nnanon nratyoHEBREW HIEROGLYPHICS.

nnaion

HEBREW CHARACTERSDERIVED FROM

HIEROGLYPHICS.THE ORIGINAL PICTURES APPLIED TO THE INTERPRETATION OF VARIOUS WORDS AND PASSAGES IN THE SACRED WRITINGSAND ESPECIALLY OF

THE HISTORY OF THE CREATION AND FALL OF MAN.

SECOND EDITION.

TO WHICH

IS

ADDED

AN INQUIRY INTO THE ORIGIN AND PURPORT

RITES OF BACCHUS.

BY

JOHN LAMB,CAMBRIDGE:

D.D.

MASTER Of CORPUS CHR1STI COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.

PRINTED AT THE PITT PRESS, BY JOHN SMITH, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY.

LONDON:JOHN W. PARKER,

WEST STRAND.

M.DCCC.XXXV.

,

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BequestIb,

of

ersiti?

of Toronto

1901

SIGNA SUNT VERBA VISIBILIA; VERBA SIGNA AUDIBILIA.

THE

HEBREW ALPHABET.

HIEROGLYPHIC.

HEBREW ALPHABET.HIEROGLYPHIC.

HEBREW ALPHABET.HIEROGLYPHIC.TBANSITION.

HARACTER.

ANCIENT NAME.

MEANING.

p D

SAH.

THE MOON.

A t

X

y

AUL.

THE

LEGS.

PHEH.

THE FACE.

Tzi.

A HOIINED BEAST

P1

KAV.

A BOAT.

RAH.

A HAWK.

SHISH.

THE

SUN.

A

n

THATH

A

TENT.

MASCIJOTH HAMMEDABBEROTH,

IT has long been my opinion that considerable light might be thrown upon the early history of mankind, asfirst chapters of Genesis, by the 3 of hieroglyphic or picture-writing In all probastudy bability this was the only mode of recording events.

contained in the eleven

and communicating ideas until after the separation of the descendants of Noah, and the consequent foundation of many distinct nations. Each family or tribe would carry with them the picture history of mankind from the creation until the dispersion; and these records would be carefully preserved by them as sacred writings, and wereprobably the origin of all their mythological systems. And if this were the case, there must have been a period

by the descendand through Noah transmitted to Abraham ants of Seth, and his posterity became Phonetic; and could we possibly obtain a copy of this ancient record it would unscripture history as preserved

when the

doubtedly throw

much light upon many obscure parts of the early history of mankind. Of these nations, some under favourable circumstances

of climate

and

situationarts,

wouldfor a

make muchlong period

greaterothers.

progress in literature,

and sciences than

Some would probably remain

with

little

originala

more knowledge than they derived from their founders. Some might even retrograde and notthis

sense,

Throughout this work the word "hieroglyphic" is used in and not in its more correct meaning of " sacred writing."

A

retain

that

small

stock with which they commenced.

After a few centuries the literature of each nation (ifso it

may be

called)

would be more

or less

advanced;

is, the system of picture-writing would be rendered more simple by a gradual transition from the real image

that

to

some emblematical mark of the original. Now among these early nations we have reason to believe that one did advance far before the rest in arts, sciences, andbeyond the reach of any was a most populous and authentic historic powerful nation, with knowledge to contrive, and skill

literature.

Egypt

at a period

records

which still remain monuments of their former grandeur, and excite the admirationto execute various works,

and astonishment of the traveller*. This people having carried the picture-writingvery high covery of Phonetic characters.state of perfection

to a

made

the important disThis event is now as-

certained to have taken place at a very early period. " " J'ai du conclure," (says M. Champollion) et j'ai conclu avec toute raison

de ces

faits

si

nombreux

et

si

evidens d'abord que 1'usage de 1'ecriture

PHONETIQUE

EGYPTIENNE, dans ma lettreplus reculee."

donta

M.

j'ai premier 1'alphabet Dacier, remontait a 1'antiquite la

publie le

Whencharacters

once this important discovery was made, these would shortly be reduced to the same, or

The number nearly the same as we now find them. of consonants does not depend upon the genius of each b particular language , but upon certain organs of theanimal man;a

and,

as

these are uniform

throughoutf

See Lectures on Hieroglyphics, by the Marquis Spinetto, 20 26. pp. b This is generally true, for although the number may be increased to a certain extent

by the

nasal

and guttural organs, theyy.

can be reduced to about twenty- two distinct sounds,

3

same alphabet would be appliThis discovery would soon every language. be known by the neighbouring nations, and in no very long time it would be generally adopted. Each separate people would not repeat the process by which the first inventor had arrived at so happy a result, but eachthe whole race,to

the

cable

wouldtheir

(if

I

may bepictures

own

into

allowed the expression) translate the two-and-twenty sounds

And hence it is that we already provided for them. find almost every nation claiming to itself the discoveryofletters.

Each one no doubt may putasfar

in a claim for

this

honour,to

as

it

consists

in having reducedafter

pictures discoverers

that the first language, had given them the key. And this process would take place in the following manner.

a Phonetic

select from among their hieroglyphics each one being the representative of a letter, twenty-two, and containing that simple -sound. For example, suppose they had among their characters the picture of a

They would

Lion, and in their language this beast was called Li, they would take this figure to represent L, and whereever it appeared it would become the letter L. Again,

suppose that

they had the picture of a face, and in their language it was called PEH, then in the same

manner they would obtain the character of the letter P. And if they had the hieroglyphic of a Cup, and it wascalled

NA, they would from

it

obtain the figure of the

letter N. And proceeding thus they would obtain twoand-twenty letters, representing all the sounds of the

alphabet.

they had selected these, there would probably remain many other pictures; but with Each figure these the process would be very simple.after

Now

sound.

would be changed into that letter, which contained it's For example, suppose they had among their characters the picture of a Foot, and it was called AL;

4

they would, wherever they met with it, render it by the letter L, which contains the sound of that wordIf they had the picture of a Bird, and called it OP, they would in the same manner render it by P*

'

And

proceeding thus with very little difficulty, they would reduce the whole of their pictures, were they many or few, to the letters of the alphabet; andevery word would contain as many distinct consonants, as the corresponding Hieroglyphic Cartouche did pictures.

Such being the

case,

this question

arises,

is

there

any language which remains

so little altered since the

time of this translation, as to afford us the means of retranslating a part of it into its former picture charespect to spoken languages, this must be a hopeless case, so great is the change which in But the lapse of ages must have taken place in them.racters.

With

there

is

the

Hebrew

in the

same

state, in

which

it

was

at least in the days of Moses, i. e. about 1500 years before the birth of Christ, and not more than 700 or

800 years

after the

building of the tower of Babel.

sacred books of the Jews having been written in this dialect, and the nation in process of time adopting

The

another vernacular tongue,

it

has not undergone those

changes which are inevitable to any spoken language. If we could now succeed in obtaining the exact picture,

which each of the Hebrew characters represented, there would undoubtedly be much light thrown upon the manner in which the language was constructed and if it should be the case that they had not a great;

numberableto

of pictures, but frequently repeated those, whichfor letters,

they have adoptedobtain words.

the correctthis

we should probably be meaning of many ancientafter once the

But more than

:

language

became written, every new word would be formed by

these letters, each retaining

its ideal

sense

;

there would

be now asall

were but one picture for each letter, and words afterwards formed would undoubtedly belongit

to this class.

In

the

early period

of the world,

and especially

without any written characters, language would be very concise, and no more words would be used than wereabsolutely necessary for the simple concerns of mankind. But after their characters became Phonetic, and their

would be and probably the majority of words equally extended now found in Hebrew, are of a date posterior to its It transition from hieroglyphic to written characters. is clear that this mode of forming words from theincreased,their language;

commerce greatly

continued down to a very late period, as I shall have occasion to shew. Hence, in a philological point of view, it is of considerableideal

meaning of the

letters

importance to establish the true meaning of theas

letters,

by

so doing

we may

obtain the correct meaning of

many

words,

ignorant. may lead to the explanation of some difficult passages in the Bible, and to the confirmation, or illustration of

And

concerning which we are now perfectly the exhibition of their original pictures

those important truths in whichinterested.

mankind

are so deeply

In this undertaking there are three distinct thingsto be accomplished.I.

To OBTAIN THE IDEAL MEANINGLETTER.

OF EACH

II.

