Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <Yigal.Levin AT biu.ac.il>]

Hi Uri,

No, I have not seen any systematic treatment of the issue, but in any case
the lack of Yahwistic names in the early monarchy was not total. There's
Yonatan, of course. And I've suggested that Saul's son Yishvi (1 Sam. 14:49)
is actually Ish-YW, man of YW, and is the same as Eshbaal of 1 Chr. 8:33.
And of course Jeroboam had a son Abiah (1 Kings 14:1), and there were
others. But I think that it became especially important for kings of Israel
and Judah to publicly express their loyalty to YHWH as the dynastic deity in
the 9th century, as a counter-measure to the spread of Phoenician Baalism,
since up until then, "Baal" ("Lord") was a legitimate title for the God of
Israel as well. What's especially interesting, is that Ahab is on the side
of the Yahwists!

Yigal Levin 

-----Original Message-----


  As for the names of the early kings of Judah and Israel -- have you seen
any discussion or attempted explanation on the absence of YHWH theophoric
elements?

  Uri Hurwitz