Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

As pointed out by Yigal the PLIY$TIYM settled (in a peaceful  
invasion?) in established indigenous towns, and eventually  
assimilated into the original indigenous population, to wit: they  
worshiped DAGON and BAAL ZBUB (I doubt that this is the ZBUB, 'fly,  
flying insect', of Isaiah 7:18.)

AZAH עזה is easy. A$QLON (not A$QELON) may, indeed, be from the  
root $QL, 'large and lofty', or it may be again a combination of A$  
and QALON (KALON?). Biblical names are often, due to tendentious  
distortions by a succession of pious editors, but a shimmering fata  
morgana.

The name AZAZEL = AZ-AZ-EL עזאזל of Lev. 16:8, occurs in reversed  
form in Nu. 11:26 as ELDAD = EL-AD-AD.

It appears to me that A$TORET of 1Ki. 11:5 (also A$ER and ESTER?)  
includes E$, 'fire', and OR, 'light, namely, A$TORET = E$-AT-OR-HI-AT.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Jan 11, 2012, at 10:07 PM, Uzi Silber wrote:

> Yitzik Fried:
>
> 1) Isnt Ashdod a Philistine name?
> 2) In any case, you forgot Ashkelon, the similarly prefixed former
> Philistine city down the coast from Ashdod.
>
> Uzi Silber
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 8:40 PM, Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu> wrote:
> > 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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