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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: b-hebrew list <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc: b-hebrew list <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Ashdod
  • Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:40:04 -0500

On a recent trip to Israel, traveling on route 1 from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv my eye caught a large road sign pointing to the city of Ashdod.

What is this for a name: Ashdod?

It readily crossed my mind that it is possibly the combination of the the two deity names A$ (AS, I$) and DOD.

A$, AS or I$ abound in biblical names: ICXAQ (ISXAQ, I$XAQ), I$MAEL, ESAW, ISRAEL, A$ER, ISSAKAR, $IMON, AKIY$, ESTER, $MUEL, $AUL, $IYM $ON, KMO$, $EME$ and A$TORET.

The combination A$-AD appears also in (EL) $ADAY of Gen. 17:1, leaving the letter Shin embossed, to this very day, on every mezuzah and every tfilin shel rosh.

It appears to me that DOD is AD-HU-AD, and that AD = AZ as in AZAZEL = AZ-AZ-EL.

In this connection we should also raise our hats in recognition of the slyness of the pious public readers, and eventually the NAQDANIYM, who deftly turned DOD into DAVID (and yet left his father's name as YI$AY.)

Isaac Fried, Boston University





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