אֲתַר
𐤀𐤕𐤓
ʼăthar
H870 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
(Aramaic) A location or site; frequently used to denote a specific place or locale. It can also function adverbially to mean 'after' or 'subsequently' in certain contexts, particularly in relation to time or sequence. The term is primarily geographic but may also mark the placement or order of events or persons.
Semantic Range
place, site, location, locality, region; (adverbially) after, subsequently
Root / Etymology
Root: אתר. Aramaic noun of location, related to the Semitic root את׳ר meaning 'to remain, overtake, come after.' In Hebrew, the likely cognate root is uncertain or only marginally attested. The Aramaic term derives from this root, shifting from the idea of following to that of the location that is 'after' or 'behind' in sequence or space.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The word אֲתַר is found only in the Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible, especially in Ezra and Daniel, where it denotes a specific site, locality, or region (e.g., Ezra 5:15, Daniel 2:35). In many cases, it parallels the Hebrew מָקוֹם (maqom, 'place'), but אֲתַר can carry a broader regional or situational nuance. In Aramaic, it is sometimes used adverbially for sequencing ('after...'), a usage mirrored in later Jewish Aramaic literature. In translation traditions, this word is usually rendered simply as 'place' or 'site,' but the adverbial 'after' sense is contextually determined, typically by syntax rather than inherent meaning. During the post-exilic period when Aramaic was used as a lingua franca, אֲתַר became the standard term, reflecting both continuity and linguistic shift from earlier Hebrew usage.
Translation Consistency
The primary SILEX sense is geographic—a site, location, or region—so 'place' is the most natural, concise English word to cover that range. Adverbial senses like 'after' are secondary and can be handled by context or translation strategy, but 'place' gives a consistent, natural base across all forms and avoids awkward choices like the possessive 'its'.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to that of אֲתָרִים; a place; (adverb) after; after, place.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
אתר (Yeateray) — to remain, be left over, have abundance, be superfluous
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2979 | יְאָתְרַי | He-will-remain |
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H870-01 |
אֲתַ֖ר | atar | ANcmsa |
place | place | place | 2 |
H870-02 |
אַתְרֵֽ/הּ | atereh | ANcmsc/Sp3ms |
its site | its site | its site | 2 |
H870-03 |
בָּאתַ֨ר | batar | AR |
After this | afterward | afterward | 2 |
H870-04 |
לְ/אַתְרֵ֔/הּ | leatereh | AR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
to its place | to his place | to its place | 1 |
H870-05 |
וּ/בָתְרָ֗/ךְ | uvaterakhe | AC/Ncmsc/Sp2ms |
And after you | and after you | and after you | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H870-01 |
Daniel 2:35 | אֲתַ֖ר | atar | ANcmsa |
place | place | place |
H870-05 |
Daniel 2:39 | וּ/בָתְרָ֗/ךְ | uvaterakhe | AC/Ncmsc/Sp2ms |
And after you | and after you | and after you |
H870-03 |
Daniel 7:6 | בָּאתַ֨ר | batar | AR |
After this | afterward | afterward |
H870-03 |
Daniel 7:7 | בָּאתַ֣ר | batar | AR |
After this | afterward | afterward |
H870-02 |
Ezra 5:15 | אַתְרֵֽ/הּ | atereh | ANcmsc/Sp3ms |
its site | its site | its site |
H870-01 |
Ezra 6:3 | אֲתַר֙ | atar | ANcmsa |
place | place | place |
H870-04 |
Ezra 6:5 | לְ/אַתְרֵ֔/הּ | leatereh | AR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
to its place | to his place | to its place |
H870-02 |
Ezra 6:7 | אַתְרֵֽ/הּ | atereh | ANcmsc/Sp3ms |
its site | its site | its site |