Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Jack Kilmon" <jkilmon AT historian.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "John N Carras" <jhonhar AT juno.com>
To: "Biblical Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT franklin.metalab.unc.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 12:52 AM
Subject: Re: Meaning of term "Hebrew"


> b-hebrew,
> What is the origin and meaning of the term "hebrew?"

It is open to debate.  Some scholars attribute it to the "Hapiru," nomadic
Semites of the early Bronze Age mentioned in Egyptian chronicles. Some
believe it is from "Heber/Eber," one of the ancestors of Abraham prior to
the ""division" (his brother Peleg) of languages at the Tower of Babel.
"The people of Eber's language" (Heberym) therefore.."Hebrew."

Since there are som "Hapiru" groups of the former that don't appear to fit
the "mold," I am more comfortable with the latter explanation.

Jack