# Etnachta

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{{Hebrew cantillation|name_en=etnahta|name_he=אֶתְנַחְתָּ֑א|smbl=֑|smpl=ט֑וֹב}}
'''Etnachta''' (Hebrew: {{langx|he|אֶתְנַחְתָּא}}, also called אַתְנָח or אַתְנָחָא) is one of the most common [cantillation](/source/Hebrew_cantillation) marks in the [Torah](/source/Torah) and [Haftarah](/source/Haftarah). It is the anchor for the '''Etnachta group''', which in full consists of four different trope sounds, not all of which are always present. These are '''[Mercha](/source/Mercha)''', '''[Tipcha](/source/Tipcha)''', '''[Munach](/source/Munach)''', and its namesake '''Etnachta'''. 

The Etnachta group marks the end of the first segment of a verse.<ref>Chanting the Hebrew Bible By Joshua R. Jacobson, page 167</ref> If the verse includes three segments, the end of the first segment is marked by a [Segol](/source/Segol), and it is only the second segment which ends with the Etnachta. Therefore, the Etnachta never occurs more than once in a single verse.  

The conjunctive (''mesharet'') which precedes the Etnachta is always a [Munach](/source/Munach). There can be either one or two<ref>Generally with monosyllabic words</ref> [Munach](/source/Munach) before the Etnachta.

The second-level disjunctive (''melech'') which precedes the Etnachta is the [Tipcha](/source/Tipcha).

In some rare cases<ref>Eleven in the [Tanakh](/source/Tanakh)</ref>, when the ''melech'' is especially strong, and the word with the Etnachta includes a [secondary stress](/source/secondary_stress), the ''melech'' will then remain a [Zakef Katan](/source/Zakef_katan), and the secondary stress will turn into Tipcha (instead of the usual [Meteg](/source/Meteg)). This combination is called מְאַיְלָא ''meaila''.

An example is in the first verse of the [Book of Genesis](/source/Book_of_Genesis) according to the [Masoretic Text](/source/Masoretic_Text), the statement that God created is marked with an Etnachta, showing the completion of God’s creation.<ref>Aspects of Jewish Metarational Thought By Martin Sicker, page 61</ref>

The Etnachta is a first-level disjunctive (''kesar'')

The Hebrew word {{lang|he|rtl=yes|אֶתְנַחְתָּא}} translates into English as ''pause''. This name is given because of its central location within a verse.

==The Etnachta group==
The following variations of the Etnachta group can occur:<ref>The Art of Cantillation, Volume 2: A Step-By-Step Guide to Chanting Haftarot … By Marshall Portnoy, Josée Wolff, page 12</ref>
#Mercha, Tipcha, Munach, Etnachta
#Mercha, Tipcha, Etnachta
#Tipcha, Munach, Etnachta
#Tipcha, Etnachta
#Munach, Etnachta
#Etnachta

In other words, the Tipcha can occur without a Mercha, but not vice versa. The Etnachta can occur without Munach, but not vice versa. And the Etnachta can occur without a Tipcha, but not vice versa.

The Munach is normally included when the word bearing the Munach is closely related to the word bearing the Etnachta.<ref>Chanting the Hebrew Bible By Joshua R. Jacobson, page 144</ref>

==Total occurrences==
{| class="wikitable"
!'''Book'''
!Number of appearances
|-
|[Torah](/source/Torah)
|5483<ref name=Price6>Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1 By James D. Price, page 6</ref>
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Genesis](/source/Book_of_Genesis)
|1466<ref name=Price6/>
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exodus](/source/Book_of_Exodus)
|1145<ref name=Price6/>
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Leviticus](/source/Book_of_Leviticus)
|813<ref name=Price6/>
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Numbers](/source/Book_of_Numbers)
|1151<ref name=Price6/>
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Deuteronomy](/source/Book_of_Deuteronomy)
|908<ref name=Price6/>
|-
|[Nevi'im](/source/Nevi'im)
|4796<ref name=Price5>Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1 By James D. Price, page 5</ref>
|-
|[Ketuvim](/source/Ketuvim)
|2933<ref name=Price5/>
|}

==Melody==
File:Etnachta.jpg

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Torah reading}}

Category:Cantillation marks

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Etnachta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etnachta) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etnachta?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.