"Bethesda", of
course, is not Hebrew per se, it's the Latin spelling of the Greek
pronunciation of the Aramaic name Beth-Hisda. In Hebrew it would have been
"Beth-Hessed" or "Beth Hahessed".
...
First, the Greek alpha ending on Semitic words ending in a consonant does
not always indicate the word is from Aramaic (reflecting the Aramaic
determined state). Consider Sabbata and Pascha, which are from Hebrew roots
$BT and PSX; these roots are not otherwise attested in Aramaic (which would
use NWX for rest). Blass-Debrunner-Funk's Greek grammar says the Alpha is
added to help pronunciation.
...
Third, regarding the etymology, Randall Buth suggests five possibilities,
any of which could result in the Greek Bethesda: Hebrew beth-eshed (house of
a waterfall) or Hebrew/Aramaic bet-Hesed/Hesda (house of grace) or a Greek
loanword, bet-estyav (house of pillars) or bet-za'atha (house of the
movement) or bet-zayta (house of the olive). Note that the (Hebrew) Copper
Scroll does list a place possibly named BYT )$DTYN; this could be an
Aramaic name in a Hebrew text.
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