MORMON: Difference between revisions

From Book of Mormon Onomasticon
Jump to navigationJump to search
mNo edit summary
No edit summary
Line 3: Line 3:
|'''[[:Category:Lehite PN|Lehite PN]]'''
|'''[[:Category:Lehite PN|Lehite PN]]'''
|1.
|1.
|Man, ca. 300 AD ([http://scriptures.lds.org/en/morm/1/5#5 Mormon 1:5])  
|Father of No. 2, ca. 300 AD ([http://scriptures.lds.org/en/morm/1/5#5 Mormon 1:5])  
|-
|-
|
|
|2.
|2.
|Prophet/general, son of No. 1, ca. 322–386 AD ([http://scriptures.lds.org/en/w_of_m/1/1#1 Words of Mormon 1]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moro/8/1#1 Moroni 8:1])
|[[NEPHITE(S)|N<small>EPHITE</small>]] prophet and general, son of No. 1, ca. 322–386 AD ([http://scriptures.lds.org/en/w_of_m/1/1#1 Words of Mormon 1]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moro/8/1#1 Moroni 8:1])
|-
|-
|'''[[:Category:Lehite GN|Lehite GN]]'''
|'''[[:Category:Lehite GN|Lehite GN]]'''
Line 22: Line 22:
|}
|}


No one can do better than simply quoting the Prophet Joseph Smith on this subject: “I may safely say that the word '''MORMON''' stands independent of the learning and wisdom of this generation.—Before I give a definition, however, to the word, let me say that the Bible in its widest sense, means good; for the Savior says according to the gospel of John, “I am the good shepherd;” and it will not be beyond the common use of terms, to say that good is among the most important in use, and though known by various names in different languages, still its meaning is the same, and is ever in opposition to bad. We say from the Saxon, ''good''; the Dane, ''god''; the Latin, ''bonus''; the Greek, ''kalos''; the Hebrew, ''tob''; and the [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]], ''mon''. Hence, with the addition of ''more'', or the contraction, ''mor'', we have the word M<small>ORMON</small>; which means, literally, more good” (T&S 4 [15 May 1843] 194).
MORMON


The question could be raised here whether the Prophet used the word “literally” in the same technical sense we use it today in translation work, namely, a word for word rendering. Or could it be that he used the word in the less technical sense of really, actually, etc. There are ample examples of the latter usage by Joseph Smith and his contemporaries, but as far as I can determine, only a few of the examples exist of the technical sense, and even in these instances,the word is used as much in the sense of actually, really, as in the sense of word for word.<ref>Three examples will suffice here. “Between Commerce and Mr. Davidson Hibbard's, there was one stone house and three log houses, including the one that I live in, and these were all the houses in this vicinity, and the place was literally a wilderness. The land was mostly covered with trees and bushes, and much of it so wet that it was with the utmost difficulty a footman could get through, and totally impossible for teams” (HC 3:375). “They then commenced to whip me with large gads which they had for the purpose, and literally mangled me from my shoulders to my knees” (HC 4:181). “These sacred and important promises are looked upon in our day as being given, either to another people, or in a figurative form, and consequently require spiritualizing, notwithstanding they are as conspicuously plain, and are meant to be understood according to their literal reading, as those passages which teaches us of the creation of the world, and of the decree of its Maker to bring its inhabitants to judgment” (Papers of JS Hist34/HISTORY, 1834  1836 50/50, 2). “I would mention here also in order to correct a misunderstanding, which has gone abroad concerning the title page of the Book of Mormon, that it is not a composition of mine or of any other man's who has lived or does live in this generation, but that it is a literal translation taken from the last leaf of the plates, on the left hand side of the collection of plates, the language running same as XXtheXX <all> Hebrew writing XXlanguageXX in general. And that no error can henceforth possibly exist I give here the Title so far as it is a translation” (Papers of JS Draf39/HISTORY [1839 DRAFT] 241/241, 2).
Lehite PN & GN 1. Father of #2, ca. 300 AD (Mormon 1:5)
From these quotes, it can be seen that the word “literally” can be used in the sense of “actually, accurately or really.” But notice also the following use of “literally” by Joseph Smith that approximates the technical usage today: “I shall read the 24th. ch of Matthew and give it a literal rendering and reading, and when it is rightly understood it will be edifying (he then read & translated it from the German) I thought the very oddity of its rendering would be edifying any how“And it will preached be; the Gospel of the Kingdom in the whole world, to a witness over all people, and then will the end come” (Words J Smith 1844/Words J Smith 1844 366/366, 1).</ref> *A search of the ''OED'' and the 1828 Webster would be advisable. In other words, the word “literally” can be understood in Joseph Smith’s statement to mean “actually” and not necessarily “word for word.” If this is the case, then M<small>ORMON</small> can mean “more good” in the sense that it “literally” stands for that which is more good, i.e., anything with the name “M<small>ORMON</small>” should be better.
2. Nephite prophet and general, son of # 1, ca. 322–386 AD (Words of Mormon 1; Moroni 8:1)
3. Land near the city of LEHI NEPHI, ca. 184 BC (Mosiah 18:4; 3 Nephi     5:12)
4. Forest, situated in land of same name (Mosiah 18:30)
5. Waters, situated in land of same name (Mosiah 18:8; Alma 5:3)


