Thread by @JamesBejon

THREAD: Leftovers from #Purim2020.

TITLE: Benjaminite names and the genealogy of Mordecai (in Targum Sheni).

SUB-TITLE: Bodyparts, times of day, trees, and a possible influence from Egypt.

The tribe of Benjamin strikes me as particularly ‘sticky’ as far as personal names are concerned.

That is to say, the Benjaminites appear to have shared a small(ish) group of names and name-types around a large(ish) group of people,

many of which are quite distinctive.

Consider, for instance, the name ‘Gera’ (גֵּרָא).

🔹 Benjamin has both a son and a grandson named Gera (cp. Gen. 46, 1 Chr. 8).

🔹 1 Chr. 8 mentions at least two further Geras (vv. 5–7).

🔹 And other Benjaminite references to the name Gera—such as ‘Ehud ben Gera’ and ‘Shimei ben Gera’ (cp. Judg. 3, 2 Sam. 16)—are suggestive of the existence of other Geras.

No instances of the name ‘Gera’, however, are attested in other tribes.

Similar examples of Benjaminite names are not hard to identify.

Consider the name ‘Ner’ (נֵר).

🔹 Saul has an uncle named ‘Abner’ (אַבְנֵר/אֲבִינֵר).

🔹 Abner himself is a son of ‘Ner’ (cp. 1 Chr. 9.35–39).

🔹 Jeremiah has an acquaintance named ‘Neriah’ (נֵרִיָהוּ),

who lives in a Benjaminite village named ‘Anathoth’ (cp. Jer. 1.1, 32.8–12 w. 1 Chr. 6.57–60, 27.12).

🔹 And the name ‘Ner’ is attested as a clan name on numerous wine jars from Gibeah, Saul’s hometown (Demsky 1971).

NAME-TYPES:

A number of *types* of name in Benjamin’s line also seem distinctive.

For instance, the verb ‘to heal’ is attested only a handful of times outside of Benjamin’s line (viz. twice in Judah’s, once in Issachar’s, and once in Levi’s),

yet it appears to have been popular among the Benjaminites:

🔹 Benjamin has a son named ‘Rapha’ (רָפָא) (per Chr. 8.2).

🔹 The Benjaminite who goes to spy out the land of Canaan in Numbers 13 is a son of ‘Raphu’ (רָפוּא).

🔹 Jonathan (Saul’s son) has a descendant named ‘Rapha’ (רָפָא) (per 1 Chr. 8.37).

🔹 One of the exiles who returns to Jerusalem (who is most likely either a Judahite or a Benjaminite) has the name ‘Rephaiah’ (רְפָיָה) (Neh. 3).

🔹 And the name ⟨dmlʔ⟩ = ‘to heal’ is one of a few names etched on Gibeah’s wine jars (in Benjamin) (Demsky 1971, Rechenmacher 2012:148).

‘NER’ AND ‘GERA’ AGAIN:

The name-types represented by ‘Ner’ and ‘Gera’ can fruitfully be analysed in a similar manner.

🔹 ‘Ner’ most likely refers to the ‘dawn’ (in which case the sense of ‘Neriah’ would be ‘The dawn/rise of YHWH’), given lexemes such as:

Akk. ⟨nawārum⟩ = ‘to dawn’, ⟨nūru⟩ = ‘a light, fire’,

and Arb. ⟨nawr⟩ = ‘to shine, blossom’, ⟨tanwīyr⟩ = ‘dawn’.

Many other Benjaminite names also refer to the dawn.

Consider, for instance, the (uniquely) Benjaminite names built around the consonants ⟨ŠḤR⟩, viz.:

🔹 ‘Ahishahar’ (אֲחִישַׁחַר) = ‘brother of the dawn’ (1 Chr. 7),

🔹 ‘Shaharaim’ (שַׁחֲרַיִם) = ‘after daybreak’ (?) (cp. how עַרְבַיִם functions in the Passover regulations), and

🔹 Shaharaim’s descendant ‘Shehariah’ (שְׁחַרְיָה) = ‘the dawn of YHWH’ (1 Chr. 8).

Other Benjaminite names are also related to the dawn (and other times of day).

But, first, a brief detour is in order.

