Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Mark Spitsbergen <awakesd AT mac.com>]

In my search to understand a little more about the origins of the  
Hebrew language I have been pondering the geographical location of  
Avram's hometown. One of the points that seems most relavent to  
understanding the location of Avram's hometown Ur, is the meaning of  
"east of the river"-  b(ever hannahar or as is it reads in the LXX-  
peran tou potamou "beyond the river" (Joshua 24:2,3,14,15). In that  
nahar is shared by Hebrew, Ugaritic, Aramaic, Arabic and Akkadian  
surely it is an unmistakable expression defining a "river". Should I  
believe that this "river" is the Jordan or must we conclude that it is  
the Euphrates? As I understand it the Nile would not be classified as  
a nahar but a ye)or . However, the Euphrates is called a nahar perat  
or simply nahar- "the river," while, as far as I understand the Jordan  
is never referred to as a "nahar." If this is true then Ur has to be  
on the otherside of the Euphrates, correct? Any help here would be  
valued.

thanks,

Mark Spitsbergen