TO DISCOVER THAT HIEROGLYPHIC, WHICH CONTAINS THIS IDEA, AND AT THE SAME TIME MAY EASILY HAVE PASSED INTO THE FORM OF THE I.FTTKK AS NOW W1UTTKN.

6III.

To FIND THE HEBREW WORD OF

ONE

SYLLABLE, BEGINNING WITH THIS LETTER, WHICH WAS THE ANCIENT NAME OF THE HIEROGLYPHIC.

With respect to the first part, To OBTAIN THE IDEAL MEANING OF EACH LETTER, I will give Oneexampleto

shew the manner in which

this

may bere-

accomplished. Every reader of the

Hehrew Bible must havesignifying

marked the frequent occurrence of 3 with the pronominal"smiting."affixes

or

prefixes,:

the

action

of

For example

ntf

-p

"And"

he smote the Egyptian."

Exod.-p

ii.

12.

nil POD ojn

mm

And

Jehovah smote the people with a great smiting.xi.

Numb."

33.

And

he smote her with theletter

edge of the sword."D contains the whole

Josh. x. 28.

idea of " smiting."

In these examples the

Again we

find

whenby

this 3 has3 or

no

pronominal

prefix, the place is supplied

n,

as,

"

Andalso

I will smite Egypt."rr

Exod.it,

iii.

20.

And"

is

frequently affixed to

as

nmAndJehovah smote

b3

nan

mmExod.xii.

all

the first-born."five

29.

This word occurs aboutBible in exactly this sense.

hundred times in the

Grammarians give us

a

triliteral,

as the root of this

word

;

but

it

is

quite

evident,letters

that however

may be for compliance with some canon of the language, they have no effect upon the ideal power of D, which contains within itself the

necessary euphony, or for

these

two formative

action of smiting. find then in

We

a

Hebrew word commonlysense

calledletter,

a root, that the whole

may

rest in

one

and the two others be merely formatives, and in this case 3 and n serve this purpose. Again, we have a word "jttO containing 3, and another letter in combination

with 3, and signifying "to bite," i.e. "to smite with the teeth ;" and in a metaphorical sense " to lend on usury." have also ntM , where V is

We

in combination with

on usury."obtainsits

Nowor

signifying also "to lend whether in the former word D lends3,

n and

its ideal sense,

" a tooth."teeth.

merely formative, this latter word whole meaning from the letter ttf, signifyingis

But although

thisis

may

be the

case, it does

not follow that the letter

the representative of the

This may be a derived or second meaning, as in truth it is, or it may have nothing to do with the form of the letter, being borrowed from some other But I give this example to shew how the picture. ideal meaning of the letters may be traced out; and

how

I

obtained the following results.

I

took each letter

separately, and examined well every root, that is, every word of two or three letters, in which it was found, especially those in which it was connected with n or 1 Having collected the various meanings, and reduced them by rejecting those of doubtful authority, or of

succeeded in bringing each to one primary idea derived from a noun substantive. With respect to the second object, viz., THE DISr

I

The word It is the representative of a cup. found nearly in its primitive sense, Exod. xii. 9ND

NA,

A

CUP.

Hence

its ideal

meanings.

CUP. Pouring. Motion,Giving.

(as of liquid).

REPETITION.

This letter occasionally imparts a diminuti\ e meaning.

DTheMoon.primitive

ideais

of this

letter is

that4.

of the

The word"

found in Psalm Lxxxi

HD31with

(Bac-ce-seh),

at the full

moon

;"

the word

is spelt

17

N instead of nND SA,

in Proverbs

vii.

20.

ND3n (Hac-ce-sea)ideal meanings.

" the the full moon, viz.

moon

circular."its

THE Moox.Brightness.

Hence

MOON.

Whiteness.

MOON-SHAPED.

Motion, (revolving).

/andall its

/

V.feet of a

This character represents the legs and

man

;

meanings relate to this image. We do not know the original sound of the letter. It was prohably not very unlike that of N; and as K in its primitivesense was soon only found in union with T, so y in its primitive sense was soon only found in union with b , " as we now have it in the verb J"6y (A-lah), to go up ;" " over." " and in the preposition by (Al), upon," It occursin its original meaning in DV2 (Paam), signifying " et iterum," step upon step."

"

semel

by

AL.

LEGS AND FEET.Two.

Hence

its ideal

meanings.Biped.

LEGS AND FEET. MOTION.

fThisletter derives its ideal character chiefly

from

the mouth, but was probably represented by the wholeface as its present form seems to indicate.

N3

or

H3

PHA

or

PHEH. FACEBreath.

or

MOUTH.HOLE.

Hence

its ideal

meanings.Aperture.

FACE.

MOUTH.

B

18

the representative of some horned have the letter with its origianimal lying down. xiii. 21. and Jer. L. 39.) nal meaning. (Isai.

This

letter

is

We

"

And

the horned beasts shall couch there."cattle."

It is

found also in ]$x (Tson), " small horned

^Henceits ideal

TSI,

A HORNEDHORNS.

BEAST.

meanings.

HORNED ANIMAL.stance)

HORN

(the

sub-

Moon.

Branches.

PThisinletter represents a boat

and

its oar.

As

boats

wooden

early times were trees hollowed out, any hollow The vessels seems to have borne this name.is

Coptic for a boat

xoi, the same as the oldis

Hebrew

word Np (Kha), whichthe verb

obsolete, but

still

found in

mp

(Kavah), literally "to

float."

BOOT nnro nwr vp"

And Elohim

said,

Let the waters under the heavens

float to

one place." Gen. i. 9This word is used in the same primitive sense inLX. 9-

Isai.

PIT-TO -pai

wy rawmme

ewnn

MTWForto

D2DD

the islands shall

float,

yea the ships of

19

Tarshish among thetheir silver

first

to bring thy sons from afar,

and

their gold with them."

uses a bold and appropriate metaphor comparing the ships of Tarshish to islands.

The Prophet

Np

KHA,(in

Aor

Boat.

Hence

its ideal

meanings.

BOAT.

HOLLOWNESS.good

Lightness.

EMPTINESS,

bad sense) Purity

or Desolation.

ibird, which and most common ideal meaning. gives primary Various noises of joy or of mourning were represented by this letter: probably some mark distinguished aits

This character derivesits

form from a

particular bird in each case, according to the character of its notes. This letter is found in its original sense in the word il*O (Rah), a Hawk, Deut. xiv. 13. Theparallel passage in Leviticus, (n. 14.) is a false reading,

rn

for

run (Dah

for

Rah).

rwi RAH,

A

Hawk.

Hence

its ideal

meanings.

HAWK.

BIRD.

Flying.

Swiftness.

Noise (of Joy

or Sorrow.)

Sight.

was the representative of the rising sun. That luminary was drawn with six rays like a doubleThislettera

3

ofIP,

W

any decided difference between the meanings and itf the latter seems to borrow its sense sometimes from and at other times from D.I cannot trace out:

B2

20ty

($), and three appearing form this letter. 3 in the word ttrDty (Shemesh).

It is

found

iwy

SHISH, The Sun.

Hence

its ideal

meanings.

SUN. RISING SUN. Rising.

Fire.

Light.

White.

TEETH.is

The last meaning which I have given of this letter a very common one. It might be derived from the colour of the teeth, or from the form of the letter,or from both.

Or

it

may have been taken from some

other picture.

J\Thisletter is

the representative of a tent.

The

original Nfi exists in a

borrowed sense.

It is also found8.,

in the verb Htfn (Tah), "to stake out."Nfi

Numb,Hence

xxxiv. 7,

signifying

THA,

A

Tent.

its

ideal meanings,

TENT. POLE.

TREE.

I shall now proceed to shew by examples, how the Phonetic language was formed from the hieroglyphic

But first I must repeat, that I conceive the at the time when this transition took place language to have been purely monosyllabic, and consequently nopictures.

cartouche or word contained more than three distinctideas or sounds, asa

we know that more

letters

cannot"the

Theis

original hieroglyphic

from which the word

tyQttf,

Sun"

obtained

may have been

W D &

,

" half the Sun above the water,

and half below the water ;" or D may only be formative.

21

be pronounced with one vowel. For example, such a as "ISO was not sounded, as it now is "13D (Sepher), but as if it were pointed thus "jap (Sephr), :nN was not sounded riN (Eretz), but (Artz); and in this

word

^K

corresponded exactly with the Chinese. The present form of these nouns has been substituted for the original, in order to prevent a disrespect

the

language

agreeable occurrence of sounds ; but when the word is increased at the end, this reason no longer exists, and then the original form is generally restored as(Artzah), from 2ng (E-retz), and "O^D (Malci), from Hence each cartouche would contain one, two, (Melee). or three pictures.

