SHIM
| Jaredite GN | 1. | Hill (Ether 9:3). Since this is in the record given by NEPHI, it is likely that he gives the Nephite, rather than the Jaredite, name of the hill, hence making it the same as No. 2 |
| Lehite GN | 2. | Hill, 4th c. AD (Mormon 1:3; 4:23), probably the same as No. 1 |
The obvious derivation is from Hebrew šēm, “name, fame, renown, monument[1].” There are PNs using šēm, as an element (e.g., SHEM, the son of NOAH) (JH). Hill of “fame/monument” would also make excellent sense in connection with an explanatory story, which unfortunately is lacking. There may be a word play going on in Mormon 1:3, “a hill which shall be called Shim; and there have I deposited [the plates]” (Nibley), similar to the word play in Deuteronomy 12:5, lāśūm ʾet šemō šām “to put his name there” (PYH).
It is doubtful that Sumerian šem/šim, “perfume, aroma, gum, fragrant plant resin, salve, ointment, spices,” also “be happy, joyous; rejoice, exult” (RFS) has anything to do with SHIM.
The biblical PNs šimʾāh (1 Chronicles 8:32) and šimʾām (1 Chronicles 9:38), KJV Shimeah and Shimeam, respectively, probably have little to do with Book of Mormon SHIM, though neither can be ruled out.
Cf. Book of Mormon SHEM, SHEMLON, SHEMNON, SHIMNILOM, SHUM, SAM
Notes
- ↑ W. F. Albright demands the meaning of “an (inscribed) monument” for šēm at Genesis 11:4, as part of the Great Tower/Ziggurat/Mountain summit (YGC, p. 87, fnn. 122123). (RFS) The same is evidently true for other biblical passages, such as Deuteronomy 12:5, 11; 14:23; 16:2, 6, 11; 26:2; Jeremiah 7:12; Nehemiah 1:9. In each of these, šēm appears with the Hebrew root skn which, from the evidence of cognate languages, means “stela” (e.g., Ugaritic skn, “stela”; Akkadian šiknu, “form, image”, always alternating with s͂almu, “likeness”). In the Midrash Rabbah, Genesis (Noach) XXXVII.8, we read of the passage “And let us make a name šēm” that “the School of R. Ishmail taught: Shem (a name) means naught else but an idol” (Cf. Sanh. 109a) (JAT).
