Ancient
Hebrew Research Center
Biblical
Hebrew E-Magazine
December, 2011 Issue #062
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Issue Index
Biblical Word of the Month – Stone
Modern Word of the Month – Fruit
Name of the Month – Thomas
Question of the Month – Alone?
Verse of the Month – Genesis 2:21
MT Excerpt – Genesis 10:24-32
AHRC Excerpt – Ugarit
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Biblical Word of the Month - Stone
By: Jeff A. Benner
The vocabulary of the English language has only two dimensions, meaning that each word within the English language has one definition, the first dimension, but can be used in a variety of applications, the second dimension. As an example, the definition of the word “train” is “a procession traveling together.” A line of railroad cars is called a train because they travel together in procession. The trailing part of a wedding dress is called a train because it travels in procession with the bride. The verb “train” means to “teach,” but in the sense of causing the student to follow in procession with the teacher.
The Hebrew language however, is multi-dimensional. Like in English, each Hebrew word has a literal meaning as well as extended meanings. However, unlike English, Hebrew words are derived out of a specific root whose meaning is closely related to the word and this root may have other words derived out of it, also with a similar meaning to that root. Many of these roots are also derived out of another root, which may have multiple roots derived out of it.
Let’s use the Hebrew word אבן (even, Strong's #68) to demonstrate. This word literally means a “stone,” such as you might find in a creek or field, but can also be a “weight” used in a balance scale, as it is made from a stone or a block within a building that is made of hewn stones.
This Hebrew word is derived out of the parent root בן
(ben, Strong's #1121). In the original Hebrew alphabet, this word was
written as
. The first
picture (on the right) is a picture of a tent, our house. The second picture is
a germinating seed, but can also mean to “continue” as a seed continues the
next generation. When combined these letters mean “continue the house” and is
the Hebrew word for a “son,” the one who continues the line of the house.
From the parent root בן (ben) come several other roots, and the words derived out of them. These roots and words are closely related to the concept of “continuing the house.”
בנן (B-N-N): beniyn–a building
אבן (A-B-N): even–a stone; ovehn–a stool (made from stone)
הבן (H-B-N):
hovehn–ebony (a hardwood used in building)
בהן (B-H-N): bohen–thumb (called “the builder” as it is needed for building)
בנה (B-N-H): banah–to build; beniyah–a building; mavenah–structure
בון (B-W-N): tevunah–intelligence (needed to build)
בין (B-Y-N): beyn–understanding (needed to build)
לבן (L-B-N): lavan–a brick (as used like stone to build)
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Modern Word of the Month - Fruit
By: Jeff A. Benner
The Modern Hebrew word for fruit is the word פרי (periy, Strong's #6529) and is, as is the case with many Modern Hebrew words, has its origins in Biblical Hebrew.
And
God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit
tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the
earth: and it was so. (KJV, Gen 1:11)
Fruits native to Israel use the same word found in Biblical Hebrew for Modern Hebrew. Below are a few examples.
תפוח (tapu’ahh, Strong's #8598): Apple
רימון (rimon, Strong's #8598): Pomegranate
תאנה (te’eynah, Strong's #8598): Fig
זית (zayit, Strong's #8598): Olive
ענב (eynav, Strong's #8598): Grape
Fruits that are not native to Israel have no Biblical Hebrew origin, so Hebrew has adopted their names from other cultures. Below are a few Hebrew words for different fruits that you might recognize.
בננה
(pronounced bananah)
קיווי
(pronounced qiwi)
מלון
(pronounced melon)
לימון (pronounced limon)
אבוקדו
(pronounced avoqado)
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Name of the Month - Thomas
By: Jeff A. Benner
Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; (KJV, Matthew 10:3)
The name Thomas is derived
from the Hebrew word תאום (ta’om, Strong's #8380) meaning
“twin.” His name in Hebrew would then be “Ta’om.” In the 4th C. AD
Aramaic Peshitta of the New Testament, this name is written as תאומא (Toma). When this Aramaic name is Hellenized (made into a Greek
name), an “s” is added to the end of the name, as is done with all male names,
and becomes Tomas or Thomas.
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Question of the Month – Alone?
By: Jeff A. Benner
Q: I was doing a study on the word “alone” found in Genesis 2:18 and found that it is the Hebrew word לבדו (le’vahdo), but am unable to find the meaning of this word.
A: The base word is בד (bahd/vahd) meaning a “stick.” The ל (le) is a prefix meaning “to” and the ו (o) is a suffix meaning “his.” So לבדו means “to his stick.” A
stick is a piece of a tree that is separated from the tree. The phrase “to his
stick” is a Hebrew idiom meaning to be “alone.”
