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  • From: Uri Hurwitz <uhurwitz AT yahoo.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] The Name "Levi"
  • Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:34:18 -0800 (PST)


There is no agreement on the etymology of "Levi".

The interpretation of the name by an ancient

biblical editor as cited below is not neccessarly

correct. A similar example of a wrong editorial

explanation is that of the Egyptian name "Mosheh",

Exod. 2:11.

For the PN "Levi" another possiblity was discussed by Th. Meek.

Applied to the name Levi, the root means "slither" or "Coil"

as in Arabic, and exists in a the noun LWYTN, Livyatan,

which is also found in Ugaritic ,in both cases it is a coiling

sea- dragon.

This is directly related to serpents

or snakes, and they in turn are related to magic.

That the Levites traditionally indulged in a great

deal of magic is attested numerous times in HB. To

cite only two of many examples: Ex. 2: 2 ff, and the

famous rods contest won by Aron Ex. 7:10 ff.



The connection between snakes and magic was widespread

in Egypt, as is known from many extra-biblical sources.

A linguistic direct parallel to this in BH is the root

Nun Het Shin. Among its meanings: the noun "snake",

or in verbal form, in Piel: "to engage in divinations".

Also, consider the mystical Nahshon, attributed to Moses

and removed by Hezekaiah in his efforts to purify the

temple from idolatry.

A full discussion of the above with biblical

citations and bibliography is in "Hebrew Origins" by

Theophile James Meek, Harper Torchbook edition,

p122 ff .

Uri Hurwitz



Jim Steinhart wrote:

<snip>



Levi The JPS1917 translation of the text regarding

the name “Levi” is as follows: “And she conceived again,

and bore a son; and said: 'Now this time will my husband

be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons.'

Therefore was his name called Levi.” Genesis 29: 34

.... LAMED-VAV-heh = “be joined” or “be attached” or

“accompany” [At Genesis 29: 34, this word appears

in the following form: yod-LAMED-VAV-heh.]












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>From greifer AT hotmail.com Wed Dec 12 13:34:35 2007
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Subject: [b-hebrew] Genesis 49:6 Simon and Levi curse
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Maybe Genesis 49:6 means Simon and Levi killed one man in anger, even thoug=
h they killed a lot of people when they saved their sister. They only kille=
d one man with anger because he raped their sister, everyone else was kille=
d probably to keep them from defending their leader and from getting reveng=
e later.
=20
Also, they might have injured an ox when they when they were killing the pe=
ople. The story doesn't have to mention every detail.
=20
Kenneth Greifer
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  • [b-hebrew] The Name "Levi", JimStinehart, 12/10/2007
    • <Possible follow-up(s)>
    • [b-hebrew] The Name "Levi", Uri Hurwitz, 12/12/2007

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