When

the constructors of the lan-

guage found only one, they added, to form the Phonetic word, two formative letters when they found two, they added one formative letter; and when they found three, they retained them unaltered; and thus they reduced;

the entire language to triliteral words. I am aware that there are many nouns which

now

consist of only two letters, but all such words originally doubled one of their letters, or have dropped 3, n, 1 or '. Such a word as IN (Ah), "a Father," was originally

nitf

,

or

U

(Abah

or Abi), as

we

find

by:

its

taking:

>

in

J"Q is the representative of final n a daughter," was fOl (Benath) T ( Yod), a Hand (Bath), wasTT* (Yod): tfN (Esh), "Fire," wasttm (Esh): DN (Em),

construction, which

"

"a Mother," was DDK (Emm),dagesh with a vowelaffix.

as

we

find

by

its

taking

every word in the Phonetic language consisted either of one radical letter and two formatives;

Hence

of two radical letters andradicalletters.l,

The

one formative, or of three formatives most commonly usedD,3

were N, n,

\

3, b,

and 1; they might per-

haps use all the letters as such occasionally. It will be seen, that the following examples are entirely con-

fined to nouns.is

The

reason of thisis

is,

that the noun

the word from which the verb

formed.

And

I

believe every verb in the language owes its origin to some noun, although many of these are now obsolete,

and of course the derivation of the verb cannot betraced.

clearly

There

is

also

an usage of the

letter

tf,

which

it is

important to observe, and which I did not discover until I had fixed the meanings of nearly all the letters, orI

should have been saved

much

trouble.

This cha-

racter is used withletter is to

any other letter, implying that such be taken in its primitive sense. It seems that after a picture came to bear several derived meanwas necessary to have some mark to shew that

ings, itit

idea.

was intended to convey to the mind the original For instance, when b the picture of a Lion had come to signify " any quadruped," " strength," or " fortitude," if they wished to define "a Lion" it was necessary to make some distinction, and this was done by an N, signifying "first," i. e. "the first meaning."thistf

And

in forming the Phonetic

word frequentlyone peculiar

became n. I must

also call the reader's attention to

idiom of the Hebrew language, the frequent use of the words p (Ben), and ni (Bath). Whenever the age of any individual is mentioned, it is always by the para" The son " or " daughter of so many years." phrase of

For example

:

HND

p

"

Abraham wasyears."

the son of an hundred

n

m

" Sarah was the daughter of ninety years."likewise

Wephrases.

have

the

following

and many

like

"JYiD"p

A

son of death."death.

i.

e.

Ai.

mane.

deserving

"" "

A son A sonThe

of a quiver or bow," of valour,"i.

Anman.i. e.

arrow.

e.

A brave

daughters of the song,"

Singing

women." Son ofchaff.

my

threshing

floor,"

i.

e.

Corn or

"

Daughter of a

year."

i.

e.

An

ewe lamb

or

goat of a year old.

This being so common an idiom in the language, we must not be surprized at finding it equally commonin the formation of words.ter is

1 signifying a son or daughin the same manner, and with the used precisely same latitude, as and Jil (Ben and Bath), generally " " in." within," or implying

p

24I will

now

and proceedN.1.3.

recapitulate the meanings of the letters, to select some examples of each.Priority.

MAN.HOUSE.

Superiority.

Any

building.

Within, In.

SON.

DAUGHTER.

ARMLIPS.

and HAND. Carrying. Lifting up. Height. Power.

Pride."7.

Speaking.

Opening.Life.

Shutting.

RED.

H.1.

NOSTRILS.

Breath.

LIVING CREATURE.in air.

FEATHER.KNIFE.

Lightness.

Motion

BIRD.

?.

BLOOD.Love.

Sprinkling.

Drops.

RED.BLACK.(of

n.D.

BOSOM.SPADE.

Concealment. Expansion.

Darkness.

Plough.

TOOL

or

INSTRUMENT

\

any kind). EYE. Brightness. LIGHT. Sparkling. DISTINCTION. MAN, Used in the last sense in forming proper names.SLING.Smiting,

3.b.

CURVATURE.

Circular.

SIMILITUDE.

D.

QUADRUPED (any). Four. Motion, (walking). To or For. (sign of Dative) Strength. WATER. MULTITUDE. Number, (Distributively) Part.Of.

LION.

From.Pouring.

1

CUP.

Motion (as ofletter

liquid).

TITION.

This

occasionally

Giving. REPEgives a diminutive

meaning.D.

MOON.

Brightness..

Whiteness.

MOON-SHAPED. Motion

(revolving)

V.3.X.

LEGS and FEET.FACE.

MOTION.Breath.

Biped.

Two.

MOUTH.

HORNED ANIMAL.Moon.Branches.

Aperture. HOLE (any). HORNS. HORN (the substance).

p.

BOAT.or

HOLLOWNESS.sense).

bad

Lightness. EMPTINESS (in a good Purity or Desolation.Swiftness.

1.

HAWK.

BIRD..

Flying.

Noise

(of joy or

sorrow)ttf.

Sight.

n.

SUN. RISING SUN. Rising. Fire. Light. WHITE. TEETH. TENT. POLE. TREE.

In the following examples, I shall exhibit each word as it would appear in its Hieroglyphic Cartouche, supposing each letter to represent its respective picture; and to this I shall subjoin the word as it was renderedPhonetic.

Some

of these words

probably were never

written in the original character, being of later formation ; but still they were formed from the ideal meaning

of their letters, and

may be

properly exhibited as they

would have been depicted.

(Adam),

"

Man

red,"

i.

e.

Adam, D

formative.

(Abah),

" Chief of House,"

i.

e.

A

Father,

DKDDK (Emm),"First of many,"i.

e.

A

Mother.

71K"(Achi),

Man

of

breast,"

(i.

e.

same

A

breast),

Brother.

"(Aleph),

The

chief beast Bull.

of

mouth,"

(i.

e.

of

bellowing),

A

(Gamal),

" Beast of

much

burden,"

i.

e.

A

Camel.

Hence

the verb tej (Gamal), "to load" (either " with favours or injuries), to requite good or evil."

(Daleth),

"Lips

to tent,"

i.

e.

A

folding door.

n"(Chai),

The

eye of the bosom,"live."

i.

e.

Life.

Hence

verb

mn

"to

n(Chub), lin,

"House

of Bosom,"

i.

e.

The Lap.

Hence(Chaba),

(Chabab), "toself."

love."

And Kin

"to hide one's

inBird son of Lips," i. e. word. Hence "in (Dabar), " in Greek we have errea TTTepoevra, winged words.""

A

(Chaleb),

Child (or produce) of the breast of the have also UNDO (Cheanimal," i. e. Milk. mah), another name for milk; literally "the

"

We

water or liquid of the breast."

" Height, Height," (very high), (Ga-ga), roof of the house.

i.

e.

the

or

NU

"(Geba),

House of

Hill,"

i.

e.

A

den or a

cistern.

33pj (Giben),"

Son of Hillock,"

i.

e.

Hunchbacked.

CHDT (Dam),"

Red

water,"

i.

e.

Blood.

DT(Dama), "Blood of treading," i. e. juice of pressed Hence grapes or olives, wine or oil. " a " to weep. tear," and yDT (Dama), (Dim-ah),

DV (Yom), " Light much,"

i.

e.

Day.

W?

"(Lyl),

Light

for beasts."

i.

e.

Night.the 104th

Theideal

Psalmist

seems to have had in his mind the

meaning of these words,:

when he pennedrfybit is

Psalm

lyn/vrHxD"

^mmi

M^I

i^n n^n:

Thou makest

darkness, and

night

wherein

all

the

beasts of the forest do creep forth."

(Ver. 20.)

DIN

mrngather themselves

"

The Sun

ariseth,

theyin

together,

and lay them down unto his work and(Verses 22, 23.)

their dens.

Manuntil

goeth forthevening."

to his labour

the

28

fl>n

(Dath),

"Knowledge," Produce of"

lips.