EXOTIC NAMES:

The Benjaminite name-pool includes a number of foreign/exotic names.

For instance:

🔹 The name ‘Tarshish’ (תַּרְשִׁישׁ), first mentioned in connection with Greece (Gen. 10), may refer to a ‘merchant’ (cp. the phrase אֳנִיֹּות תַּרְשִׁישׁ in Isa. 2, which is sometimes rendered as ‘merchant ships’).

🔹 The name of Tarshish’s brother, Chenaanah (כְּנַעֲנָה), may denote a merchant too (cp. כְנַעֲנִי = ‘merchant’: Prov. 31.24).

🔹 And the name ‘Ishpah’ (יִשְׁפָּה) = ‘jasper’ also seems quite exotic (cp. יָשְׁפֵה , Akk. ⟨ašpû⟩ = ‘jasper’),

as does ‘Ishpan’ (יִשְׁפָּן) (cp. Syr. ⟨ʔīaspōn⟩ = ‘jasper’).

Note: ‘Jasper’ seems a particularly apt name for a Benjaminite, since the jasper (יָשְׁפֵה) is the last stone in the high-priest’s breastplate and hence representative of Jacob’s last born son, per Shem. Rabb. 38:

EGYPT:

Curiously, many of Benjamin’s more exotic names have an Egyptian flavour.

An obvious candidate is ‘Shashak’ (שָׁשָׁק) (1 Chr. 8).

Others include:

🔹 ‘Tahrea’, which appears to be foreign in origin insofar as it is spelt תַּחְרֵעַ in 1 Chr. 8 and תַּאְרֵעַ in 1 Chr. 9, and

🔹 ‘Sachia’ (שׂכיה) = ‘merchant vessel’ (cp. Egyp. ⟨skty⟩ = ‘(merchant?) ship’).

Note: שׂכיה is a hapax, which, significantly, occurs alongside ‘Tarshish’ (תרשיש) in Isa. 2:

BACK TO ‘NER’:

The Egyptian flavour of certain Benjaminite names may be able to help us analyse others.

Consider three of the more unusual names of Benjamin’s Egypt-born children and grand-children (Gen. 46.21, 1 Chr. 8.1–2):

a] ‘Ehi’ (אֵחִי),

b] ‘Ahoah’ (אֲחוֹחַ), and

c] ‘Aharah’ (אַחְרַח).

These names can plausibly (I claim) be interpreted in light of Egyptian lexemes related to either ‘the dawn’ or to ‘dusk’:

a] ‘Ehi’ can be related to Egyp. ⟨3ḫ.w⟩ = ‘sunlight’,

b] ‘Aharah’ (אַחְרַח) can be related to ⟨3ḫ3ḫ⟩ = ‘dawn’ (cp. by analogy how Egyp. ⟨ʕ3d⟩ comes across into Hebrew as ארץ = ‘earth’ or, in the case of a name, Egyp. ⟨ḫy3n⟩ = Ugar. ⟨ḫyrn⟩), and

c] ‘Ahoah’ can be related to ⟨ʕḫḫ.w⟩/⟨iḫḫ.w⟩ = ‘twilight, dusk’ (cp. by analogy how Egyp. ⟨ʕḫ⟩ = ‘brazier’ comes across into Hebrew as אַח = ‘hearth’).

NOW FOR ‘GERA’:

Recall, then, the name ‘Gera’.

‘Gera’ seems likely to refer to the ‘throat’ given lexemes such as:

JAram. ⟨grgrh⟩ = ‘cud, throat’,

Arb. ⟨jirra-⟩ = ‘rumination’ (cp. ⟨ijtirara⟩ = ‘to chew the cud’),

Syr. ⟨gaggərā⟩/⟨gaggarṯā⟩ = ‘throat’, and

Mish. Heb. גֵּרָה = ‘throat’ (cp. גרגרות = ‘neck’?).

As such, ‘Gera’ is an example of a common name-type within Benjamin, viz. names related to body parts.

