Page:A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis (1910).djvu/394

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descendants of Abraham. See, however, on 283.—5. Abram's name is changed to Abraham, interpreted as 'Father of multitude.' Cf. Neh. 97. The equation (Symbol missingHebrew characters) = [(Symbol missingHebrew characters)] (Symbol missingHebrew characters) is so forced that Di. al. doubt if a serious etymology was intended. The line between word-play and etymology is difficult to draw; and all that can safely be said is that the strained interpretation here given proves that (Symbol missingHebrew characters) is no artificial formation, but a genuine element of tradition. (1) The form (Symbol missingHebrew characters) is an abbreviation of (Symbol missingHebrew characters) (Nu. 161 etc.: cf. (Symbol missingHebrew characters), 1 Sa. 1451 etc., with (Symbol missingHebrew characters), 1 Sa. 1450; (Symbol missingHebrew characters), 2 Ch. 1120. 21, with (Symbol missingHebrew characters), 1 Ki. 152. 10), which occurs as a personal name not only in Heb. but also as that of an Ass. official (Abî-râmu) under Esarhaddon, B.C. 677 (see KAT3, 482)[1]. (2) Of (Symbol missingHebrew characters), on the other hand, no scientific etymology can be given. The nearest approach to P's explanation would be found in the Ar. ruhām = 'copious number' (from a [root] descriptive of a fine drizzling rain: Lane, s.v.).[2] De. thinks this the best explanation; but the etymology is far-fetched, and apart from the probably accidental correspondence with P's interpretation the sense has no claim to be correct.—With regard to the relation of the two forms, various theories are propounded. Hommel (AHT, 275 ff.; MVAG, ii. 271) regards the difference as merely orthographic, the (Symbol missingHebrew characters) being inserted, after the analogy of Minæan, to mark the long ā ((Symbol missingHebrew characters)), while a later misunderstanding is responsible for the pronunciation (Symbol missingHebrew characters). Strack and Stade (ZATW, i. 349) suppose a dialectic distinction: according to the latter, (Symbol missingHebrew characters) is the original (Edomite) form, of which (Symbol missingHebrew characters) is the Hebraïzed equivalent.[3] Wi. (GI, ii. 26) finds in them two distinct epithets of the moon-god Sin, one describing him as father of the gods (Sin abu ilâni), and the other 'father of the strife of peoples') as god of war (Sin ḳarib ilâni). The possibility must also be considered that the difference is due to the fusion in tradition of two originally distinct figures (see Paton, Syr. and


5. (Symbol missingHebrew characters)] G-K. § 121a, b; but (Symbol missingHebrew characters) is omitted in some MSS and in [E].

  1. ↑ Hommel's reading of Abî-râmu on a contract tablet of Abil-Sin, the grandfather of Ḫammurabi (see AHT, 96), has proved to be incorrect, the true reading being Abî-Erḫ (see Ranke, Personennamen in d. Urk. der Ham.-dynastie, 1902, p. 48). The name has, however, recently been discovered in several documents of the time of Ammi-*zaduga, the 10th king of the same dynasty. See BA, vi. (1909), Heft 5, p. 60, where Ungnad shows that the name is not West Semitic, but Babylonian, that the pronunciation was Abaram, and that the first element is an accusative. He suggests that it may mean "he loves the father" (râma = (Symbol missingHebrew characters)), the unnamed subject being probably a god. Comp. ET, xxi. (1909), 88 ff.
  2. ↑ The Ar. kunyā, 'Abū-ruhm is only an accidental coincidence: Nö. ZDMG, xlii. 4842.
  3. ↑ Similarly v. Gall (CSt. 53), who compares Aram. [Aramaic: **], Ar. bht, appearing in Heb. as (Symbol missingHebrew characters).
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