Or yT

(Yedah), light of the lips," not found as but as a verb yp (Yada), " to know." a noun,

The

Ipl (Boker),

"Bird's house empty." Bird's time of leaving nest, i. e. the morning, ppl (Bakak),

"to empty, to make desolate."

(Areb),

" Bird

up

to its

house."

Time

of bird

going to nest,

i. e.

the evening.

" Son of a sling," i. e. This word stone. (Caab), is the root of the verb 1*O (Caab), and explains its different significations, Gen. xxxiv. 25. Job

A

v.

18.

2 Kings

iii.

19.

Isai. xvii. 11.

From ID

(Cab), signifying a stone, is derived ill (Cebod), " " " heaviness," metaphorically weight," glory," " honour," (Prov. xxvii. 3.) In Isaiah xxi. 15. 113(Co-bed), seems to be used inits original sense.

(Co-bed-Milchamah), "the stone of war,"

And the verse may be rene. the sling-stone. dered thus, " For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, " to from the stone of the *Oii.

sling."

bruise,"

" to break in " pieces," from 1 lips," *O " of sling ;" sling doubled, used for various purposes, of threshing, &c.

(Daca),

29

a(Chosec),

"As Suni.

concealed," (as

when Sun

is

concealed)

e.

darkness.

(Shachah)vandderivation,

nnttf

"

to hide

(Shachach), are of the same " to bow the face," hence

down," (see Job

xxii. 29, 30.).

(Page 14.)

(Geshem),shower.

"

Water

lifted

up,"

i.

e.

rain,

heavy

ton

D"

(Mathar),

Flying instrument of water,"

i. e.

cloud

or rain, light shower.

nn(Hegeh), "Breath, breath, going up," i.e. Repetition of breathings. (See Job xxxvii. 2.)

mn"

The sound

that goeth out of his mouth."Jl

In this passage we haveits

in its first sense;

and

meaning explained by the writer.

(Habel),

" Son

of

living

animal,"i.

i.

e.

breath.

Hence tan (Habel),

"vanity,"

e.

mere breath,

and the verb tan (Habal), "

to be vain."

30

or

ff

(Eish),

" Produce of the sun."

Fire.

Hencewere

probably10.

is

derived the word CMDttftfl, Isai. Lix.

"We

stumble at mid-day, as

if it

dark, and in the MERIDIAN LIGHTblind."

as if

dead

3

K(Shenah),"

V

same

root

hence its various meanings, all originally borrowed from the idea of the rising Sun.:

up." in the language

Returning of Sun," i. e. A year. From comes the verb NtM (Nasah), " to lift This is probably one of the oldest verbs

"

(Nesheph),

Returning of face of Sun,"

i.

e.

morn-

ing twilight.

(Shuph),

Flying of the face of the Sun," i. e. This word is obsolete, but evening twilight. that such a word existed appears from a passagein Ps. cxxxix. 11.

"

" If I say verily the darkness, it shall cover me," (come See also Job ix. 17. over me as twilight.)

This word became obsolete, and t)tM (Nesheph), was used indifferently for morning or evening twilight. The verb 21ttf (Shuph), Gen. iii. 15. which signifies "to bite,"

31although consisting of the same letters, is very different in its meaning, borrowing it from 2 the mouth, and a tooth. itf

"(Naal),

Giving strength to

feet,"

i.

e.

sandals.

JM(Naar), Giving swiftness to feet," i. e. youth. The verb 1V3 (Naar), is used in the sense of " shakingoff fetters,"xvi. 20.)33 3

"

"setting free the

feet."

(Judges

n2(Naphah),HSfl

n a

iy

a

(Naphach), jtfStt (Naphash), or 2tttt (Nashaph), "Giving breath from nose, breast, or teeth," all signifying, "blowing." Also

(Anaph), of same derivation and meaning.

IV (Ab), "Son of thea cloud.

feet," i.e.

cloud of dust; henceto labour,"

Hence verb liy (A-bad), "11V (A-bar),"

" to dig." originally

to

go

over."

T3N (E-pher), " Bird of breath or wind,"

i.

e.

Dust.

(A-pher),

"Bird of wind of

feet,"

i.

e.

Dust.

or

miNi.

(Eber or Eb-rah),

"Son

of the bird,"

e.

the wing.(A-bar), "to fly," "to derived the name ffUN (ABRAM),

Hence came the verb ilfly over."

Whence

is

literally "one, who (flies or) passes over the water." The name was probably given the Patriarch upon hiscall.

(See Josh. xxiv.

3.)

GodDTT,

afterwards changed 0,

signifying,

"water," intoxvii. 5.)

signifying,

"multitude,"

"

many." (Gen.

(Amm),nation.

"

Legs or

feet

many,"

i.

e.

A

people or

DJF" The lips of the peo(A-mad), or TiDV (Am-mod), ple, or the words of the people," i. e. pillar.

A

In early agesfirst

pillars

public events: upon

hieroglyphics. explains to us the reason of our finding accounts of " speaking stones," among so many ancient nations.

were set up to commemorate them were probably engraven the And the meaning of the word

A

pillar

was called TDy (A-mad), or by some word of

the same signification, according to the language of the In process of time, as the name remained people.after the

meaning offor the

to account

was lost, fables were invented title, and traditions were handedit

downsomefrauds

to posterity of the stone having spoken occasion ; and an artful priesthood might

upontake

advantage of the credulity of the people, and by pious keep up the delusion. Such I believe is the

33true account of the famous statue of b "

Memnon

a.

Giral-

dus in his

mentions a large flat stone about ten feet long, six wide, and one foot thick, which in his time served as a bridge over theItinerarium Cambriae,"

Alun, at St David's, Pembrokeshire, and was worn smooth by the feet of passengers, called " LECHriver

LAVAR,"and he

the speaking stone ;" relates the tradition of the people, respectingi.

e.

"

Lapis Loquax,"

"

the origin of the name, that dead body being placed on it. In the history of Waterford

it

called

out upon

a

there

is

an account of

a rock to the west of Bally-caroge, which the inhabitants call "CLOUGH-LOWRISH," that is, "the speakingstone," so called from

swore falsely by it. stones were originallyinhabitants

having contradicted a person who Now there can be no doubt thesepillars,

of the

country,

up by the ancient recording some nationalset

event, and that, long after the characters engraven upon them were worn out, they were preserved as sacred relics.

In"in

Cornwallancient

thereor

is

a

"

KARN-IDZHEK,"There was

i.

e.

The soundingthe

"

TOLL^KARN,"I

speaking Kara." language of that county the word " a Kara with holes in explained asalso

it."

believe that

"

whence our participle tolled," Kara " was the " TALE-KARN," the same as the Poet's " storied urn." Toll-Korn was " a trumpet," i. e. " speaking horn." KARN is the Hebrew word pp KERN, orhorn," or "pillar, like a horn." Josephus states that the descendants of Seth, having made discoveries respecting the heavenly bodies, upon

Toll "

"

is

"

" the old form of tell," " and that Tolltold,"

KEREN, "a

Adam'sRb

prediction, that the world

was

to

be destroyedChap.3.

Vid. Kircher. GEdip. Egypt. Class, Lib.Iii.

vm.

Cap.

1.

c

quote this from Borlase's History of Cornwall.

C

34at one time

by the

force of

fire,

and

at another time

by the violence and quantity of water, o-r^Xas SvoGCLjULCVOlj

TY\V fJLV

K 7T\iv9oV9 TY)VTO.

$

T6paV

K \l9wV,pillars,

Tepois

eveypa^sav evprjfjieva, one of brick", the other of stone,coveries on

making two

the

inscribed

their dis-

them both, that

in case the pillar of brick

should be destroyed by the flood, the pillar of stone might remain and exhibit those discoveries to mankind,

andbrick

also inform

them that there was another

pillar of

by them. Josephus adds; remains in the land of Siriad to this day."erected

"Now

this

Although

we may not be

inclined with the Jewish historian to

believe that this pillar was antediluvian, yet it must have been of very high antiquity to give rise to such It was probably erected by a tradition concerning it.

some branch of the Cuthites: andfact,

it is

a very curiousIre-

that

we"

should find in Cornwall,

Wales and"

land,

traces of the

same memorial,

JVDttfD ptf

ABEN

MASCITH,"

This were colonized at a very early period, probably during the ninth century after the deluge, by a tribe of Cuthic shepherds, who pushed westward from the borders ofthe Euxinesea.

the hieroglyphic stone." (Levit. xxvi. 1.) confirms the general opinion, that these places

From

this

wordi.

is

" to stand firm,"

e.

derived the verb IDy (A-mad), " to be as a pillar."