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Verse of the Month – Genesis 2:21
By: Jeff A. Benner
וַיַּפֵּל
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהִים תַּרְדֵּמָה
עַל הָאָדָם
וַיִּישָׁן
וַיִּקַּח
אַחַת מִצַּלְעֹתָיו
וַיִּסְגֹּר
בָּשָׂר
תַּחְתֶּנָּה׃
And the LORD God
caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his
ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; (ASV)
וַיַּפֵּל (vai-yah-peyl)
The base word is נפל
(naphal) meaning "to fall". When a verb begins with the letter נ (n),
the נ is dropped from the word
when conjugated. The prefix י (y) identifies the subject
of the verb as third person, masculine, singular and the tense of the verb as
imperfect-"he fall." The prefix ו (v)
means "and" but also reverses the tense of the verb from imperfect to
perfect-"and he fell." The "ey" vowel
between the P and L identify the verb as a hiphil (causative)
verb-"and he caused to fall."
יְהוָה (YHWH)
This is the
Tetragramaton, the four letter name of the God of the Hebrews, usually
pronounced Yahweh. There are many theories as to the origin and meaning of this
name but most likely comes from the verb HWH (hawah) meaning to exist. The yud
added to the beginning identifies the object of the verb as first person,
masculine, singular, imperfect tense or "he exists".
אֱלֹהִים (eh-lo-hiym)
The
base word is אלוה (e-lo-ah), which is commonly translated as "God" or
"god," but more literally means "one of power and
authority." The suffix ים (iym) is the masculine plural so this word means “gods” or
“ones of power and authority.” However, this plural noun is often used as a
name for YHWH. Because this is being used as a name, it should be transliterated
as “Elohiym” rather than translating it with the English word “God.” YHWH Elohiym is the subject of previous verb, the
“he” in “he caused to fall.”
תַּרְדֵּמָה (tar-dey-mah)
This is a noun meaning
"trance," a state of partly suspended animation or inability to
function. A deep sleep or unconsciousness. This is the
object (what was caused to be fallen) of the previous verb.
עַל (al)
This word means
"over" or "upon."
הָאָדָם (ha-ah-dam)
The base word is אדם (adam) meaning “human.” The prefix ה means
“the” – the human.
וַיִּישָׁן (vai-yiy-shan)
The verb is ישן
(Y.Sh.N) meaning to "sleep." The prefix י
identifies the verb tense as imperfect - will sleep - and the subject of the
verb as third person, masculine, singular - he will sleep. The prefix ו means
"and" but also reverses the tense of the verb – and he slept.
וַיִּקַּח (vai-yi-qahh)
The base word is the verb
לקח (L.Q.Hh) meaning “to take.”
The prefix י (yud) identifies the verb
tense as imperfect – will take, and also identifies the subject of the verb as
third person, masculine, singular – he will take. The prefix ו (vav)
means “and” but also reverses the tense of the verb from imperfect to perfect –
and he took. Also note that the letter ל (lamed)
is dropped once the verb is conjugated, but this is the only verb that drops
this letter.
אַחַת (ah-hhat)
This word is commonly
translated as "one" but, the idea of "one" is an
individual, single entity. This word actually means "a unit" or
"unified", a combined entity. We think of "one tree" as a
single entity but, in the Ancient Hebrew mind it is a unit of many parts;
roots, trunk, branches and leaves.
מִצַּלְעֹתָיו (mi-tsal-o-taw)
The base word is the
feminine noun צלעה (tseylah) meaning “rib,” or
anything "rib" shapped such as a ridge. The prefix מ means
“from” – from a rib. This word includes the feminine plural suffix ת (ot)-"from the ribs." The suffix יו (aw) is the third person,
singular possessive pronoun-"from his ribs."
וַיִּסְגֹּר (vai-yis-gor)
The base word is the verb
סגר (S.G.R) meaning “shut"
or "close.” The prefix י (yud) identifies the verb
tense as imperfect – will close, and also identifies the subject of the verb as
third person, masculine, singular – he will close. The prefix ו (vav)
means “and” but also reverses the tense of the verb from imperfect to perfect –
and he closed.
בָּשָׂר (ba-sar)
This feminine noun means "flesh."
תַּחְתֶּנָּה
(tahh-teh-nah)
The base word is the
preposition תחת (tahhat) meaning
"under," with the feminine singular possessive suffix נה (nah)
meaning "her."
The following is a literal rendering of this verse from its Hebraic meaning.