Notwithstanding the Prophet’s warning, many attempts have been made to provide an etymology based on our secular knowledge of ancient Near Eastern languages. The results are at best mixed.
Any discussion of the meaning of the name '''MORMON''', must start by dealing with a letter published in the ''Times and Seasons'' 4 (15 May 1843): 194, that is attributed to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “I may safely say that the word Mormon stands independent of the learning and wisdom of this generation.—Before I give a definition, however, to the word, let me say that the Bible in its widest sense, means ''good''; for the Savior says according to the gospel of John, ‘I am the ''good'' shepherd;’ and it will not be beyond the common use of terms, to say that good is among the most important in use, and though known by various names in different languages, still its meaning is the same, and is ever in opposition to ''bad''. We say from the Saxon, ''good''; the Dane, ''god''; the Goth, ''goda''; the German, ''gut''; the Dutch, ''goed''; the Latin, ''bonus''; the Greek, ''kalos''; the Hebrew, ''tob''; and the Egyptian, ''mon''. Hence, with the addition of more, or the contraction, ''mor'', we have the word M<small>ORMON</small>; which means, literally, ''more good''” (''T&S'' 4 [15 May 1843]: 194).
The first issue with this statement is that it is not certain Joseph Smith is responsible for all of the content. The Prophet’s journal entry for 20 May 1844 reads, “in the office heard Bro Phelps read a deffinition of the Word of Mormon – More-Good – corrected and sent to press.”<ref> My thanks and appreciation to Andrew Hedges, Church History Library, for calling my attention to this passage. I have quoted the passage from Scott H. Faulring, An American Prophet’s Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1989), p. 378, entry for 20 May 1843.</ref>  Unfortunately, not enough information is given to determine which parts of the letter published over Joseph’s signature stem from W. W. Phelps and which parts Joseph corrected. What is certain is that Joseph was not the original author, but that Joseph made changes in the text, and that he gave approval to have it published over his name. This was not the first or last time that W. W. Phelps was a ghostwriter for Joseph.<ref> For W. W. Phelps as a ghost writer for Joseph Smith, see Samuel Brown, “The Translator and the Ghostwriter: Joseph Smith and W. W. Phelps,” Journal of Mormon History, 34/1 (Winter 2008):26-62. See pages 42-42 where Brown discusses this Times and Seasons passage. See also page 54. Another piece ghostwritten by W.W. Phelps is discussed by Michael Hicks in “Joseph Smith, W. W. Phelps, and the Poetic Paraphrase of ‘The Vision’,” Journal of Mormon History, 20/2 (Fall 1994):63-84.</ref>
B. H. Roberts, when he was compiling the ''Documentary History of the Church'' (hereafter ''HC''), also “found evidence that the editor of ''Times and Seasons'', W. W. Phelps, rather than Joseph Smith, wrote this paragraph and that it was ‘based on inaccurate premises and was offensively pedantic.’” He asked for and received permission from the First Presidency to leave the offending paragraph out of the official ''History of the Church'' he was producing.<ref> Truman Madsen, Defender of the Faith: The B. H. Roberts Story (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1980), 291-292. Madsen cites no source for his information.</ref>  In the final version of the ''HC'', B. H. Roberts introduced the letter with a paraphrase of Joseph’s journal entry, rather frankly writing, “Corrected and sent to the Times and Seasons the following.” After leaving out all the words after “the learning and wisdom of this generation,” Roberts summarized the last sentence as “The word Mormon, means literally, more good.”<ref> ''HC'', V:400.</ref> 