3H1X3

(Na-zab), or 1^3 (Nezib), building like a horn."

"House

of a horn,

or

A pillar,

pyramid.

This

word

generally found in its Heemantive form, niSD (Mazzebah), or fil^E (Mazzebeth) ; from " to it is derived the verb 1^3 (Nazab), stand," " to be like a pillar."is

351

zy"

(Oph),

Flying, two legged, beaked,"

i.

e.

A Fowl.

T3X

(Zip-par),

Bird with horny heak," i. e. Bird. This word may originally have heen especially applied to hirds of prey, and the preceding to

"

the graniverous kinds, hut in process of time " a hird." they each came generally to signify

Hence pax (Zipporen),"little birds."

nails

or

fingers,

i.

e.

(Bitz),

eye ," An egg. The shell being something of the substance of From horn, and the contents not unlike an eye. " to this word is derived the verb X1T (Rabatz), " to sit close to the couch," ground," as (T) a bird

"

The horny house

of an

a

(\>1)

on

its

rally

to

It was afterwards applied geneeggs. animals. have the word in its

We

original sense in one passageIN

:

xjmIN

ITU

-ps

Tisx-p

TP

rpn xb Dnrarrty"

DTna^n

by nxiT

Dm

uwway

If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the

in

any

tree, or

on the ground, whether there be young

ones or eggs, and the dam SITTING UPON the young or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam withthe young."*

(Deut. xxii. 6.)is

In Anglo-Saxon, eas

an eye and an egg.

36In Genesis xLix. 25. and Deuteronomy xxxiii. 13. construed with reference to its

the word should be

hatchoriginal meaning; viz., that of sitting on eggs, as in each case the produce of the deep is the ing;subject alluded to.

Hence

also

(See the passages.) " vio" V^l (Ba-za), implying crushing,"

" lence:" (Exod. xviii. 21.), and also profit," (Gen. xxxvii. And the verb Jttl (Ba-za), "to crush," or "de26.) stroy," (Job vi. 9.), and "to finish," or "complete,"

and Zech. iv. 9-) both metaphors from breaking of an egg; in the first case by violence, in the second by hatching. Also Vlp (Ka-baz), " a collect(Isai.x.

12.

" ing together," literally a nest of eggs." " to gather together." (Ka-baz),

And

verb yip

(Yin),

"Liquid Wine.

full

of eyes;" "very sparkling,"

i.

e.

"

(Yekeb),

Hollow house

for wine,"

i.

e.

A

wine-vat.

nip (Kebah),

hollow house," i. e. The stomach or "a recess." See Numb, belly, and nip (Kub-bah), xxv. 8. In which verse both words occur. Ofthe same derivationis

"

A

"Ip3 (Na-kab),

to hollow(obsolete),

out;" and Ip3 (Nekeb), "the

womb"

whence

nip!)

(Nekebah), "a female."

37

"(Keber),

The

The

tomb.

hollow house of mourning," Probably ") has this meaning.

i.

e.

It

would be distinguished in the picture writing by some bird of a dolorous note. Hence theverb

"Up (Kabar),

"

to

bury,"

and our word

KB(Mat-teh),

"A2.

staff."

"A

walking

stick,"

vide

Exod.

iv.

OBM3" staff, son of ivory." (She-bet), Gen. XLix. 10.

A

i.

e.

A

sceptre.

" (Tang), would be an instrument with two prongs," "a " i. e. fork ;" and hence qjKD (Tarn), to taste." " " To to pack upon," (Gen. XLV. load," BKD (Tan), " xiv. a ls and17.)>

to

pierce,"

(Isai.

9-),

"

(Natang),

to plant,"

"

to pitch a tent."

TW

(Shadd),lence,

"Teeth

red,

red,"

destruction.

"very red." VioThe metaphor is borrowedi e.

from a beast of prey. Hence the verb TKtf (Sha" to spoil," and Hltf (Shad-dai), the title of dad) ;

God

as

"the avenger."

A"

(Lebab),

Son of house of animal,"

i.

e.

The

heart.

38

Lion. Son of a Lion," i. e. (Lebi), or N' ! ? (Lebia), in this word has been variously The final Aleph11

"

A

KUis

accounted for by commentators. ? (Lebia), the female of1

^

Someits

consider

(Lebi); but

K

only a

mark of

h

being used in

primitive

sense; ^,

O

1

?,

and Wlb are words of precisely the

same

signification.

A"(Melee),

Like a Lion,"

i.

e.

A

king, (D being

formative).

Here we might expectis

to find

K with

b, as this letter

certainly used in;

its

primitive sense.

And

so it

was

originally written

we have once D'Oifen (Ham-melacim),

xi. 1.), where some ancient comKings," (2 mentator has added the Keri, 2* TTP ; and thus the letter

"

The

Sam.

may have beenIt isstillis

omitted in other passages, as superfluous.

which

preserved in ftfte (Malac), the same word.

"a

messenger,"

"(Celeb),

Like the Lion of house,"

i.

e.

A

dog.

A

wild animal domesticated.

PHD (Rah),

"A

Hawk, and

n

(Ari), or

rm

(Ar-jeh),

Anand

Eagle.

This word signified a beast as well as a bird of prey, latterly was confined to the second meaning;

39In Genesis xLix. 9. (Nesher), being used for an Eagle. the word should be construed an eagle ; rrnN (Ar-jeh),

and

N'O*?

(Lebia), in the

same verse cannot both

signify

a Lion; and the introduction in our translation of the " It should be rendered old," weakens the sense. epithet

"Judah is a young Eagle; from the prey, my thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched son, as an Eagle and as a Lion, who shall rouse him up ?"thus:;

The

verb

primitive;

rendered "couched," in its sense belongs to a bird, as I have before\U"i

(Rabatz),in

shewn and it most frequently

is

these poetical passages find words thus used.

that

we

It should also be rendered the same,

Numb,

xxiii. 24.

DJTp"

Behold

this

peoplesoar."

shall

rise

up

as a

Lion, as an

Eagle

shall

he

From"tosee:"

this

word

is

derived the verbsfear."

nl

(Raah),

and

NT

(Yarea), "to(i. e.

The word"(V),

O'y (Ait),

"(D)

weapon

or talons,"

on

feet"),

was

also used to signify either a bird

or beast of prey.

"(Cesea),full

The Moon

circular,"

i.

e.

The time

of

Moon.D3 (Nes), DD (Ces),

and fED (Samec), all The signify a signal or banner from D, "The Moon." letter Samec in some ancient alphabets is represented by a pole with a half Moon at the two of these words in Exodus xvii. 15, TOTTDtop.

The words

We

have

16.

mm

IDP

mpi

ra?D

mwD pi

^DVI nurrb norto PP DD-^

T

40"

And MosesFor he;

built an altar

and

called the

name

of it

JEHOVAH,"

MY

said.

BANNER." As his hand was on

the

BANNER OFfor

JAH

There is war between Jehovah and Amalek ever and ever."

Hencesharptool,

also

comes

"fitf

(Sec),

and

roitf

(Secah),

" a

Here D is changed for itf, probably to distinguish this word from "|D (Sec), and rDD (Secah), "a tent," words of same derivation, "jitf (Sec), or roitf (Secah), was the instrument with which Hence rroitf (Seciah), or JTDitfD the ancients engraved.inoonshaped.""

(Masciah),

the engraving," or

"picture."

which were employed, and with which the Egyptian Hieroglyphics were cut, as we may judge from those now in use among the Hindoos, were a short steel chisel, about twice the breadth of the hand, and a mallet of iron a little longer than the chisel, buttools,

The

" The Hindoos," not weighing more than a few pounds. " Dr Kennedy, with such simple instruments formsays ed, fashioned and scarped the granite rock, which

forms the tremendous fortress of Dowlutabad, and excavated the wonderful caverns of Ellora; for it seems

by no means probable that the Hindoo stone cutters ever worked with any other tools."[See Library of Entertaining Knowledge, Egyptian Antiquities. A small volume containing much valuable information respecting ancient Egypt.]

Hence

also

comes the word MOSAIC

(TttfD).

In

all

probability the deep cut hieroglyphics upon ancient pillars were filled with a cement of different colour from the

stonefectly

itself.