Other examples include:

🔹 Benjamin himself (‘son of the right hand’: cp. Psa. 118.5–6),

🔹 Benjamin’s son ‘Rosh’ (ראש) = ‘head’,

🔹 Benjamin’s grandson ‘Ezbon’ (אֶצְבּוֹן) = ‘little finger’ (cp. Arb. Uṣaybiʕ = ‘little finger’), where ע has dropped out, as happens elsewhere (e.g., שמון > שמעון),

🔹 Saul’s son ‘Mephibosheth’ (מְפִיבֹשֶׁת) and Saul’s grandson of the same name (2 Sam. 4, 21.8) = ‘from the mouth of Bosheth/shame’, and

🔹 the lesser known Benjaminites ‘Elioenai’ (אֶלְיְהוֹעֵינַי) = ‘my eyes are towards YHWH’ (cp. Psa. 123), ‘Elienai’ (אֱלִיעֵינַי), and ‘Penuel’ (פְּנוּאֵל) = ‘the face of God’ (1 Chr. 8).

FURTHER NAME-TYPES:

Apparently, then, the names attested in Benjamin’s line can fruitfully be analysed in terms of their *semantic* *content*,

which can help us to identify further name-types within their midst.

A nice example is tree-related names, such as:

🔹 ‘Adar’ (אַדָּר) = ‘cedar’ (cp. JAram. ⟨ʔādar⟩/⟨ʔādrā⟩, Akk. ⟨adaru⟩, Ugar. ⟨ADR⟩ = ‘a large tree, poss. a cedar or poplar’),

🔹 the Egypt-given name ‘Iri’ (עִירִי) = ‘a reed, type of tree’ (cp. Egyp. ⟨ʕr.w⟩),

🔹 ‘Zemirah’ (זְמִירָה) = ‘vine shoot, branch’,

🔹 ‘Alemeth’ (עָלָמֶת) (m.) = ‘a date palm’ (cp. Bab. ⟨elamittu⟩).

🔹 ‘Zethan’ (זֵיתָן) = ‘olive tree’,

🔹 ‘Kish’ (קִישׁ) = ‘forest’ (cp. Bab. ⟨qīš(t)u⟩ = ‘forest, wood’, JAram./Syr. ⟨qēs⟩/⟨qaysā⟩ = ‘wood, tree’),

🔹 ‘Rimmon’ (רִמּוֹן) (2 Sam. 4.2) = ‘pomegranate tree’,

🔹 ‘Jarah’ (יַעְרָה) = ‘thicket’ (cp. יַעַר, Moab. ⟨yʕr⟩, JAram. ⟨yʕar⟩/⟨yaʕrā⟩ = ‘thicket’)

🔹 ‘Mikloth’ (מִקְלוֹת) = ‘staffs, branches’ (cp. Egyp. ⟨mqr⟩ = ‘staff’, JAram. ⟨mqlh⟩ = ‘stick, staff’, BH מַקְלוֹת (plur. of מַקֵּל) = ‘branches’),

🔹 ‘Armoni’ (אַרְמֹנִי) = ‘apricot tree’ (cp. Syr. ⟨ʔrmwn⟩ = ‘pomegranate tree’, OBab. ⟨armannu⟩ = ‘apricot tree’),

🔹 ‘Elah’ (אֵלָה) = ‘oak, terebinth’ (1 Chr. 9.8), and

🔹 ‘Hadasa aka Esther’ (הֲדַסָּה) = ‘myrtle tree’.

True to form, Benjamin’s tree-related names also contain a couple of more exotic examples, viz.,

🔹 ‘Shamsherai’ (שַׁמְשְׁרַי) = (cp. Syr. ⟨šemšārāy⟩ = ‘made of boxwood’, Akk. ⟨šimeššalû⟩ = ‘boxwood’), and

🔹 ‘Pithon’ (פִּיתוֹן) = ‘pine tree’ (cp. Syr. ⟨pytwn⟩, Gez. ⟨piton⟩, Gr. πίτυς = ‘pine tree’).

MORDECAI’S GENEALOGY:

We therefore come to Mordecai’s genealogy.

In the book of Esther, Mordecai’s genealogy consists of only 4 names.

In Targum Sheni, however, it consists of 42. And these 42 names are remarkably consistent with those of Benjamin’s wider name-pool.

For a start, Mordecai’s genealogy confirms the ‘stickiness’ we have noted above;

that is to say, it contains a large number of names which are attested elsewhere in the line of Benjamin (though it does not do so in a mechanical way, since it contains names like ‘Sasson’ [שָׂשׂוֹן], which are not attested anywhere in the Biblical record).

