Identifying the Stones of Classical Hebrew

A Modern Philological Approach
Erscheinungsjahr 2024
ISBN: 978-90-04-67799-9
Verlag: Brill

Buch, Englisch, Band 7, 240 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 236 mm, Gewicht: 658 g

Reihe: Ancient Languages and Civilizations

Since the translation of the Septuagint in the 3rd century BCE, scholars have attempted to identify the stones that populate the biblical text. This study rejects the long-standing reliance on ancient translations for identifying biblical stones. Despite the evident contradictions and historical inconsistencies, scholars traditionally presumed these translations to be reliable. By departing from this approach, this volume presents a novel synthesis of comparative linguistics and archeogemological data. Through rigorous analysis of valid cognates, it establishes correlations between Hebrew stone names and their counterparts in ancient languages, corresponding to known mineral species. This methodological shift enables a more accurate identification of stones mentioned in biblical texts, thus recovering their true historical context. The research not only advances our understanding of biblical mineralogy but also provides a fresh perspective on the material culture of the Ancient Levant, offering valuable insights for scholars and laymen, linguists and archaeologists alike.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Ayil, Ephraim S

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Sprachwissenschaft Semantik & Pragmatik
• Geisteswissenschaften Sprachwissenschaft Historische & Vergleichende Sprachwissenschaft, Sprachtypologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Acknowledgements

1 Introduction

1 Methodology

2 Terminology/Scope

3 Limitations/Preface

2 The ?ošen—Priestly Breastplate

3 ????? ?o?em—Carnelian

1 Defining Carnelian

4 ??????? Pi??a—Peridot

1 False Etymologies

2 Reexamining an Old Connection

3 Identity

5 ??????? Bare?e?—Green Jasper

1 Medieval Identifications

2 Previous Etymologies

3 Cognates

4 A Semitic Etymology

5 Possible Identities

6 Putting the Data Together

6 ?????? Nop¯e?—Turquoise

1 Derivation from Egyptian mfk?t

2 Semantics

3 ???? Pu?

7 ?????? Sappir—Lapis Lazuli

1 The Biblical Sources

2 Greco-Roman Sources for S?pfe???? Sappheiros

3 The Supposed Indian Origin

4 Marginal Cognates

5 Akkadian Analogue and a Revised Etymology

8 ??????? Yahalom

9 ????? Lešem—Amazonite

10 ????? Š??o—Agate

11 ????????? ?a?lama—Red Jasper

1 Phonology

2 Ancient Translations

12 ???????? Taršiš—Amber

1 Internal Evidence for the Color of Taršiš-Stone

2 Tars?is? = Tartessos = A Stone from Tartessos

3 Applying the Philological Method

4 Other Previous Views

5 Conclusion

13 ????? Šoham—Onyx

1 The Location of ???????? ?awila

2 Terminological Issues concerning Onyx

3 Chalcedony Onyx in Arabia

4 The Egyptian Word for Onyx

5 Towards an Etymology

6 New Biblical Interpretations

14 ??????? Yašp¯e—Blue Chalcedony

1 Cognates

2 Yaspids in Greek and Mesopotamian Sources

3 The Elamite Yašpu

4 Breaking My Own Rules

5 Cultural Realia, Geography, Mythology: Towards an Etymology

6 Conclusion

15 ?????? Šamir—Emery

1 Cognates

2 The Etymology of ?????? Šamir

3 The Shamir Worm

16 ?????? Ga?iš & ?????????? ?elga?iš—Crystal Quartz, Gypsum & Hail

1 Previous Hypotheses

2 Phonological Analysis

3 Hebrew Sources for Elgavish

4 On ?????? Ga?iš

5 Etymological History in Other Languages

6 Semantics

17 ??????? Kadko? & ??????? ?e?da?—Garnet

1 ??????? Kadko?

2 ??????? ?e?da?

3 Greek ????a? Anthrax and Latin Carbunculus

4 Ugaritic P?m and Akkadian Pend?

5 Historiography

18 ???? C?or & ???????? ?allamiš—Flint/Obsidian

1 ??? C?or

2 ???????? ?allamiš

3 Afterword: Implications for the Reconstruction of Ancient Egyptian Phonology

4 Harmonizing the Data

19 ?????/??? Šayiš/Šeš & ??? Gir—Limestone

1 ?????/??? Šayiš/Šeš

2 ??? Gir

3 Afterword

20 Other Classical Hebrew Lithonyms

1 ????? Baha?

2 ????? Bo?an

3 ???????? Gop¯rit?

4 ??? Dar

5 ????? Mela?

6 ????? Ne?er

7 ????? Shashar

21 Final Analysis

1 Patterns in Borrowing

2 Reconsidering the Septuagint and a Potential Pattern

3 A Theory of the Septuagint

4 Frontiers for Future Research

Appendix: Index of Publications concerning Stones in the Bible

Bibliography

Index of Foreign Words

Index of Gemstones & Minerals

Über Autor(innen)

Ephraim S. Ayil (1998) holds a B.A. in Political Science from Touro University, and will be pursuing a J.D. at SMU Dedman School of Law in autumn of 2024. Most recently, he worked at Hillsdale College's Washington, D.C. campus. His research interests span multiple disciplines, reflecting a broad academic interest.