The

visible,

characters would thus become perand the surface be rendered even andsort of pictures they called "piMD (Mosaic),

uniform.

This

41

and the word

is

still

retained in

its

original meaning,

being applied to inlaid work of stone. have also DD (Cus), "a Cup," i.

We

e.

"shaped

like

moon."

And

" to forgive." (Gen. xxxviii. 14.), and " Also NDD (Cis-see), a circular seat in

hence the verb HDD (Casah), "to cover,"shape of

moon,"bute,"

"a

throne,"

and

also

2DDalso

(Me-sab),

"The"tri-

Divan," "Circular seat."at firsttent, in shape of moon."

Hence

DD (Mas),

monthly payment. And ODD

(Succah), " to count." (Casas),

JTDD

"A

D2 (Pas),In

"

The

face of the

Moon."xiii.

Genesis xxxvii.,

and 2 Sam.

18.,

we have

DtJSrroro (Cethoneth Pas-sim), rendered in our trans" a lation garment of divers colours."

D2 (Pas), or D^DS (Pas-sim), face of moon;" it wasZTTO2 (Pish-tim), whichbeing changed for"ttf),

signifies in colour

"like

"fine white linen." probably is nearly the same word, (D

signifies flax,i.

and ^ymr^S)

(Pishtiii.

Haetz),

The

flax of the tree,"

e.

"cotton," (Josh.

6.)

The

old word

for

cotton was

rrflro (Cothnoth),

literally

(D), as

or "like" ()n),

"the

little tree," (n),

"of thei.

tree."

Hence ruro (Cethoneth),cotton."

"

a garment,"

e.

"

one of

In Daniel

v. 5.

NT

a (Yeda), of the hand, writing upon the wall, was NT'DS (PasYeda), i.e. "the back of the hand," in shape as face of Moon. As D3 (Pas), signified the back of the hand,so it did the upper or convex part of the foot, and hence the verb HD2 (Pa-sach), "to pass over," literally

"

we have the same word joined with hand." The part which Belshazzar saw

"

upper part of foot concealed," aspasses

is

the casealso

when

the foot

over

any

one.

Hence

the verb

42"signified

to

be lame,"

"

to

halt,"

literally

to

have

The Greeks generally changed n " the passover," from nD2 (Pasach), and our word "Paschal."into x, hence irdd-^a

" foot bent under."

DD(Ceseph),this

a

" Face like Moon,"is

i.

e.

"

Silver."

From

word probably

melt," applied to all

derived ODD (Casas), "to metals.

(Za-hab), or derives itsof

am

(Da-hab),

"Gold."t

name from

its colour,

This word and l, each

" red " " or signifies purple." And I may here remark, that the letters which occasionally change place with each other, will be found to

them

have some common meaning.

DD(Sepher),

Faces of Moon," (l formative), i. Almanack," and hence a book generally.

"

e.

"

an

(Receb),

"

A

house like a bird,"

"

"A

waggon, a chariot."

Hence

a flying house." the verb 131

(Racab), "to ride." " Rechabites."

And D^m

(Re-ca-bim),

(Co-cab),

" Son of the concave,"

i.

e.

A

star.

We have from (D) p (Con), "a knee," i. e. bending, Exod. xxx. 18., the old word superseded by *pl (Berec).

43

Hence we have pD (Con), " to stand up." |i"Q (Cohen), " A priest," and "pi (Barac), " to bless," from the attitude of kneeling.mative).

Also "ODalso

(Cic-car),

"a circle,"

(")

for-

Hence

to

(Col),

"all,"

and ^3

(Celi),

" circular vessels," afterward any vessels or instruments.

"

(Canaph),

The knee

of face,"

"

upper knee,"

i.

e.

A

wing.to

10(Satan),

"An

instrument with teeth."Satan.

Hence an

adversary.

DM

"

(Basam),matics.

Child of

much Sun,"

i.

e.

Spice,

Aro-

(Shish),

White, white," i. e. very white." of a marble, and of a fine linen.

"

Name

(A-lam),

"

Two,

four,

many,"

i.

e.

A long

unlimited

time, frequently rendered,

"

for ever."

or ^V (Etz),

wood.

Root and branch," i. e. And nay (Atzab), "a wooden

"

A

tree or

idol," lite-

44rally

3W

And hence the verb "to form or make;" and also "to (Atzab),son of a block."

"

The verb is used by Jeregrieve, or provoke." miah xLiv. 19. in the sense of setting up an idol."

We

formed

for

her

supports

to

make her image

stand up."

The word o^O"it

cakes

";"

We

(Conim), in our translation is rendered did make cakes to worship her." May

not mean the same as

p

(Con), used in Exod. xxx. 18.

as the supporter of the

Brasen Laver ?

" roots and (Etzem), from the same metaphor of branches," signified the skeleton, and bones, orbone.or

Hence

the verb D^V (Atzam), "to grow

become powerful."is

See Exod.

i.

7-

and

20.

where the verb

evidently used in sense, borrowed from a tree.

its

primitive

(Nachash),

The 3 signifies "motion" like that of water " "a the breast or tooth," and n poured out, Wconcealment."sting."

Hence " a serpent with concealed

)r>>

(Pethen),

"Serpent of the hole,"

i.e.

An

Asp.

Hence Python.

" (Ziph-an),

mouth."

Serpent with two (horns) Translated Cockatrice.

stings

in

45

"(Saraph),

A bird,

i.

e.

flying with sting in mouth."^ttn

"A

flying

serpent."

(Reseph),its

whichthecalls

is

precisely the same word, having in a different order, has occasioned

pictures

comit

mentatorsdifficult

much

trouble.

Gesenius

a

word,various

whichtained,it;

concerning the signification of opinions and views are entersignifications of

and he merely gives the;"

"flame, glowing fire;" "lightning;" "veno" mous disease " bird of arrow."prey,"

Every

one of which meanings are borrowed from the

metaphor of a flying serpent.

(Shal-hebeth), "Daughter of strong teeth, or This word rendered flame. bars of furnace."

A

according

to

but"

it is left

hell

"

may

analogy would be l^itf (Shalab) ; us in its original form. *?$$} (Shaol), be of same derivation, viz., " bars

of a prison ;" and also lUttt (Shabib), a flame, " literally, bright daughter of house of bars."

" Hollow horn," i. e. handle, or haft (Khazaz), The word is found in this sense in of a knife.

A

Psalm xLvi. 10./van

2p)

iittr

rwp

"

He

breaketh the

bow and

the handle of the spear."

The wordverb:

2E*p (Khazaz), is generally rendered as a " he cutteth the spear."

46also "a knife." p (Khez), or " the " " that cut off," end," p (Khezah), extremity." " " to to exterminate." 2Sp down," chop TOp (Khazah), " to shear " to cut off," isp (Khazar), sheep." (Khazab), " to mow."

The word

signifies

to reap,"

TWp (Khesheth),

"

Hollow

for

(poles with

teeth,

or),

This was probably the first arrows," "quiver." of the word ; it was afterwards used for meaningthe bow.of arrows.Itsignifies

an archer,

i.

e.

a bearer

Gen.

xxi. 20.

"

(Dehash),

(Son), Produce of the lips, white,"

i. e.

honey.to

is an epithet constantly applied ancient writers. honey byTiOeicri

White

re

Kripia

\evKa.

(Hes. 596.)

"

(Napheth),or honey.first

Flowing from mouth."

Honeycomb,its

Hence the verbPs. Lxviii. 10.

213

(Noph), inor

sense,

" to pour out," signifying

" to

sprinkle."

DDDID(Sus), "Swift for horse.

and moonshaped,"

i.

e.

Hoof, used

47

B

HD13 (Parsah),

"

Hoof withit

(a

mouth) opening,"its first

i.

e.

AD"1S

cloven foot.

This was

meaning

;

hut

was used generally as a hoof. Hence ens (Parash), " a horseman," or " riding horse." Isai. Lviii. 7. And ens (Paras), "to divide."afterwards(Paras),

"to divide or separate."

This word

is

used in Prov. xxxi. 20. with a reference tooriginal derivation.

its

rrcns

"

She openeth her hand

to the poor."

Compare

this passage with Isai. Lviii. 7.

A"

(A-kheb),

Hollow son of the

feet,"

i.

e.

the heel.

" (Arab),

Son of

swift feet,"

An

Arab.

Also fourth

plague of Egypt.

