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ArchivesRe: Rebecca = sacrificial animal? well-fed?
in reply to a message by Profe Esteban
Your theory about REBECCA sounds very interesting and seems to make a lot of sense. As I am especially interested in Hebrew names (and even more bacause my third daughter is called Rebecca) I would like to know where you got this information from. I am always looking for reliable books in that respect.
The verbal root ravak (resh-beth-kuf) does not appear in the Hebrew Bible (ravak there means "flash, lightning"), so I suspect it is Ivrit (unfortunately I don't have my Ivrit dictionary with me). Is that the case?
Martin Noth doesn't say much about the name Rebecca, he does make a connection to an Ivrit noun, though, that has to do with "to tie." The Encyclopedia Judaica doesn't say anything of the name either (with some names it does).
So I am really anxious to learn more.
By the way, the meaning "fat" or "well-fed" for MIRIAM has nothing to do with Rebecca, this is just coincidence.
The verbal root ravak (resh-beth-kuf) does not appear in the Hebrew Bible (ravak there means "flash, lightning"), so I suspect it is Ivrit (unfortunately I don't have my Ivrit dictionary with me). Is that the case?
Martin Noth doesn't say much about the name Rebecca, he does make a connection to an Ivrit noun, though, that has to do with "to tie." The Encyclopedia Judaica doesn't say anything of the name either (with some names it does).
So I am really anxious to learn more.
By the way, the meaning "fat" or "well-fed" for MIRIAM has nothing to do with Rebecca, this is just coincidence.
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Replies
What do you mean by Ivrit?
Lightning would be barak, not ravak. And in modern Hebrew, ravak isn't a word or a root that I know of (or my dictionary, for that matter). And I don't know a connection with "to tie". Modern Hebrew doesn't help much. :/
Lightning would be barak, not ravak. And in modern Hebrew, ravak isn't a word or a root that I know of (or my dictionary, for that matter). And I don't know a connection with "to tie". Modern Hebrew doesn't help much. :/
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Thank you, Noa, for correcting this. Being in a hurry, I wasn't looking right.
The biblical dictionary does give a hint though: The (assumed) verbal root RVQ lies behind the term marbeq = stall, and the explanation there says, that the calves were tied up there for fattening. This makes sense to me.
Our (western) beauty ideal seems to be far a way from any comparison of a beautiful woman with a fattened calf, but that may have been different in biblical times.
Thanks for setting me on the right track, Noa!
Andy ;—)
The biblical dictionary does give a hint though: The (assumed) verbal root RVQ lies behind the term marbeq = stall, and the explanation there says, that the calves were tied up there for fattening. This makes sense to me.
Our (western) beauty ideal seems to be far a way from any comparison of a beautiful woman with a fattened calf, but that may have been different in biblical times.
Thanks for setting me on the right track, Noa!
Andy ;—)
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Hi, Andy... you must remember that in my case (living in Buenos Aires, Argentina) my sources are books written in Spanish. One the books I frecuently consult is "Diccionario de Nombres Propios" by mexican author Gutierre Thibón (Fondo de Cultura de México). Now I'm in my office, not at home where I have more material about jewish names. I promise you, I'll send you some material this weekend. Regards.
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