Biblical Hebrew Forum

[JimStinehart AT aol.com]

Uri Hurwitz:
 
Is your point that modern standard Arabic does not use these words?
 
All my sources are from 19th century A.D. Europeans, who are reporting 
Arabic nomenclature, though it may be slang or local vernacular, etc.
 
Here’s my second 19th century A.D. reference (this time from 1847) to that 
same place and same name:
 
“turned off by stone Anicut to turn a mill; limestone. - 0 20.  From bridge 
ascend hills to bitumen pits, Biar el Hommar. - 0 12. Descend to road by 
village ...”
 
Finally, I’ve got a third reference to “wells” in Arabic, this time from 
1891, which says:  “Biar (Arab.), wells.”  
 
So I’ve got two 19th century A.D. references by Europeans to “Biar el 
Hommar” as meaning “bitumen pits” or “bitumen wells” (assuming that I am not 
misinterpreting these sources), and a third 19th century A.D. source that 
definitely reports “biar” as meaning “wells” in Arabic.  John Burckhardt (my 
original cite) was particularly proud of the fact that, while in Syria in 
1812, he learned (he claimed) both standard Arabic and also the local Arabic 
vernacular used at that time in the Orontes River Valley.
 
At Genesis 14: 10, we see B)RT B)RT XMR in Biblical Hebrew.  Both the 
concept, and the precise wording, seem basically the same to me in Biblical 
Hebrew and in 19th century A.D. Arabic, Biar el Hommar, as reported by 
Europeans.
 
If I am misinterpreting “Biar el Hommar” as being the 19th century A.D. 
English version of the Arabic phrase for “wells of bitumen” (or if perhaps my 
source set forth the wrong Arabic letters), I would greatly appreciate 
learning from you the error of my ways.
 
Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois