To: leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il, b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Cc: Awohili AT aol.com
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Mis(.)rayim
Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2007 08:57:49 EDT
"Egypt" is *khme* in Sahidic Coptic and *kimi* in Bohairic, reflecting the
hieroglphic KMT, usually vocalized as "Kemet." It is from Egyptian (Coptic)
*kmom*, "to be, become black." In Bohairic Coptic, an Egyptian is
*remenkimi*, "a person of Egypt."
However, the Amarna Tablets use *misri*, similar to the Arabic *misr*. It
is found in the Qur'an at 2:61, though some translators prefer to simply use
"town" as the translation there. I would think that *misr* is Semitic and
related to the Hebrew word.
Solomon Landers
In a message dated 3/22/2007 3:47:41 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il writes:
The Egyptians themselves called their land KMT (vocalllization unclear),
which means "black", referring to the dark earth of the fertile Nile valley,
as compared with the "yellow" sands of the surrounding deserts (so I have
been taught - I do not claim to be an expert on Egyptian).
" The one loving his soul will lose it, and the one hating his soul in this
world will find it, for life forever."
–- Coptic John 12:25
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