Implied theophoric tree names?

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Isaac Fried
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Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Implied theophoric tree names?

Post by Isaac Fried »

In Deut. 16:21 we read
לא תטע לך אשרה כל עץ אצל מזבח יהוה אלהיך
"Do not plant an Asherah, any tree, by the altar you build to the Lord your God"
Was the אשרה A$ERAH, or A$ER, revered because it was seen as the amalgamation of אש-אור E$-OR, or איש-אור IY$-OR, like עשתורת = אש-את-אור-את A$TORET = E$-AT-OR-AT of 1Ki. 11:5?

In Gen 21:33 we read about Abraham
ויטע אשל בבאר שבע ויקרא שם בשם יהוה אל עולם
"And Abraham planted an E$EL tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord the Eternal God."
Was the אשל E$EL revered because it was seen as the amalgamation of אש-אל E$-EL, or איש-אל IY$-EL?

Isaac Fried, Boston University
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