(Ta), This word is now only found in the sense of an upper chamber, but its original meaning is that of a tent. The Orientals built their houses

with

flat

roofs,it

and hence

upon which they erected tents, came to signify the uppermost room.form in thesignifying

Wei.

haveDfi

this letter in its primitive

worde.

(Tarn),

"

one who staid

"a domestic man," much within the tent," for

so it is explained to us in Genesis xxv. 27-

48ap&n rrw"

EW TO yr

r

wy vn onynon Esau was a man knowing;

the youths grew : and in hunting, a man of the field(a

And

but Jacoh was

Dfi (Tarn),

man

of the tent) staying within the tent."(Tarn), from D

The word onis

much, and P a

tent,

Hence explained by D^HN IIP* (Yosheb Ohalim). " " inno" the word came to signify, peace," security,"

cence," "integrity," "simplicity," "truth." It gives us a pleasing idea of the manner of thisearly people, to find that

among them

Dfi

(Tarn), the

domestic man, was the model of every thing good and perfect. They seem to have entertained a very contrary opinion of the man of the field ; 1^"")1J (Gib-bor" the Zaid), mighty hunter," was synonymous with them, " the son of violence." for

"(Nabi),

The

distinguished son of the cup."

A

Prophet.

This is a word of very curious derivation, and could not be understood but from the Egyptian hieroglyphics.

The word is first used (Gen. xx. 7.), as applied to Abraham. God said unto Abimelech the king of Gerar in a dream, "Restore the man his wife," Kin ^13 O "forhe

NABI." It is next met with (Exod. vii. 1.), when Moses and Aaron are going into the presence of Pharaoh. " And the Lord said unto Moses, See I have made thee a God to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be"is

"[^13

"

THY

NABI."

In the Egyptian hieroglyphics, a

49prophet is invariably represented by a man sitting down, and a cup pouring out its contents over him, as represented above, implying probably "the In the Coptic ne& (Neh), is " a tcup ;" and anointed." rtK& (Neb), " a lord or master." And we have the same " words in the Hebrew, a cup," and (Na), (Nabi), " a noble man orpriest or

w

WU

prophet." N3 (Na), signifies "a cup," whence came the interjection M, "obsecro," first used in asking for a cup ofwater.

We

find the

word

in

Exodus

xii.

9.,

where

ac-

cording to the received translation the Israelites are commanded not to eat the passover HAW*, a most unThe force of the passage is, that necessary injunction. " it shall be roasted by fire," and not " boiled withwater,"

ICW^-ON

"O

D^l ^1D ^11it

N3

13DD

fatffi

*Mnor in

"Ye

shall

not eat of

SODDEN IN WATER,

any manner boiled

in water, but roasted at the fire."

WWe"

(Na)"

signifying

* (Na), "a cup," " immersed in water." watered," or

is

an adjective, from(Nod),

have

TM

cupa

for lips."

leathern bottle," literally Also Nttn-JTUM (Neoth-desheh), " well

"a

I am aware that Dr Spencer in his work, "De legibus Hebraeorum, ritualibus, et earum rationibus," appropriates a whole

section to prove that (Na) in this passage signifies RAW MEAT, and that the injunction was given to the Israelites to guard them against the to/j.o^d'Yia practised by the votaries of Bacchus in the celebration of their mysteries ; and to the same cause he assigns the injunction, Even if that not a bone of the paschal lamb should be broken. the word N3 (Na) would bear this interpretation, I should not be

W

convinced by the arguments of that learned writer, that the various commandments respecting the passover had not an immediate reference to the(Spencer.sacrifice,

De

of which I conceive Heb. Lib. it. Cap. iv. Leg.

it

to

have been

typical.

Sect. 2.)

D

50watered pastures," Ps.in thexxiii. 2.

Is not the

word usedver. 13.

same sense in Ps.

cxvi. 14. 18. ?

Compare

is

In that beautiful passage in Isaiah borrowed from this word:

Lii. 7-,

the metaphor

JPDMD "MID"

^n

onnn

by

How

REFRESHING on

the mountains are the feet

him that bringeth tidings, preaching peace; of that bringeth good tidings, preaching salvation."of

him

There

is

another passage in which the wordits original sense,

M (Na)

may

be used inoar)

Judges

xiii. 4.

r

Tit^n

bw

w

nDttn rmyithee,

"

NowIf

therefore beware,

/ pray

and drink not

wine, nor strong drink."

and fourteenth verses, we find the same repeated, in the form of a command. The verse above may be thus rendered:refer to the thirteenth

we

"

Now

therefore take heed to your cup,

(i. e.

as to

what

you drink), and drink not wine, nor strong drink."

The word mayxxiv. 45.

also

be inis

its first

sense in Genesis

In each case N3

ceding verb by Mappik, asBjiD-D1

is

not joined with the preusually the case.(Pi-Hachiroth).

(Yam-suph), and

mTfmaIsraelites,

In the Exodus of the

we

are told that

they encamped by the sea,

beside Pihachiroth.is

The

word mTima (Pi-hachiroth),rangement of theletters

evidently put for

nmms

(Pi-Hirachoth), or (Pi-Haj-jarechoth).

The

present ar-

the sake of euphony. The word signifies " the mouth of the Moons," i. e. the entrance or defile of the mountains

may have been

adopted for

51so called.

The word"

*|1D

(Suph)1

is

(3),

"the mouth,"

andsea

the Moon," and BpDTJ (Yam-Suph), is " the (D), of the mouth of the Moons." Hence it appears

(Pi-hachiroth), and qio (Suph), although so different in their characters, are in meaning the same

that

rrmrP3

words, and that both were derived from the mountains in that district called " The Mountains of the Moon," " or The Moons." TD (Sinai), is of the same signi-

Moon (a mountain) with two peaks." Ezekiel mentions a place in Egypt, called nDT"3 (Pibeseth), a word of the same derivation, the modernfication,

"A

Tel-Basta, situate to the north of the gulf of Suez.

mjEKmIn Isaiahpassage:

D'NXNxn Haz-zezaim Vehaz-zephioth.(xxii.

23,

24.)

we have the following

^3" "

bi

IBM oipM wypro rnyssm D^NSTT vax-jra TQD ta r6y ftmtiro

m

mm

w

trtirr ^3-^3I

un ninn

"630;

ppn

will fasten

him

as a nail in a sure place

and he

shall

be for a glorious throne to his Father's house."they shall hang upon himall

And

the glory of hisISSUE,all

Father's house,

THE OFFSPRING AND THE

vessels of small quantity,

from the vessels of cups even

to all the vessels of flagons."I

should be " a poletent,

may first remark that "TTV;" it

(Jathed), rendered "a nail" was the centre pole of a circular

which supported the whole, and was supplied with

various vessels. pegs for the purpose of hanging thereon rendered "throne," is the circular seat NDD (Cis-see),

round the tent on which the Orientals reclined, as their Thus the metaphor is quite descendants do to this day.clear.

The

individual alluded toD 2

is

described a

a tent

52firmly fixed,ture.

Now

and well supplied with all necessary furniwhat can he the meaning of hanging up

on the pole of the tent, THE OFFSPRING AND THE ISSUE? The word DWtttit (Zazaim), is the letter (s) used twice in its primitive sense of "a horn;" and " myss (Zephioth), which signifies drinking horns."Geseniusterms" a verydifficult

word,"3

is

literally

"horns

for the

mouth with two

feet

."

And

thus the

passage becomes perfectly clear by taking these words in their true meaning of drinking vessels. From KS (Za), "a horn," was derived the verb *P " " to ( Yaza), to sprout up as a horn," grow ;" and hence DWtttit (Zazaim), does signify "offspring:" and rnya*(Zephioth),"signify

being found joined with it was made to issue." This is not a solitary instance of one

word being misinterpreted, and of another being forced to comply with its meaning.-12b

(Zar)

and

p*

(Aretz).

"12

(Zar)

,

is

literally

for

the Moon, a planet. explains a difficult passage in Isaiah.

"horns flying," a metaphor This meaning of the wordIn Chapter v.

we have

in the

28th

verse,

YDID

mo-

translated thuslike

:

" Their horses' hoofs shall be counted

FLINT."

Andhave,a

immediately following in the 30th verse

we

In this college we preserve as a valuable memorial of our founder a drinking vessel of this kind: it may properly be called HyS^ (Zephiah), being a large horn mounted on two feet.b

"*TS a stone,

i.

q. ")k, "Ttt.

