Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

I would hate to spoil such pastoral, cute and naive names given by keen eyed herders to to their daughters. So I would leave it at

1. RIBQAH from the root RBQ, from which we have the עגל מרבק EGEL MARBEQ, 'fat calf?', of 1Sam. 28:24.

2. RAXEL, like רגל RAGEL, a jumpy young sheep.

3. LEA, a heavy (pregnant?) sheep. Compare Is. 40:11 

כרעה עדרו ירעה בזרעו יקבץ טלאים ובחיקו ישא עלות ינהל

KJV:

"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."

4. I find it still noteworthy that there is an L in RAXEL, LEA, ZILPA and BILHAH.

5. The great challenge is the name נפתלי NAPTALIY.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Sep 2, 2013, at 12:35 PM, jimstinehart AT aol.com wrote:

Just as it would not make sense for the name “Rachel” to mean “Ewe”, it likewise would not make sense for the name “Leah” to mean “Cow”.