What's in a Name?

by robhic 15 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  robhic

  Holy cow! I didn't realize such a simple question would generate such complex and technical answers. You people are too smart for me.

  I think I see what you're getting at, but I had no idea it could get so complicated. I just figured it was the Israelites naming some guy who had a penchant for breaking stuff something like "He who breaketh stuff," but after the fact so as to make their fairy-tale book more interesting.

  Great minds think alike, check out my old thread with same title: what's in a name?

  Pete, sorry I missed this one. And thanks to all for such insightful answers.

  Robert
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  Narkissos

  Some just can't keep it simple ya know...

  I just figured it was the Israelites naming some guy who had a penchant for breaking stuff something like "He who breaketh stuff," but after the fact so as to make their fairy-tale book more interesting.

  It sure works that way in the story: birth names when they are related to circumstances of birth (e.g. Genesis 25, 30), or even to later events (never mind the likeliness); changed names, nicknames, etc. But in the order of fact it is often the (traditionally received) names that cause and fashion the stories made up to "explain" them. The geographical/ethnic names Edom and Seir were not invented, but the stories of a red-haired, hairy Esau, of the red stew, etc. were obviously built around them.
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  A Paduan

  Didn't anyone here name their children according to a conveyed meaning ?

  It's no wonder people think god has a 'first name' jehovah

  Names are commonly given with purpose in meaning, in non-jw circles anyway
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  robhic

  Didn't anyone here name their children according to a conveyed meaning ?

  It's no wonder people think god has a 'first name' jehovah

  Names are commonly given with purpose in meaning, in non-jw circles anyway

  While not totally synchronous with the above post, I couldn't help myself. It's an old one but pretty funny:

  An Indian Chief is questioned by his son how he got his name.

  The chief tells him that the first thing he would see upon leaving the birthing tent of the new baby would be its name.

  He then continues: "As I left the tent on the morning your sister was born, I saw a beautiful deer leaping thru the forest, so I named her 'Leaping Fawn'."

  On the day your brother was born, I watched a buffalo run across the plains and so named your brother 'Running Buffalo'."

  Does that answer your question "Two Dogs Copulating?"
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  A Paduan

  an oldie but a goodie - often told with the f word

  My children are all named with purpose - ie. the name describes

  - personally I think that YHVH is another way of saying I Am Who Am, and that jeboobah is simply a ridiculous idea of ignorance enacted
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  Narkissos

  A Paduan,

  I think the I am who I am (or, rather, I am that I am) in Exodus 3 is rather a secondary pun-like explanation of the name Yhwh, from a monotheistic perspective where the simple use of a god name (distinguishing Yahweh from, say, Chemosh or Marduk) didn't make sense anymore, than the original meaning of the word. When there is one God, he/she/it doesn't need a name and is above any human name (cf. Philo of Alexandria, in whose allegorical footsteps you are walking ).

  As far as the ancient polytheistic context is concerned, it is more likely that the name Yahweh (from the Semitic root hwh) was evocative of breath (which would suit a storm-god like Ba`al as well as a lifegiver) rather than being (hyh).