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b-hebrew - Re: Etymology and meaning of Avi-'ad (Isa. 9:6)

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  • From: Yigal Levin <Yigal-Levin AT utc.edu>
  • To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.metalab.unc.edu>
  • Cc: awohili AT aol.com
  • Subject: Re: Etymology and meaning of Avi-'ad (Isa. 9:6)
  • Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 13:23:18 -0400


At 11:32 AM 8/20/2002 -0400, awohili AT aol.com wrote:
>Theology aside (please!), what is the etymological and grammatical meaning
of the expression *avi-'ad* as found at Isaiah 9:6?
>
>Translations differ quite a bit. Generally speaking, as determined by the
above, is the term pointing to the past, or to the future, or both?
>
Litterally, abi/my father + `ad/forever = Abi`ad/"My father is Eternal".
A perfecty normal Western Semitic theophoric name, in which the theophoric
element is "Abi"-"My Father", just like Abiner, Abishai, Abiram etc. This
is part of the four-part name given to the scoin of the Davidic dynasty.

The real gramatical question is whether the verbs yullad and nittan, both
in the past tense, can be understood as future tense. In Hebrew that would
work, depending on context.

Yigal


>Thanks.
>
>Solomon Landers
>
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Dr. Yigal Levin
Dept. of Philosophy and Religion
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga TN 37403-2598
U.S.A.




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