gods and goats in ancient כנען

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Isaac Fried
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gods and goats in ancient כנען

Post by Isaac Fried »

It is conceivable that the names אַיִל AYIL, 'ram', אַיָּל AYAL (and also the tree names אֵלָה ELAH and אַלּוֹן) as well as אֵל EL, as in the expanded אֱלוֹהִים, come all from the Hebrew uni-consonant root ל L or על Al, 'up'. But, it is also conceivable that the ancient canaanite herders selected the appellations their deities and objects of veneration from the hierarchy of their herds, epithets and labels propagated and preserved over the millennia in biblical personal names of theophoric compositions.
Here are two names with EL: אליהוּ = אל-היא-יה-הוּא and יוֹאל = יה-הוּא-אל.
From נין, תנין, אתוֹן we have the name דן, short for אדן or אדוֹן, and the name of his sister דינה. Or in combination, the name דניאל = אדן-היא-אל.
From ראם or רם we have the names אבירם = אב-היא-רם, אחירם = אח-היא-רם and יהוֹרָם = יה-הוּא-רם.
אב AB appears also in יואב = יה-הוא-אב and אביאל = אב-היא-אל.
From גדי GDIY, 'goat', we have the name גד GAD.
From איש (as in תיש = אתה-איש), עז EZ, עזה IZAH and עתוּד ATUD, we have יהוֹאָש = יה-הוּא-איש and יששכר =איש-שכר.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
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Re: gods and goats in ancient כנען

Post by Isaac Fried »

I suspect that also מֶלֶך MELEK, 'king', originated from the leading, מוֹליך, goat.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
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Re: gods and goats in ancient כנען

Post by Isaac Fried »

There is also a possible connection between the עַיִר AYIR, 'young beast', of Job 11:11, and the עִיר IR, 'angel', of Daniel 4:10(13)
חָזֵה הֲוֵית בְּחֶזְוֵי רֵאשִׁי עַל מִשְׁכְּבִי וַאֲלוּ עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ מִן שְׁמַיָּא נָחִת
NIV: “In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven."

We recall also the עַיִש of Job 38:32 in connection with תַּיִש = אתה-איש, TAYI$, 'ram'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
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Re: gods and goats in ancient כנען

Post by Isaac Fried »

Assyrian names are goodly compounded
אֵסַרחַדוֹן = איש-שר-אח-אדוֹן
with the opening part אסר reminding us of the Hebrew names אשר and ישראל.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
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Re: gods and goats in ancient כנען

Post by Isaac Fried »

And not to forget the names שָׂרַי and שרה. It seems to me that the ending AY = היא-היא of שָׂרַי is an ancient plural form as in ישי and אדוֹני. There is also a possible kinship between שר and שעיר.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
ralph
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Re: gods and goats in ancient כנען

Post by ralph »

interesting, have you ever thought of setting up a blog?
Ralph Zak
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Jason Hare
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Re: gods and goats in ancient כנען

Post by Jason Hare »

ralph wrote:interesting, have you ever thought of setting up a blog?
Who hasn't made such a suggestion to him? ;)
Jason Hare
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יוֹדֵ֣עַ צַ֭דִּיק נֶ֣פֶשׁ בְּהֶמְתּ֑וֹ וְֽרַחֲמֵ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים אַכְזָרִֽי׃
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Isaac Fried
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Re: gods and goats in ancient כנען

Post by Isaac Fried »

Needed to be mentioned here is also עזאזל(עזעזאלAZ-AZ-EL) = עז-עז-אל of Lev. 16:8, the lesser, yet sill mighty, AZ-AZ, god, EL.

וְנָתַן אַהֲרֹן עַל שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂעִירִם גֹּרָלוֹת גּוֹרָל אֶחָד לַיהוה וְגוֹרָל אֶחָד לַעֲזָאזֵל

KJV: "And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat."

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
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Re: gods and goats in ancient כנען

Post by Isaac Fried »

Two town names that appear to start with איש IY$:
אַשְדּוֹד = איש-עד-הוּא-עד
and
אֶשְתָּאוֹל = איש-אתה-הוּא-אֵל

Isaac Fried, Boston University
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