Etam

Samson’s own countrymen came for him at the top of the rock Etam. After a slaughter of Philistines, he had gone down to stay there, and three thousand men of Judah followed. They told him the Philistines were rulers over them, and that they had come to bind him and hand him over. Samson made them swear they would not attack him themselves, and they promised only to bind him with “two new cords.” Judges 15 goes on to say what happened when the cords met his strength.

4 verses

Judges

Judges 15:8

And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.

Judges 15:11

Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.

Judges 15:12

And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.

Judges 15:13

And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Eyrie. (1.) A village of the tribe of Simeon (1 Chr. 4:32). Into some cleft (“top,” A.V.,; R.V., “cleft”) of a rock here Samson retired after his slaughter of the Philistines (Judg. 15:8, 11). It was a natural stronghold. It has been identified with Beit ’Atab, west of Bethlehem, near Zorah and Eshtaol. On the crest of a rocky knoll, under the village, is a long tunnel, which may be the “cleft” in which Samson hid.

(2.) A city of Judah, fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chr. 11:6). It was near Bethlehem and Tekoah, and some distance apparently to the north of (1). It seems to have been in the district called Nephtoah (or Netophah), where were the sources of the water from which Solomon’s gardens and pleasure-grounds and pools, as well as Bethlehem and the temple, were supplied. It is now ‘Ain ’Atan, at the head of the Wady Urtas, a fountain sending forth a copious supply of pure water.

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From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(lair of wild beasts).

(1.) A village of the tribe of Simeon, specified only in the list in (1 Chronicles 4:32) comp. Josh 19:7

(2.) A place in Judah, fortified and garrisoned by Rehoboam. (2 Chronicles 11:6) Here, according to the statements of Josephus and the Talmudists, were the sources of the water from which Solomon’s gardens and the pleasure-grounds were fed, and Bethlehem and the temple supplied.