The origin of the word Lullaby

by StarTrekAngel 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • StarTrekAngel
    StarTrekAngel

    Reading around the subject of Lillith, the alledged, rebel first wife of Adam, I stumbled upon this link and many others that link the custom of singing babies to sleep as an ancient Jewish superstition.

    http://www.jeanniemusick.com/lilith-world/lilith-as-the-origin-of-the-lullaby/

    Some of the research could probably be argued but looking at it from the WT perspective and mirroring their usual reasoning, I could imagine the following...

    ... it appears that the word "lullaby" originates from the the hebrew "Lilith-abi", which means "Lilith be gone". Jewish mothers used to sing these songs to their babies in bed in hopes that they would be protected from this baby snatching demon called Lilith. Most likely the superstition originated as a way to protect infants for what we know today "crib death". As the legend goes, three angels were to protect children from Lilith. Jewish women habitually hanged three amulets on the walls near the baby's bed with the images of these angels. It would make sense to relate this amulets with modern day toys like crib mobiles and others that are usually hanged on top of cribs.

    Faithfull followers of Jehovah should consider carefully whether their customs are in tune with bible teachings.

  • Atlantis
  • john.prestor
    john.prestor

    Friends, are we not glad to know the pagan origins of this spiritistic practice?

    I had to get in on it too. How do I sound?

  • Xanthippe
    Xanthippe

    STA that's really interesting thanks. The origin of words and practises is fascinating.

  • blondie
    blondie

    Wow!

  • truth_b_known
    truth_b_known

    The topic of Lilith is a very interesting story.

    According to Jewish legend, Lilith was the first woman created by God. This originated because of Genesis 1:27 -

    "And God went on to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them." NWT

    Eve doesn't show up into the picture until Genesis 2:22. To explain Genesis 1:27 "male and female he created them," indicating that God created both a man and a woman from the Earth, the Jews created Lilith - Adam's first wife.

    As the story goes, the "marriage" between Adam and Lilith ended real quick over an argument of who was going to be "on top." Lilith leaves Adam and moves into a cave next to the Red Sea. She starts having children with an angel and these kiddos are demons.

    Adam, being lonely, whines to God. God sends three angels to force Lilith back to Adam. These three angels threaten Lilith that if she doesn't go back to Adam they will drown 100 of her offspring everyday. Lilith responds by saying she is going to kill every male child 8 or younger and every female under 20.

    Lilith and the angels make a compromise - Lilith doesn't have to go back to Adam in exchange that whenever the three angels' names are invoked by the parents of a child she will not kill that child. This in turn created the tradition of inscribing the three angels' names on amulets and hanging them over children's beds.

    It is also interest to note that many renaissance artists depicted Lilith as the serpent in the Garden of Eden and that Lilith was the one who convinced Eve to partake of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge.

  • StarTrekAngel
    StarTrekAngel

    It sounded to me like a good topic of conversation to add to the list for the next time you are visited by a JW

  • Half banana
    Half banana

    I doubt whether the English word lullaby comes from Hebrew when variants already existed in Middle English and cognates are found in Dutch and German indicating its Germanic pedigree. The word has no warning connections only the idea of soothing.

  • dropoffyourkeylee
    dropoffyourkeylee

    I am a bit skeptical that the etymology is linked to Lilith.

  • smiddy3
    smiddy3

    Lilith the first wife of Adam ! Gen.1:27 Well I`ll be buggered ,you learn something everyday on this site .

    I never learned that at a WT study ?

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