Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>]

It certainly "sounds" like "reu - ben!", but see Gen. 29:32. That was just
Ralbag's point - that the reason given for naming a child does not always
fit the literal meaning of the name. Looked as critically, that is without
assuming that the stories actually describe the real acts of real people, I
would say that Reuben was a tribal name, perhaps also the personal name of
the tribe's "founder". When the story of his birth was incorporated into
Genesis, the writer had a different point to make - that Leah thought that
her misery would be alleviated by the birth of her son. 

Yigal Levin

-----Original Message-----
From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Shoshanna Walker
Sent: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 4:14 PM
To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Theophoric Names

I thought it was, "Look - a son!"

Shoshanna Walker


like Reuben, who was named 'for God has seen my
misery',
_______________________________________________
b-hebrew mailing list
b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
Version: 9.0.722 / Virus Database: 270.14.122/2591 - Release Date: 12/28/09
21:32:00