Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Uzi Silber <uzisilber AT gmail.com>]

given the canaanite component of bnai yisrael, i thought it more than
conceivable that asher and ashera were related.  the tree symbol seemed like
a very interesting piece of circumstantial evidence, perhaps the tribal
emblems were handed down through the ages, like many midrashim and other
extra biblical material.

while were on the subject could Zvulun mean "Zvuv resided here"?
And what does Naftali literally mean?
Also it was mentioned some days ago that Ephraim might be derived from Ofra.
is that true? if so how? oftra is with an ayin and efraim with alef.




On Tue, Jul 13, 2010 at 4:16 PM, Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il> wrote:

> Uzi,
>
> While anything is possible, the olive tree that I assume you're referring
> to
> as Asher's symbol is a rabbinic reconstruction, based on Asher's blessing
> by
> both Jacob and Moses, both of which mention "oil", presumably olive oil. I
> don't know that the asherah-tree had anything to do with olive-oil in
> particular.
>
> Yigal Levin
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
> [mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Uzi Silber
> Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 8:39 PM
> To: Stoney Breyer
> Cc: b-hebrew
> Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Asher again
>
> Karl, Stoney and all,
>
> Though a yeshiva educated,hebrew-fluent bible enthusiast, I am a thoroughly
> agnostic Jew and assume here no divine meaning.
> But it is telling that Asher and Ashera share a symbol, isnt it?
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 13, 2010 at 1:29 PM, Stoney Breyer <
> stoneyb AT touchwoodcreative.com> wrote:
>
> > Karl:
> >
> > You are confusing four things:
> >
> > * the origin and meaning of the name Asher, which is a question for
> > philologists knowledgeable in historical and comparative linguistics, but
> > has no necessary connection with
> > * Leah's understanding of the name's meaning, which may reflect the real
> > meaning, or folk etymology of Leah's or some subsequent time, or a
> graceful
> > authorial pun, or a calculated authorial false etymology designed to
> > obscure
> > a connection between Asher and Asherah, but in any case has no necessary
> > connection with
> > * the historical truth of the account, which is absent Leah's own memoirs
> > not recoverable, but in any case has no necessary connection
> (particularly
> > if you regard the text as divinely inspired) with
> > * the date at which the account was composed, whether in Moses' time or
> > Ezra's or Judas the Hammer's
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
> > [mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of K Randolph
> >
> > If one accepts that Genesis is true history and contains an accurate
> > account
> > of why Leah name one of her sons Asher, then no way. The story records
> that
> > the name is based upon the expectation that she would be counted as happy
> > because she bore a son.
> >
> > On the other hand, if one accepts the modern mythology that Genesis was
> > first penned over a millennium after the events were recorded to have
> > happened, then I suppose that anything goes. But this is speculation that
> > has no basis in the text.
> >
> > Karl W. Randolph.
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