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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Theophoric Names

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  • From: "Shoshanna Walker" <rosewalk AT concentric.net>
  • To: "Yigal Levin" <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Theophoric Names
  • Date: Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:07:18 -0500


But where is "my misery" in Reuven?

Shoshanna Walker



It certainly "sounds" like "reu - ben!", but see Gen. 29:32. That was just
Ralbag's point - that the reason given for naming a child does not always
fit the literal meaning of the name. Looked as critically, that is without
assuming that the stories actually describe the real acts of real people, I
would say that Reuben was a tribal name, perhaps also the personal name of
the tribe's "founder". When the story of his birth was incorporated into
Genesis, the writer had a different point to make - that Leah thought that
her misery would be alleviated by the birth of her son.

Yigal Levin


I thought it was, "Look - a son!"

Shoshanna Walker


like Reuben, who was named 'for God has seen my
misery',





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