It certainly "sounds" like "reu - ben!", but see Gen. 29:32. That was just
Ralbag's point - that the reason given for naming a child does not always
fit the literal meaning of the name. Looked as critically, that is without
assuming that the stories actually describe the real acts of real people, I
would say that Reuben was a tribal name, perhaps also the personal name of
the tribe's "founder". When the story of his birth was incorporated into
Genesis, the writer had a different point to make - that Leah thought that
her misery would be alleviated by the birth of her son.
Yigal Levin
-----Original Message-----
From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Shoshanna Walker
Sent: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 4:14 PM
To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Theophoric Names
I thought it was, "Look - a son!"
Shoshanna Walker
like Reuben, who was named 'for God has seen my
misery',
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