Lexical Summary
et: stylus, pen
Original Word:עֵט
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:`et
Pronunciation:ate
Phonetic Spelling:(ate)
KJV: pen
NASB:pen, stylus
Word Origin:[fromH5860 (עִיטּ - Bird of prey) (contracted) in the sense of swooping, i.e. side-long stroke]
1. a stylus or marking stick
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
pen
Fromiyt (contracted) in the sense of swooping, i.e. Side-long stroke; a stylus or marking stick -- pen.
see HEBREWiyt
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitiona stylus
NASB Translationpen (2), stylus (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Jeremiah 8:8 (√ dubious; Kö
ii. 1, 83 (after older authorities) compare Arabic
,
sink, penerate); — only construct:
Jeremiah 17:1 (with diamond-point),Job 19:24 (see also ).
probably = reed-pen (used o roll, compareJeremiah 36:2,23 etc.),Jeremiah 8:8, figurative,Psalm 45:1 (compare NowArchaeology i. 290 BenzArchaeology 290).
Topical Lexicon
Overview and Range of MeaningThe term designates a writing implement, whether a reed pen, metal stylus, or chisel, employed to inscribe words on materials ranging from papyrus to stone. Across its four canonical appearances the word becomes a vehicle for exploring the authority of written testimony, the artistry of inspired praise, the deceitfulness of corrupted scribes, and the indelible nature of sin apart from grace.
Physical Writing Implements in the Ancient Near East
Metal styluses and reed pens were common from the second millennium B.C. onward. An iron stylus could cut clay or soft stone, while a diamond-tipped point (cf.Jeremiah 17:1) etched harder surfaces. These tools preserved covenants, royal decrees, commercial contracts, and religious texts. Thus, whenever Scripture references the pen, it evokes the entire ancient infrastructure that ensured accuracy, permanence, and public accessibility of recorded words.
Indicative Usage in Wisdom and Poetry
•Job 19:24 pictures Job’s longing that his vindication be “engraved in rock forever with an iron chisel and lead,” underscoring the yearning for a testimony that cannot be erased.
•Psalm 45:1 elevates the craft of sacred songwriting: “My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses to the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer”. The psalmist merges heart, tongue, and pen, illustrating how inspired speech moves seamlessly from internal devotion to written proclamation, ultimately celebrating the Messianic King.
Prophetic Critique of False Religion
•Jeremiah 8:8 exposes religious malpractice: “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us,’ when in fact the lying pen of the scribes has produced a deception?”. Here the instrument meant to transmit God’s law becomes a symbol of distortion, indicting leaders who misused their literary authority.
•Jeremiah 17:1 turns the image inward: “Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron stylus, inscribed with a diamond point on the tablets of their hearts”. The unyielding stylus metaphorically etches rebellion onto the very core of the people, contrasting with the promised future in which the Lord Himself writes His law on renewed hearts (Jeremiah 31:33).
Theological Themes: Permanence, Revelation, and Heart Transformation
1. Permanence of Testimony: Whether Job’s imagined rock inscription or Judah’s etched guilt, the pen stresses durability. Once inscribed, words stand as enduring witness—either to redemption or judgment.
2. Mediated Revelation: The term highlights God’s choice to communicate through written forms, anchoring oral prophecy in tangible records that guard against forgetfulness (Deuteronomy 17:18-19;Luke 4:17).
3. Need for New Covenant Heart-Writing: The failure of external writing to reform sinful hearts (Jeremiah 17:1) anticipates the Spirit’s internal inscription that Paul celebrates: “You are a letter from Christ… written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God” (2 Corinthians 3:3).
Historical Significance for Biblical Transmission
Scribes employing such pens copied scrolls that would become the Hebrew Bible, preserving divine revelation with meticulous care. Even the prophetic denunciation of corrupt scribes in Jeremiah underscores the normative expectation of faithful copying; without dependable pens and trained scribes, the covenant community could not have retained a unified, authoritative canon.
Ministry Implications: Teaching, Preaching, and Discipleship
• Preachers are reminded that their tongues should function “as the pen of a skillful writer,” crafting words that both honor the King and accurately reflect His written word.
• Teachers must guard against the “lying pen,” refusing to twist Scripture to suit cultural pressures.
• Discipleship involves partnering with the Spirit so that God’s word is inscribed on hearts, producing obedience that springs from inward transformation, not mere external conformity.
Typological Connection to the New Covenant and Christ
The psalmist’s pen praises a royal bridegroom whose throne is “forever and ever” (Psalm 45:6). The New Testament identifies this king as the Son of God (Hebrews 1:8). Thus the ancient pen ultimately points to the One who embodies and fulfills every written promise. His gospel, once recorded by apostolic pens, continues to be proclaimed until every heart is etched with His saving name.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּעֵ֥ט בְּעֵט־ בעט בעט־ עֵ֖ט עֵ֤ט ׀ עט ‘êṭ bə‘êṭ bə‘êṭ- bə·‘êṭ bə·‘êṭ- beet et
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