{{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 marks in the Torah and 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''', '''Tipcha''', '''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, 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. There can be either one or two<ref>Generally with monosyllabic words</ref> Munach before the Etnachta.
The second-level disjunctive (''melech'') which precedes the Etnachta is the Tipcha.
In some rare cases<ref>Eleven in the Tanakh</ref>, when the ''melech'' is especially strong, and the word with the Etnachta includes a secondary stress, the ''melech'' will then remain a Zakef Katan, and the secondary stress will turn into Tipcha (instead of the usual Meteg). This combination is called מְאַיְלָא ''meaila''.
An example is in the first verse of the Book of Genesis according to the 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 |5483<ref name=Price6>Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1 By James D. Price, page 6</ref> |- | Genesis |1466<ref name=Price6/> |- | Exodus |1145<ref name=Price6/> |- | Leviticus |813<ref name=Price6/> |- | Numbers |1151<ref name=Price6/> |- | Deuteronomy |908<ref name=Price6/> |- |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 |2933<ref name=Price5/> |}
==Melody== File:Etnachta.jpg
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Torah reading}}
Category:Cantillation marks