MAHIJAH
| Pearl of Great Price PN | 1. | MAHIJAH, a man who questioned ENOCH Moses 6.40 |
Likely Hebrew *Maḥîyâ “Smitten by Lord,” similar to the GN Mahujah “Smitten by Yah” (PGP Moses 7:2), and PN Mahujael "Smitten by the Lord God" (Moses 6:40). All from the from Hebrew māḥâ “to smite, wipe out, annihilate.”[1]
Hugh Nibley compares the titan MḤWY, son of angel Baraq’el, in 4QEnGiants, The Book of Giants (4Q203 frag 2:3, 7:II:5), and 6Q8 frag 1:2,5.[2] Florentino Garcia Martinez reads the name as Mahawai, while Wise, Abegg, and Cook read it as Mahwai (cf. 4Q530 column 2:15, 3:6-7, both of which include mention of Gilgamesh as well). Since there are no vowels in the word, various possibilities remain open. However, it is instructive that the translators vocalize other names, such as Ohya and Hahya, in the very same passages.
Two types of prophets are listed in Semitic texts from ancient Ebla (texts 1860, 428): (1) prophetic (nabi), and (2) ecstatic (maḫḫu) – Akkadica 2:21.[3] The latter may be related to Sumerian MAḪ “supreme; great”[4] = Akkadian gapšu, dannu “mighty, strong”; maḫḫu, rubu “prominent, exalted”; rabu, narbu “great (one)”; lumaḫ, lumaḫḫum, ispu “priest.”
See Mahujael (Moses 5:43), Mahujah (Moses 7:2), Mahalaleel (Moses 6:19-20), Master Mahan (Moses 5:31,39)
Notes
Bibliography
Pearl of Great Price Central, “Could Joseph Smith Have Borrowed Mahijah/Mahujah from the Book of Giants? (Moses 6:40)” Book of Moses Insight #7, June 11, 2020, online at https://www.pearlofgreatpricecentral.org/could-joseph-smith-have-borrowed-mahijah-mahujah-from-the-book-of-giants/ .
Pearl of Great Price Central, “Mahijah and Mahaway Interrogate Enoch (Moses 6:40),” Book of Moses Insight #8, June 19, 2020, online at https://www.pearlofgreatpricecentral.org/mahijah-and-mahaway-interrogate-enoch/ , and audio recording at https://interpreterfoundation.org/book-of-moses-insights-008/ .
