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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: "Yaakov Stein" <yaakov_s AT rad.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] biblical names
  • Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 19:12:58 -0400

Yaakov,

If a Hebrew mother calls her daughter today Hedi or Orli or Neri or Liat we know that she mean what she says, namely, 'you are my echo', 'you are my light', 'you are my candle', 'you are mine'. The very old biblical names from the very first formative years of the nation of Israel are a deep mystery to us. More so, because they where possibly slightly yet deftly distorted [LEBI -> LEVI?] by later pious editors to hide their suspected heathenish origin.
It appears to me that the old names were high compounds of curt positive terms or short sacred names given to a child as token of good omen, for instance, AX-AB, AM-RAM, LEVI = EL-AB-HI), or L-HA- BDIL, BA(AL= BEL = AB-EL, A$TORET = E$-AT-)OR-AT, CUR = E$-)UR. These compounds happen to incidentally produce "words" of apparent meaning, for instance, XAMOR = XAM-)OR = AX-EM-)OR or KALEB [not KELEB] = K-EL- AB, or (AKBOR [not (AKBAR] = AX-AB-)OR.
Otherwise a name needs not have only one meaning, for instance, DEBOR- AH, that may mean 'the eloquent', not 'a bee', or GMALI that may be related to GMUL, rather than to GAMAL, 'camel'.
As to SUSI, I don't know. If his mother decided to call his so, then she had her reason.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Jul 3, 2008, at 11:09 AM, Yaakov Stein wrote:


1. $AMU(A BEN ZAKUR. A good listener and good at remembering what he
hears.
2. $APAT BEN XORI. Of good judgement and a noble father.
3. CALEB BEN YEPUNEH. CALEB = C-EL-AB has nothing to do with dog.
Turns, like his father, to YA. Methinks that CALEB is a variant of LEVI
= EL-AB-HI). I also hold it possible that the L in LABAN, LE)AH and
RAXEL are also of such an indication.
4. YIG)AL BEN YOSEP. Good at extricating and deliverance.
5. HO$E(A BIN NUN. Trusts God for help.
6. PALTI BEN RAPU(. Good at sneaking and evasion.
7. GADIEL BEN SODI. Attached, )AGUD, to God and good at covert missions.
8. GADI BEN SUSI. Good with horses.
9. (AMIEL BEN GMALI. Good with camels.
10. STUR BEN MIKAEL. Good at concealing.
11. NAXBI BEN WAPSI. Good at hiding, namely NA-XBI).
12. G(UEL BEN MAKI. Trusts in God's might, GE)UT, but otherwise modest,
or not too tall, like his father.

Isaac

Thanks for the interesting interpretation of the names.

I wouldn't rule out CALEB being "dog". We have a horse and a camel in
the same list.
The name ZEEV also appears as a king's name,
and the prefix ARI appears in names as well. In later Hebrew the name
DOV is common.
As a woman's name we have RXL (yes, I saw your interpretation) and CPRH.
So the "strong" animals are OK as names - and we even have a king's
father named (KBOR !

Yaakov (J) Stein
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