Both [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] and Semitic languages often prefix some noun forms with ''m''. If this is the case with the name M<small>ORMON</small>, then the root would be ''rmn'' or ''rmh'' (The root cannot be taken from ''rām'' <ref>Explanations from North-west Semitic ''rām'', “to high, exalted,” cannot be used to explain M<small>ORMON</small> because the ''ā'' is part of the root and phonemic, and therefore must be represented in some form, i.e., there must be a vowel between the ''r'' and the ''m''.  M<small>ORMON</small> has no such vowel.  Therefore, the following deriviations must be discarded:  Hebrew ''merômān*'' (can't find:  check spelling of suffix), “exalted” (JAT); Hebrew ''mārôm'', “high, lofty, sublime” (ref. to God in [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/ps/92/9#9 Psalm 92:9]), plural ''merômīm'', “lofty,” (of seat of Yahweh,*cannot find in [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/ps/7/8#8 Ps. 7:8]) (RFS); and the “waters of Merom” (''mērôm'') in [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/josh/11/5,7#5 Josh. 11:5, 7], located near the head of the Jordan River, north of the Sea of Galilee (RFS).</ref>).
But there are other issues with this letter. When the letter states that “the Bible in its widest sense, means ''good'' ,” the writer was not suggesting that the word “Bible” etymologically means ''good''. Rather, the writer was suggesting that the Bible is good and the reading of it promotes good. This certainly is an acceptable metaphorical meaning of the “Bible” that no Christian in the 19th century would deny.  


Possible is [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] ''mrmn'', “truly beloved,” or “love is established” (BU, “The Name Connection,” ''New Era'', June 1983, p.*), or “strong/firm love” or “love remains steadfast/firm” (RFS). The translation “love is established forever” reminds us of the words of Paul, “charity never faileth” ([http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_cor/13/8#8 1 Corinthians 13:8]) (BU). Interestingly, it is M<small>ORMON</small> who uses the same words in a letter written to his son [[MORONI|M<small>ORONI</small>]], adding, “But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever” ([http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moro/7/46-47#46 Moroni 7:46–47]) (JAT). Less likely is [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] ''mr'' (> Nubian and Coptic ''mur'', ''mor''), “bind, girth” or ''m`r'' > Coptic ''mor'', “gird, surround” (RFS). On the element ''mr'' see Nibley, SC, 194, n. 107.
This metaphorical meaning leads to an examination of the phrase, “The word Mormon, means literally, more good.” Just as today, the word ''literally'' was used in 19th century English in the sense of “actually,” “really.”<ref> One example will suffice here. “They then commenced to whip me with large gads which they had for the purpose, and literally mangled me from my shoulders to my knees” (HC 4:181). Here, “literally” means flesh wounds, not that his whole upper body was mangled.</ref> In other words, the word “literally” can be understood in the letter to mean “actually” and not necessarily “word-for-word.” Thus, if the Bible, which is true as far as it was transmitted correctly, means “good,” then the Book of Mormon, which was transmitted correctly, must actually mean “more good.” The conclusion can be drawn that “more good” is not a translation of the word “Mormon,” but a metaphorical interpretation in the sense that while the Bible means “good, “Mormon means “more [of the] good,” or possibly “better translated than the Bible.” 


