B-Hebrew: The Biblical Hebrew Forum

We have encountered today the creative names of Esau's sons (and wives):
וַתֵּלֶד עָדָה לְעֵשָׂו אֶת אֱלִיפָז וּבָשְׂמַת יָלְדָה אֶת רְעוּאֵל וְאָהֳלִיבָמָה יָלְדָה אֶת יעיש (יְעוּשׁ) וְאֶת יַעְלָם וְאֶת קֹרַח
It seems to me that רְעוּאֵל = רֵעַ-הוּא-אל, in which רֵעַ is 'fellow, mate', is possibly said here for associated members of a herd freely following each other while moving around leisurely and independently in search of grass to nibble, (ruminate, pasture), רועים.
For the material meaning of the root רעע, imparted to it by the letter ר, see Isaiah 24:19-20
רֹעָה הִתְרֹעֲעָה הָאָרֶץ פּוֹר הִתְפּוֹרְרָה אֶרֶץ מוֹט הִתְמוֹטְטָה אָרֶץ נוֹעַ תָּנוּעַ אֶרֶץ כַּשִּׁכּוֹר וְהִתְנוֹדְדָה כַּמְּלוּנָה
NIV: "The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is violently shaken. The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind"
Also said about the friendship between free man, as in 2Sam. 13:3
וּלְאַמְנוֹן רֵעַ וּשְׁמוֹ יוֹנָדָב
KJV: "But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab"
Also רַעְיָה, 'consort', as in Songs 1:9
לְסֻסָתִי בְּרִכְבֵי פַרְעֹה דִּמִּיתִיךְ רַעְיָתִי
NIV: "I liken you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariot horses"

Isaac Fried, Boston University

I think that both forms יעיש and יעוּש in Gen. 36:4-5
וְאָהֳלִיבָמָה יָלְדָה אֶת יעיש (יְעוּשׁ) וְאֶת יַעְלָם וְאֶת קֹרַח
are correct, the name being יה-הוּא-אִיש
Also, corresponding to the female name עָדָה ADAH we find the male name עִדּוֹ = היא-עד-הוּא as in Zechariah 1:1
זְכַרְיָה בֶּן בֶּרֶכְיָה בֶּן עִדּוֹ הַנָּבִיא
Also in 1Kings 4:14
אֲחִינָדָב בֶּן עִדֹּא

Isaac Fried, Boston University

In Gen. 29:34
וַתַּהַר עוֹד וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתֹּאמֶר עַתָּה הַפַּעַם יִלָּוֶה אִישִׁי אֵלַי כִּי יָלַדְתִּי לוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה בָנִים עַל כֵּן קָרָא שְׁמוֹ לֵוִי
We first encounter the name לוי. I suspect that the reading of this name is meant to be LUI, with the וו W standing for the vowel U rather than for the consonant Wa; in full: לוּי = אל-הוּא-היא ,לוּאִי


Isaac Fried, Boston University

Seems to me that the letter ע in the name גִדְעוֹן of Judges 7:1
יְרֻבַּעַל הוּא גִדְעוֹן
is a spelling tactic intended to give the name the shine of a verb, as is done also in the names שמעון and ישמעאל. The name is but a variation on גד. As for the alternative name, it is, methinks,
יְרֻבַּעַל = היא-רֵעַַ-הוּא-בעל

Isaac Fried, Boston University

Seems to me that אֲחִירַע of Nu. 1:15
לְנַפְתָּלִי אֲחִירַע בֶּן עֵינָן
is meant to be read אֲחִירֵע = אח-היא-רֵעַ with a tsere under the letter ר rather than a patax (both being lookalikes.)

Isaac Fried, Boston University