עֲטִין
𐤏𐤈𐤉𐤍
ʻăṭîyn
H5845 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A container or vessel, particularly one used for holding or pouring liquids such as milk; in figurative or poetic contexts, used to refer to the female breast as a source of nourishment.
Semantic Range
container, vessel for liquids, pail for milk, figuratively breast as source of milk or nourishment
Root / Etymology
From an uncertain or unused root, possibly related to the meaning 'to contain' or 'to hold.' The precise verbal root is not attested in biblical Hebrew, and the derivation is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עֲטִין (ʻăṭîyn) appears only in poetic or late biblical texts and is a hapax legomenon (occurs only once in the Hebrew Bible, Job 21:24). The primary sense in context is a literal vessel or container used for milk, but it is used metaphorically to refer to the breasts, highlighting their function as a source of nourishment and plenitude. The use of 'pail' or 'vessel' for the female breast is particular to this context, and is not a standard biblical idiom for breast, which is more commonly represented by שַׁד (shad). English translations often render עֲטִין as 'breasts,' but this narrows the sensory field, missing its metaphorical and concrete overlapping usage in the original context. There is no evidence that עֲטִין was used for Judahites/Judeans as an identity marker, nor does it have a ritual or cultic significance. Its occurrence in Job indicates a possible Aramaic or late Hebrew influence. Later translations such as the Septuagint render the term as 'milk-vessel' or directly as 'breasts,' reflecting interpretive choices rather than lexical precision.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning apparently to contain; a receptacle (for milk, i.e. pail; figuratively, breast); breast.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עטן (ʿ-ṭ-n) — to contain, to hold, to store
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5845-01 |
עֲ֭טִינָי/ו | atinayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his pails | his milk-vessels | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5845-01 |
Job 21:24 | עֲ֭טִינָי/ו | atinayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his pails | his milk-vessels |