יעט (y-ʿ-ṭ) — to advise, to counsel, to deliberate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3271 | יָעַט | he wraps me |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5843-01 |
עֵטָ֣א | eta | ANcfsa |
with discretion | prudent counsel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5843-01 |
Daniel 2:14 | עֵטָ֣א | eta | ANcfsa |
with discretion | prudent counsel |