Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Ratson Naharadama <yahoo-arch AT heplist.com>]

 Karl asked:
=> Any idea who he was?
=> What other names did he go by?

Tricky question as Khepera would likely be an incomplete name and there 
are several Egyptian kings (pharaohs) who had Khepera (Ḫeper-Ri`a) as 
part of their name.

The Ḫeper part would mean "transform(s)/come-into-being" (such as the 
dung beatle egg transforming — seemingly out of dead material — as an 
adult beetle from the dung or dead creature it was laid in).

Ri`a is the deity Ri`a (usually transcribed as Ra or Re in English).

Usually there is at least one word either before the Ḫeper, or between 
Ḫeper and Ri`a
(
such as:
  *   Men-Ḫeper-Ri`a -- "strength of Ri`a transforms"
  *   `a'a-Ḫeper:u:-Ri`a -- "great are the manifestations of Ri`a"
or
  *   Ḫeper-Ka'a-Ri`a -- "transformed is the Ka'a of Ri`a"
).

As said before, there are many kings with this element in their name 
(particularly in the early New Kingdom, it seems).

--
Ratson Naharädama
Denver, Colorado