Examples include ‘Zebadiah’ (זבדיהו),

🔹 ‘Shehariah’ (שחרים),

🔹 ‘El-Paal’ (אלפעל),

🔹 ‘Penuel’ (פנואל),

🔹 ‘Uzi’ (עזי),

🔹 ‘Uzziah’ (עזיה), etc., etc.

In addition, Mordecai’s genealogy contains:

🔹 a new member of our ⟨ŠḤR⟩-related names, viz. ‘Shehora’ (שחורא),

🔹 an apparently Egyptian name, viz. ‘Pi-Tah’ (?) (פיתח),

🔹 a compound name with the final element /-hud/—viz. ‘Ammihud’ (עמיהוד)—, which resonates with Benjaminite names such as ‘Ehud’, ‘Ahi-Hud’, ‘Abi-Hud’, etc.

🔹 an attestation of the name ‘Michael’ (מיכאל), which resonates with the Benjaminite name ‘Micah’ (מִיכָה),

🔹 an attestation of the name ‘Jerub-Baal’ (יְרוּבַּעַל), which resonates with Benjaminite names such as ‘Baal’ (בַּעַל), ‘Esh-Baal’ (אֶשְׁבַּעַל), ‘Merib-Baal’ (מְרִיב בַּעַל), etc., as well as the alternative name of ‘Kiriath-Jearim’, namely ‘Baalah’ (בַּעֲלָה), and

🔹 a new candidate for Benjamin’s tree-related names, viz., ‘Goza’ (גוזא) = ‘nut tree’ (cp. JAram./Syr. ⟨gōz⟩/⟨gawzā⟩/⟨gōzā⟩, Heb. אֱגוֹז, Arb. ⟨jawz⟩ = ‘nut tree’).

FINAL THOUGHTS:

The Biblical record of Benjamin’s names is noteworthy in at least three respects.

First, the Biblical record of Benjamin’s names combines a superficial messiness with a remarkable intricacy, which makes it credible. Put another way, Benjamin’s names are patterned, but not contrived.

Second, the Biblical record of Benjamin’s names does not stem from a single passage, or even book, but encompasses a range of data-points from a whole range of books (e.g., Genesis, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Chronicles, Jeremiah, etc.).

As a result, its patterns are easier to explain as a reflection of a historical reality (i.e., of a tribe who assigned themselves names in a semi-regular manner) than as a literary invention.

Third, the Biblical record of Benjamin’s names paints a picture which is remarkably consistent with the extra-Biblical data recorded in Targum Sheni, and often in subtle ways (e.g., the presence of a new tree-relate name).

And, while one can never predict the result of future analysis until it is done, I would expect the continued study of Biblical and extra-Biblical names to highlight furher points of interest.

Consider, as a brief example, a few stone-related names which are attested in Benjmain’s line, viz.,

🔹 ‘Zeror’ (צְרוֹר) = ‘pebble’,

🔹 ‘Zur’ (צוּר) = ‘rock’,

🔹 ‘Gedor’ (גֶּדוֹר) = ‘a pile of stones’ (cp. גָּדֵר = ‘wall’, CPAram. ⟨gdār⟩/⟨gdārā⟩ = ‘a heap of stones’),

🔹 ‘Ritzpah’ (רִצְפָּה) = ‘paved stones’, and

🔹 ‘Magbish’ (Ezra 2.30) = ‘a pile of stones’ (cp. גָּבישׁ = ‘precious stone’, JAram. ⟨gbyšh⟩, ⟨gabšū⟩/⟨gabšūṯā⟩ = ‘a pile of stones’).

These names resonate with a range of Arabic names.

Notably, pre-Islamic tradition mentions four brothers named:

⟨Ḥazn⟩ = ‘rugged/stony ground’;

⟨Jandal⟩ = ‘stones’;

⟨Jarwal⟩ = ‘rough/stony land’; and

⟨Ṣaḫr⟩ = ‘rocks’.

BOTTOM LINE:

Biblical names deserve to be treated well and studied carefully.

And many of us may have a fair bit of free time on our hands in the months to come.

#ItCouldBeYou

THE END.