On a limestone stele of the 19th to 21st [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] dynasty in the Museum of Gizeh the name ''m-rmnu'' appears, accompanied by the title “door keeper.” In an out-of-date article W. Spiegelberg, “Zu den semitishcen Eigennamen in ägyptischer Umschrift aus der Zeit des ‘neuen Reiches’ (um 1500–1000),” Zeitschrift für Assyriologie ************, p. 51, treats the name as Semitic in [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] transcription, but does not give a meaning. He transcribes it into Hebrew characters with ''mr''/''lmn''(w). See ABM, footnote 29 to Chap. 22. The meaning remains obscure.
What then is the philological explanation of M<small>ORMON</small>? Notwithstanding the warning in the letter attributed to Joseph Smith “that the word Mormon stands independent of the learning and wisdom of this generation,”<ref> This statement may refer to the fact that the Restoration, including the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon, was not done by any secular, academic, or scholarly means of our enlightened age.</ref>  many attempts have been made to provide a sound etymology for M<small>ORMON</small> based on secular knowledge of ancient Near Eastern languages. The results at best show promise. The following discussion reviews some of the suggestions that have been made. Unfortunately, the most likely suggestion (immediately below) has no etymology, and the other suggestions that do have an etymology are less likely.


Notice the biblical PN ''mirmāh'' ([http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_chr/8/10#10 1 Chronicles 8:10]); the name of two priests in 1 Esdras 8:61 and [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/neh/10/5#5 Nehemiah 10:5], ''merēmōt'' (JH; the name also appears as ''mrmwt'' on a 6th c. BC ostracon from Arad [Aharoni in Freedman & Greenfield, p. 32 and Figure 53 {mistaken for fig. 54}]) (JAT, RFS); and the PN at Ugarit, ''marimana'' (JH).
On a limestone stele of the 19th to 21st [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] dynasty in the Museum of Gizeh the name ''mrmnu'' appears, accompanied by the title “door keeper.” In a yet to be superseded article, W. Spiegelberg, “Zu den semitischen Eigennamen in ägyptischer Umschrift aus der Zeit des ‘neuen Reiches’ (um 1500–1000),” ''Zeitschrift für Assyriologie'' 13 (1898):51, treats the name as Semitic in [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] transcription although he is not certain that it is Semitic, and he does not provide a meaning. He transcribes it into Hebrew characters with ''mr''/''lmn''(''w''). Spiegelberg’s description of the stele unfortunately does not permit its current identification.  Despite various difficulties, such as dating to at least 600 years before [[LEHI|L<small>EHI</small>]] and not having an etymology, this name, ''mrmn'', on an [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] inscription seems like a direct hit, as Hugh Nibley pointed out years ago.<ref> ABM, 500, footnote 30 to Chap. 22. Nibley states that “the common [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] ''Mr''- means ‘intention, wish, desire.’”</ref> 
 
Nibley has also pointed out that ''mrm'', besides appearing in the [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] PN, is attested in Hebrew and Arabic, and means “desirable” or “good.”<ref> ''ABM'', 500, footnote 30 to chapter 22.</ref>  In this case, M<small>ORMON</small> would consist of the root ''mrm'' plus the common Semitic ending -''ōn'', often used on GNs and PNs, such as Kidron and [[GIDEON|G<small>IDEON</small>]]. For Hebrew examples, see the biblical PN ''mirmâh'' in 1 Chronicles 8:10 (''HALOT'' does not offer an etymology), and the PN ''merēmȏt'' (also of questionable etymology), the name of a priest in Ezra 10:36 (=Nehemiah 10:5), are possibilities (JH). The name also appears as ''mrmwt'' on a 6th century BC ostracon from Arad<ref> Arad ostracon # 50. See Shmuel Ahituv, Echoes from the Past: Hebrew and Cognate Inscriptions from the Biblical Period, trans. Anson F. Rainey (Jerusalem: Carta, 2008), p. 149. On page 484 Ahitub explains this PN as “Blessed by the god Mawt, death.” </ref> . Note also the PN at Ugarit, ''ma ri ma na'' (JH), but the language origin of the name is unknown.<ref> The name appears in the appendix “Liste ungedeuteter oder ihrer sprachlichen Herkunft nach unsicherer Namen,” in Frauke Gröndahl, Die Personennamen der Texte aus Ugarit, Studia Pohl 1 (Rome: Pontificium Institutum Biblicum, 1967), p. 304.</ref>
 
