GAD: Difference between revisions
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'''Etymology''' | '''Etymology''' | ||
It is likely that this [[NEPHITE(S)|N<small>EPHITE</small>]] GN comes from the PN of the first person who settled the city (see [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/8.7?lang=eng#6 Alma 8:7]). The root ''gad'' in Hebrew means “fortune, luck, riches, etc.,” and is quite common in Hebrew, including the PN ''gād'', one of the twelve sons of [[JACOB|J<small>ACOB</small>]] ([[ISRAEL|I<small>SRAEL</small>]]).<ref>The King James Bible disguises the meaning of [[JACOB|J<small>ACOB</small>]]’s son name by rendering [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/30.11?lang=eng#10 Genesis 30:11] (the first time the personal name appears in the Bible), “And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.” The Matthew Bible (1537) is more accurate, “Then said Lea: Good luck: and called his name Gad.” A more literal translation might be, “And Leah said, “By good fortune!” And she called his name Gad.” (See ''HALOT'' sub גד.)The name for ''troop/band'' in biblical Hebrew is ''gĕdȗd'', a close homophone (in Semitic languages) of ''gad''.</ref> The (deified) word appears in biblical PNs, e.g., ''Gaddiel'' (perhaps, “My fortune is El”) in [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/num/13.5?lang=eng#4 Numbers 13:5], and in extra-biblical Hebrew texts close to the time of [[LEHI|L<small>EHI</small>]] ([[ | It is likely that this [[NEPHITE(S)|N<small>EPHITE</small>]] GN comes from the PN of the first person who settled the city (see [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/8.7?lang=eng#6 Alma 8:7]). The root ''gad'' in Hebrew means “fortune, luck, riches, etc.,” and is quite common in Hebrew, including the PN ''gād'', one of the twelve sons of [[JACOB|J<small>ACOB</small>]] ([[ISRAEL|I<small>SRAEL</small>]]).<ref>The King James Bible disguises the meaning of [[JACOB|J<small>ACOB</small>]]’s son name by rendering [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/30.11?lang=eng#10 Genesis 30:11] (the first time the personal name appears in the Bible), “And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.” The Matthew Bible (1537) is more accurate, “Then said Lea: Good luck: and called his name Gad.” A more literal translation might be, “And Leah said, “By good fortune!” And she called his name Gad.” (See ''HALOT'' sub גד.)The name for ''troop/band'' in biblical Hebrew is ''gĕdȗd'', a close homophone (in Semitic languages) of ''gad''.</ref> The (deified) word appears in biblical PNs, e.g., ''Gaddiel'' (perhaps, “My fortune is El”) in [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/num/13.5?lang=eng#4 Numbers 13:5], and in extra-biblical Hebrew texts close to the time of [[LEHI|L<small>EHI</small>]] ([[John A. Tvedtnes|JAT]]).<REF>See Shmuel Ahitub, ''Echoes from the Past: Hebrew and Cognate Inscriptions from the Biblical Period'' (Jerusalem: Carta, 2008), 503, for the names גד, גדיו, גדעזר. </REF> | ||
The biblical noun ''gĕdȗd'', “band, troop,” is a possibility for this GN.<ref>The Hebrew verb ''gdd'' that apparently comes from this primary noun means “to band together.” See ''HALOT'' sub גדד.</ref> However, “fortune” seems a more likely name for a city than “troop.” | The biblical noun ''gĕdȗd'', “band, troop,” is a possibility for this GN.<ref>The Hebrew verb ''gdd'' that apparently comes from this primary noun means “to band together.” See ''HALOT'' sub גדד.</ref> However, “fortune” seems a more likely name for a city than “troop.” | ||
Revision as of 12:01, 24 June 2013
| Lehite GN | 1. | City, burned with fire ca. 34 AD, along with LAMAN, JOSH, and KISHKUMEN (3 Nephi 9:10) |
Etymology
It is likely that this NEPHITE GN comes from the PN of the first person who settled the city (see Alma 8:7). The root gad in Hebrew means “fortune, luck, riches, etc.,” and is quite common in Hebrew, including the PN gād, one of the twelve sons of JACOB (ISRAEL).[1] The (deified) word appears in biblical PNs, e.g., Gaddiel (perhaps, “My fortune is El”) in Numbers 13:5, and in extra-biblical Hebrew texts close to the time of LEHI (JAT).[2]
The biblical noun gĕdȗd, “band, troop,” is a possibility for this GN.[3] However, “fortune” seems a more likely name for a city than “troop.”
Less likely, though not impossible is the biblical Hebrew word for “coriander,” gad. For an example of a Near Eastern GN coming from a plant, see the Arabic GN Ras Shamra, “cape fennel” (JH).
Cf. Book of Mormon GID, AMGID, AMNIGADDAH, GADIANDI, GADIANTON/GADDIANTON, GADIOMNAH, et al.
Variants
Deseret Alphabet: 𐐘𐐈𐐔 (ɡæd)
Notes
- ↑ The King James Bible disguises the meaning of JACOB’s son name by rendering Genesis 30:11 (the first time the personal name appears in the Bible), “And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.” The Matthew Bible (1537) is more accurate, “Then said Lea: Good luck: and called his name Gad.” A more literal translation might be, “And Leah said, “By good fortune!” And she called his name Gad.” (See HALOT sub גד.)The name for troop/band in biblical Hebrew is gĕdȗd, a close homophone (in Semitic languages) of gad.
- ↑ See Shmuel Ahitub, Echoes from the Past: Hebrew and Cognate Inscriptions from the Biblical Period (Jerusalem: Carta, 2008), 503, for the names גד, גדיו, גדעזר.
- ↑ The Hebrew verb gdd that apparently comes from this primary noun means “to band together.” See HALOT sub גדד.