Isai. v. 28.

In

Isai. v.

30.

Saa-

and some Hebrew interpreters (cited by Rashi), explain it by Moon, which is applicable, but the ground of the interpretation isdias

not sufficiently demonstrated."

(Gesenius.)

53TINI -is

f&n

rramland, hehold

translated thus:

"If one look unto thethe lightis

darkness

and SORROW, and

darkened in

the heavens thereof."

dered inthefirst

In these passages we have the word IS (Zar) renone FLINT, and in the other SORROW. Init

should be, "their horses' hoofs shall be as(i. e.

There is a pecuflying horns). liar force in the word as used in this The passage. word DID (Siis), " the hoof," is literally as I have beforeas

the Moon,"

shewn "a flying moon," i. e. swift and moonshaped; and the prophet keeps the same metaphor, but borrowed from two other letters; and it is the same as saying; " their horses' hoofs shall indeed be tomeaning, nothorn."

their according only in shape as a moon, but hard as

The

second passage should be thus rendered

:

"Oneto the

looketh to the earth, and behold darkness; and Moon, and her light is darkness, as when she

veileth her face."

JTSnyi (Ba-ariphejah), probably " to blind," eclipse, from Tiy or mya skin over the eyes," (Exod.

meansliterally

a "

total

to put19-),

xxiii. 8.

Deut. xvi.

and ITS "her

face."is

the chief or primary with reference to IS (Zar), the Moon, planet," probably And the beauty of the passage a secondary planet consists in understanding the words according to their " One looketh to the Earth,correct significationall isis:

SIN (Aretz), " the Earth,"

"

planet

one looketh to the Moon, and her light It may be objected the darkness of a total eclipse."darkness:

presuming upon a knowledge of Astronomy far beyond that which existed at the early period when I have no doubt, before Ianthese words were formed.that thisis

54guages became Phonetic, the system of Astronomy, now universally adopted was to a great degree understood.that curious fragment of Phoenician cosmogony, to which I shall soon have occasion more fully to refer,it is

From

evident that Sanchoniatho understood 2TIN (A-retz), " the " KOI e%tXa/m\l/ MWT jj\ios Earth," to be a planet " And re, Kai ae\rivri dtfrepes re /ecu a;crai/,*'

/

evpvooeirfs

N' apya\eoiaiv'

X7

*

'

JNt/c^(Tai/TS ^epcriv 9Tocrcroi'Io"oi/

virepuvjuiovsytjs,

Trep

eoyras-,

evepO/

VTTO

bcrov ovpavos ecrr

a?ro

Y

T "7ro yfo

GS

TapTapov yepoevra"(Deor. Gen. 716.)

them they drove Vain glorious as they were, with hands of strengthOvercoming them, beneath the expanse of earth, And bound with galling chains so far beneath;

This earth, as earth

is

distant

from the sky

:

So deep the space

to

darksome Tartarus."

And"

again,ovo(j)eprj^,/cat /cat

ILv6a.Se yrjs

Taprapov yovpavovTreipar

HOVTOV T cLTpvyeToio,E^ec^s TTCLVTWVTrrjyal,TO./ce

/cat

*Apya\,

evjowei^ra,

TG aTvyeovffi 9eoiTra^ra Te\ea-(j)6pov* r

OVw,/,voas IKOIT)

Xaoyxa pey*

Ov$e

ijnanfall

Swear unto

me

that ye will

not

upon me your-

selves."

(Judg. xv. 12.)

b " It must be plain from scripture that D/IJ? (Olam) is so far from implying a necessary perpetuity, that it is applied to such things as can have no long duration, as Exod. xxi. 6, and he shall

serveit,

him

aTljf) (Lolam), that

is,

as the

Jews themselves expound

to the next jubilee, though it were near or far off. So 1 Sam. i. 22, where Samuel is said to abide before the Lord for ever D^TJTTV

(Ad-6lam)."c

Stillingfleet,

Orig. Sacrae,

Booke.

n. Chap.

?.is

See Noldius.

"]3 NE.

Prohibitivum.";"i.

The

particle |2

" turn merely the imperative of H3Sthat

turn away from doing

which the following verb

implies.

124

rni rron p"

Thou

shall not

make

a covenant with the inhabitant

of the land."

(Exod. xxxiv. 15.)

(inrf^l) from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken." " And he drove out the man and he ; placed at thesenteast of the garden of

"

And

the Lord

God

him

Edenway

sword turning every of lives."

to

the cherubim, and a flaming keep the way of the tree

here observe that the word pitw (Vay-yash" he placed," is a word used cen), which is translated the Deity it is the root of constantly respecting

We

may

:

HDW

"

presence of God." rosnnZDPT mnrr " the (Ha-chereb Ham-mith-hap-pe-ceth), flaming sword " the wheels" deturning every way," is analogous to scribed in Ezekiel (i. and x). This emblem of the

SHEKINAH," "the

Creator was placed here to keep

men

in awe,

and to

guard them against transgressing the commandment of God; for such is implied by "keeping the way ofthe tree of lives."I have, according to the order in

which we find them,

connected the twenty-third and following verse with the preceding one ; but I believe this is not the orderin

twenty-third and twenty-fourth verses should immediately follow the nineteenth.

which they should stand.(See note, p. 108.)

The

HEATHEN COSMOGONIES.I

BEG now

to call the reader's attention to three

by whence these were

ancient cosmogonies, which have heen preserved to us heathen writers. When we consider the sourcederived,

we

shall

he convinced that

they are of considerable value, as connected with the Mosaic account of the Creation and Fall of man. These

cosmogonies were not the inventions of their reputed authors, although they may have mixed with themvarious apocryphal notions of theiras

own; nor

are they,

many have imagined, borrowed from the records of the Jewish legislator. When mankind were dispersedsome centuries after the deluge, each tribe would take with them the same hieroglyphic pictures of the history of the creation, fall, and deluge, and from these theyderived their respective histories of these events. These narratives are as similar to each other as we could

expect to find them under these circumstances. They all exhibit the same grand features, but differ in their minor points. The outline is the same, but the details

vary both in their proportions and colouring and such must necessarily be the case, as these hieroglyphics;

were transferred to phonetic characters by nations more and probably or less advanced in literature and science;

long before this event took place,

many

idolatrous rites

had been established, the knowledge of the true God was in a great degree lost, and " men had become vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts weredarkened."

The

above considerations render the

fol-

lowing cosmogonies highly important, as connected with the Mosaic history of the Creation and Fall.

THE COSMOGONY OF THEEUSEBIUS hasTheogonyByblius.itis

PHCENICIANS.

preserved to us an account of the of the Phoenicians written by Sanchoniatho,far

and translated from the original into Greek by Philo-

As

as

it

goes respecting thewill give the

Creation,

very

curious.it:

I

whole passage asKO!

we now have"Triv

TWV oXwvrj

dp-^rjv

VTToriOerai

depa

a

9eoV Qeov, (Eur. Bacch. 84.)

" Bromius the child God of God."

Amongfc

the Orphic fragments

is

the following line:3'

Kjoa?i/e /xeV

ovv Zeu? irnvra traTtjp BaKi^o?

eireKpaivc."

"ZeusThisfirst

the

FATHER

originated

all

things,

and BACCHUS

origi-

nated them."is a very curious passage, verses of St John's Gospel.

when compared with

the three

E./

159always connected with the history of Bacchus an account of his descending into Hades, and returning thence triumphant over the powers of dark-

There

is

ness, to this

Horace alludes:vidit insons

" Te

Cerberus aureoleniter atterens

Cornu decorum,

Caudam, Ore pedes

et recedentis trilingui

tetigitque crura."

" With golden horn supremely bright

You

darted round the bending light,:

Far beaming through the gloom of Hell

WhenAndBacchusis

Cerberus, with fear amazed,1

Forgot his rage, and fawning gazed,at thy feet adoring"fell.

(FRANCIS.)

" thrice-born." The " born of Semele, latter word is explained as signifying, his father's thigh, and Proserpine;" the descent into

and

"

termed in the Orphic hymns

Tpiyovos,

of three natures,"

is represented by making him the son of Prosera form of expression so agreeable to the Hebrew pine, language, in which JTiD'p, "The son of death," signifies

Hades

a person sentenced to death. This notion also corresponds Isaiah, concerning the Messiah.Ei/

with

a prophecy

of

(Liii. 12.)