Ben Urrutia has called attention to [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] ''mr mn'', “truly beloved,” or “love is established” (BU, “The Name Connection,” New Era, June 1983, p 40), or “strong/firm love” or “love remains steadfast/firm” (RFS). The translation “love is established forever” brings to memory the words of Paul, “charity never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:8) (BU). Interestingly, it is M<small>ORMON</small> who uses the same words in a letter written to his son [[MORONI|M<small>ORONI</small>]], adding, “But charity is the pure love of CHRIST, and it endureth forever” (Moroni 7:46–47) (JAT).
 
Less likely is [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] ''mr'' (> Nubian and Coptic ''mur'', ''mor''), “bind, girth” (RFS). On the element ''mr'' see Nibley, SC, 194, n. 107.


Nibley has written that “Mormon may be of Hebrew, Egyptian, or Arabic origin” (ABM, 239). He noted the PN ''mrmlw'' in conjuction with the PN ''hnfy'', on a Nabataean monument (ABM, fn. 27 to Chap. 22), and noted that the name ''mrm'' appears on 7 ESA monuments, corresponding to Arabic ''maram'', “intention, wish, desire,” cognate with [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]] ''mr'' with the same meaning. Hence M<small>ORMON</small> would mean “desirable, good” (ABM, 239, esp. fn. 29 to Chap. 22).


Cf. Book of Mormon [[MORON|M<small>ORON</small>]], [[MORONI|M<small>ORONI</small>]], [[MORONIHAH|M<small>ORONIHAH</small>]], [[MORIANTUM|M<small>ORIANTUM</small>]], [[MORIANTON|M<small>ORIANTON</small>]], et al. Per RFS, see also [[AMMON|A<small>MMON</small>]], [[AMMONIHAH|A<small>MMONIHAH</small>]], [[MOSIAH|M<small>OSIAH</small>]], [[AMMORON|A<small>MMORON</small>]], [[AMORON|A<small>MORON</small>]], [[RAMEUMPTOM|R<small>AMEUMPTOM</small>]]
Cf. Book of Mormon [[MORON|M<small>ORON</small>]], [[MORONI|M<small>ORONI</small>]], [[MORONIHAH|M<small>ORONIHAH</small>]], [[MORIANTUM|M<small>ORIANTUM</small>]], [[MORIANTON|M<small>ORIANTON</small>]], et al. Per RFS, see also [[AMMON|A<small>MMON</small>]], [[AMMONIHAH|A<small>MMONIHAH</small>]], [[MOSIAH|M<small>OSIAH</small>]], [[AMMORON|A<small>MMORON</small>]], [[AMORON|A<small>MORON</small>]], [[RAMEUMPTOM|R<small>AMEUMPTOM</small>]]

Revision as of 14:29, 20 March 2012

Lehite PN 1. Father of No. 2, ca. 300 AD (Mormon 1:5)
2. NEPHITE prophet and general, son of No. 1, ca. 322–386 AD (Words of Mormon 1; Moroni 8:1)
Lehite GN 3. Land near the city of LEHINEPHI, ca. 184 BC (Mosiah 18:4; 3 Nephi 5:12)
4. Forest, situated in land of same name (Mosiah 18:30)
5. Waters, situated in land of same name (Mosiah 18:8; Alma 5:3)

MORMON

Lehite PN & GN 1. Father of #2, ca. 300 AD (Mormon 1:5) 2. Nephite prophet and general, son of # 1, ca. 322–386 AD (Words of Mormon 1; Moroni 8:1) 3. Land near the city of LEHI NEPHI, ca. 184 BC (Mosiah 18:4; 3 Nephi 5:12) 4. Forest, situated in land of same name (Mosiah 18:30) 5. Waters, situated in land of same name (Mosiah 18:8; Alma 5:3)

