Nethinim

Nethinim (or Netinim, or Nathinites or Nathineans) (Hebrew: הַנְּתִינִים‎, "the given ones") was the name given to the Temple assistants in ancient Jerusalem. The term was applied originally in the Book of Joshua (where it is found in its verbal form) to the Gibeonites who converted during the time of Joshua, later in the Book of Ezra they include the Avdei Shlomo ("Servants of Solomon") the descendants of the remnant of the Canaanite people in the land.

Etymology

The noun occurs 18 times in the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible, always in the plural. (1 Chr. 9:2; Ezra 2:43,58,70; 7:7,24; 8:17,20; Neh. 3:26,31; 7:46,60,73; 10:28; 11:3,21). Lexicons generally regard Netinim (or Natin) as derived from the semitic root N-T-N, "to give."

Translations and spellings

In English Nethinim is one of several Hebrew words which are transliterated rather than translated in the King James Version (1611), although incorrectly as "Nethinims" duplicating the Hebrew plural -im with an additional and redundant English -s. It is also the most common academic spelling. The spelling Nathinites is found in the Douay-Rheims Version and consequently in the Catholic Encyclopedia (1911) article "Nathinites."