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  • From: JimStinehart AT aol.com
  • To: kwrandolph AT gmail.com, b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Terakh
  • Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 16:28:55 EDT


One possible meaning of TRX as the name of Abraham’s father that everyone
has overlooked is that in Ugaritic, TRX is a verb that either means “to marry”
or “to pay the brideprice”. On another thread, Dave Washburne said as to
the names of people in 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.” Is Abraham’s father’s name, TRX, coming from Ugarit? On that
other thread, James Christian further observed (though he may later have
retracted this comment) regarding the names of characters in the Book of
Ruth: “If
there is a link between their actions and their names this is perfectly
explainable by their having new names linked to their deeds. I also have no
problems with these names being given after their deaths for the sake of the
story.” Does the Ugaritic verb TRX, meaning “pay the brideprice”, reflect
the primary role that Terakh/TRX plays in the Patriarchal narratives?

One of Terakh’s key functions in the Patriarchal narratives is that it is
on his watch that Abraham marries Sarah. Moreover, it seems clear that from
day one, everyone knows that the steadfast plan is that Abraham’s sole
heir(s) will be such son or sons that Sarah may bear to Abraham. Thus
Abraham’s
sons by Keturah are never in the running to inherit anything substantial
from their father Abraham.

The Patriarchal narratives open at Genesis 11: 26 with Terakh/TRX being
said to be Abraham’s father. Then a mere three verses later we are told at
Genesis 11: 29 that Abraham’s wife is Sarah. And then only two verses after
that we are told at Genesis 11: 31, seemingly somewhat oddly, that Sarah is
Terakh’s daughter-in-law. Finally, at Genesis 20: 12 Abraham says that Sarah
is his father’s daughter, but not his mother’s daughter. [In a later post,
we can discuss why the particular procedure that Terakh/TRX likely used in
paying the brideprice is of such critical importance in understanding the
Patriarchal narratives.]

Though there is no Hebrew word TRX meaning “to pay the brideprice”, TRX
with that meaning is a well-known verb at Ugarit, a west Semitic-speaking
Amorite state. That is part of my analysis that sees Abraham’s father TRX as
having a west Semitic name, not a Mesopotamian name. This all fits my
controversial theory that the Patriarchal narratives (historically correctly)
portray the Hebrews as being indigenous to Canaan, rather than as being
transplants from Mesopotamia.

Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois




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