And YHWH Elohiym caused a trance to
fall upon the human, and he slept, and he took one from his ribs and he closed
the flesh under her.
In following issues we will continue with this chapter.
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Mechanical Translation Excerpt - Genesis 10:24-32
24&and “Arpakhshad [I will fail the breast]” had brought
forth “Shelahh [Sent]” and “Shelahh [Sent]” had brought forth “Ever [Cross
over]”, 25&and to “Ever [Cross over]” were
brought forth two sons, the title of the one was “Peleg [Half]” given that in
his day the land was split and the title of his brother was “Yaqthan [He is
small]”, 26&and “Yaqthan [He is small]” had
brought forth “Almodad [El of measure]” and “Sheleph [Pull]” and “Hhatsarmawet
[Yard of death]” and “Yerahh [Moon]”, 27&and “Hadoram [Honor]” and “Uzal [Waver]” and “Diqlah [Palm grove]”, 28&and “Uval [Round]” and “Aviyma'el [My father is from El]”
and “Sheva [Seven]”, 29&and “Ophir
[Reduced to ashes]” and “Hhawilah [Twisting]” and “Yovav [Howler]”, all of
these are the sons of “Yaqthan [He is small]”, 30&and their settling existed from “Mesha [Storm]” as you
come unto “Sephar [Numbering]”, the hill of the east, 31&these are the sons of “Shem [Character]”, to their
families, to their tongue, in their lands, to their nations, 32&these are the families of the sons of “No'ahh [Rest]”, to
their birthings, in their nations and from these the nations were divided apart
in the land after the flood,
For details on this new translation see the web site at
http://www.mechanical-translation.org
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AHRC Website Excerpt – Ugarit
Many tablets containing cuneiform (Latin for "wedge shaped")
texts have been found throughout the Near East and used to write many different
languages including Sumerian, Akkadian and Eblaite. This cuneiform writing was
a logogram style of writing where one cuneiform sign represented one word,
similar to modern day Chinese. It was found that the cuneiform writing
developed out of an older "pictographic" writing. Each pictograph was
a picture of what that logogram represented such as in ancient Egyptian
Hieroglyphs. Over time the pictures were replaced by the cuneiform.
In 1928 French Archeologists discovered a
large collection of cuneiform tablets with a script unlike the previously
discovered cuneiform writing. This discovery was made at a site known as
"Ras Shamra" near the Mediterranean coast in modern day Syria. The
site was later discovered to be the ancient Canaanite city of Ugarit. It was
later discovered that the Ugarit cuneiform was a phonogram, or alphabetic, where
each cuneiform sign represented one letter of an alphabet. The Ugarit Alphabet
was Semitic, the same as Hebrew. Some have even called the writing system of
Ugarit "Hebrew cuneiform". Not only is the Ugarit alphabet Semitic,
the Ugarit language was also Semitic and almost identical to Hebrew. This was a
great discovery for Biblical Hebrew scholars as the Ugarit language was able to
shed some light on some Hebrew words of uncertain meaning.
The city of Ugarit was occupied from
pre-historic times to about 1200 BCE when it was mysteriously deserted. The
tablets with the Ugarit cuneiform were written in its later life (about 1300 to
1200 BCE). It was discovered through the writings of the tablets that the
people of the city were worshipers of the same Canaanite gods as their
surrounding neighbors including deities as El, Baal, Asherah and even Yahweh.
The culture, lifestyles and literary writings were found to be very similar to
the Israelites and can also shed much light on the Biblical text.
The origins of the Ugarit cuneiform script is
not known but can be assumed that it was derived out of the same Pictographic
script used to write Hebrew, just as the Sumerian cuneiform evolved out of a
pictographic script. This theory adds to the evidence that the Semitic/Hebrew
script is older than previously thought.
This article is located on the web site at
http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/22_history.html
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Editorials
Do you have a comment or personal insight into the articles
in this issue of the E-Zine? If so, let us know.
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Corrections
Did you find any errors needing correction in the articles
in this issue of the E-Zine? If so, let us know.
Thanks to Kenny Cartwright for pointing out that in the
AHRC excerpt the Hebrew word meaning “raven” is misspelled as עובר and should be עורב.
Thanks to Kristóf Gergely who found that the word “names”
is missing in the Verse of the month. The correct translation of this verse
should be, “And the human called out names to all of the livestock and to the
flyers of the skies and to all the living ones of the field, and he did not
find a helper like his opposite.”
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Copyright © 2011
Jeff A. Benner
Ancient Hebrew Research
Center
Please feel free to use, copy or distribute any material within the
"Biblical Hebrew E-Magazine" for non-profit educational purposes
only.
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