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  • From: dwashbur AT nyx.net
  • To: B-Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Dating the Book of Ruth
  • Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:29:38 -0700



On 2 Jun 2010 at 11:05, George Athas wrote:

> Bryant Williams asks about the arguments for a late dating of Ruth.
> Since this goes beyond the original thread in which it was placed,
> I've changed the subject name. Please continue the thread here.
>
> What do we make of some of the personal names in Ruth:
>
> Mahlon = 'Critically ill' (Guess what he does: he dies!)
> Chilion = 'Terminally ill' (Guess what he does: he dies!)
> Orpah = 'Back-of-the-neck girl' (Guess what she does: she turns her
> back on Naomi)
> Ruth = 'companion' (Guess what she does: she acts as Naomi's
> companion)
> Naomi = 'Sweetie' (She's anything but, and she knows it, too)
> Boaz = 'Strongly/Lively' (Guess what he does: he comes to the
> rescue)
>
> Should these wordplays figure in a discussion on the dating of the
> book of Ruth?

I did a study of these names when I was in seminary. As it turns out, most -
maybe all, I
forget - appear in Ugaritic and some other cognates, so they appear to be
legitimate semitic
names. That doesn't necessarily mean they aren't a little "convenient" as
plot devices, but
at least there's a prima facie case for the idea that they're not made-up
names. I'm not sure
what the significance of that is, but for what it's worth, there it is.


Dave Washburn

http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur




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