An early stage in Israel's sojourn in the wilderness, not far from the Red Sea (Numbers 33:6-8). Etham is probably Pithom, the frontier city toward the wilderness. At this point the Israelites were told to change their direction of march and go southward, to the W. of the Bitter Lakes which separated them from the desert (Speaker's Commentary, Exodus 14:2). Had Etham been half way between Mukfar and Ajrud (Robinson, Chart), Pharaoh could not have overtaken them, whether he was at Zoan or Rameses, which was two days journey from Etham. The journey from Etham to Pihahiroth, generally identified with Ajrud, would occupy two or three days. E-tham, like Pi-thom, means "the house" or "temple of Turn." (See PIHAHIROTH.)