In my search to understand a little more about the origins of the
Hebrew language I have been pondering the geographical location of
Avram's hometown. One of the points that seems most relavent to
understanding the location of Avram's hometown Ur, is the meaning of
"east of the river"- b(ever hannahar or as is it reads in the LXX-
peran tou potamou "beyond the river" (Joshua 24:2,3,14,15). In that
nahar is shared by Hebrew, Ugaritic, Aramaic, Arabic and Akkadian
surely it is an unmistakable expression defining a "river". Should I
believe that this "river" is the Jordan or must we conclude that it is
the Euphrates? As I understand it the Nile would not be classified as
a nahar but a ye)or . However, the Euphrates is called a nahar perat
or simply nahar- "the river," while, as far as I understand the Jordan
is never referred to as a "nahar." If this is true then Ur has to be
on the otherside of the Euphrates, correct? Any help here would be
valued.