Any discussion of the meaning of the name MORMON, must start by dealing with a letter published in the Times and Seasons 4 (15 May 1843): 194, that is attributed to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “I may safely say that the word Mormon stands independent of the learning and wisdom of this generation.—Before I give a definition, however, to the word, let me say that the Bible in its widest sense, means good; for the Savior says according to the gospel of John, ‘I am the good shepherd;’ and it will not be beyond the common use of terms, to say that good is among the most important in use, and though known by various names in different languages, still its meaning is the same, and is ever in opposition to bad. We say from the Saxon, good; the Dane, god; the Goth, goda; the German, gut; the Dutch, goed; the Latin, bonus; the Greek, kalos; the Hebrew, tob; and the Egyptian, mon. Hence, with the addition of more, or the contraction, mor, we have the word MORMON; which means, literally, more good” (T&S 4 [15 May 1843]: 194). The first issue with this statement is that it is not certain Joseph Smith is responsible for all of the content. The Prophet’s journal entry for 20 May 1844 reads, “in the office heard Bro Phelps read a deffinition of the Word of Mormon – More-Good – corrected and sent to press.”[1] Unfortunately, not enough information is given to determine which parts of the letter published over Joseph’s signature stem from W. W. Phelps and which parts Joseph corrected. What is certain is that Joseph was not the original author, but that Joseph made changes in the text, and that he gave approval to have it published over his name. This was not the first or last time that W. W. Phelps was a ghostwriter for Joseph.[2] B. H. Roberts, when he was compiling the Documentary History of the Church (hereafter HC), also “found evidence that the editor of Times and Seasons, W. W. Phelps, rather than Joseph Smith, wrote this paragraph and that it was ‘based on inaccurate premises and was offensively pedantic.’” He asked for and received permission from the First Presidency to leave the offending paragraph out of the official History of the Church he was producing.[3] In the final version of the HC, B. H. Roberts introduced the letter with a paraphrase of Joseph’s journal entry, rather frankly writing, “Corrected and sent to the Times and Seasons the following.” After leaving out all the words after “the learning and wisdom of this generation,” Roberts summarized the last sentence as “The word Mormon, means literally, more good.”[4]

But there are other issues with this letter. When the letter states that “the Bible in its widest sense, means good ,” the writer was not suggesting that the word “Bible” etymologically means good. Rather, the writer was suggesting that the Bible is good and the reading of it promotes good. This certainly is an acceptable metaphorical meaning of the “Bible” that no Christian in the 19th century would deny.

This metaphorical meaning leads to an examination of the phrase, “The word Mormon, means literally, more good.” Just as today, the word literally was used in 19th century English in the sense of “actually,” “really.”[5] In other words, the word “literally” can be understood in the letter to mean “actually” and not necessarily “word-for-word.” Thus, if the Bible, which is true as far as it was transmitted correctly, means “good,” then the Book of Mormon, which was transmitted correctly, must actually mean “more good.” The conclusion can be drawn that “more good” is not a translation of the word “Mormon,” but a metaphorical interpretation in the sense that while the Bible means “good, “Mormon means “more [of the] good,” or possibly “better translated than the Bible.”

What then is the philological explanation of MORMON? Notwithstanding the warning in the letter attributed to Joseph Smith “that the word Mormon stands independent of the learning and wisdom of this generation,”[6] many attempts have been made to provide a sound etymology for MORMON based on secular knowledge of ancient Near Eastern languages. The results at best show promise. The following discussion reviews some of the suggestions that have been made. Unfortunately, the most likely suggestion (immediately below) has no etymology, and the other suggestions that do have an etymology are less likely.

On a limestone stele of the 19th to 21st EGYPTIAN dynasty in the Museum of Gizeh the name mrmnu appears, accompanied by the title “door keeper.” In a yet to be superseded article, W. Spiegelberg, “Zu den semitischen Eigennamen in ägyptischer Umschrift aus der Zeit des ‘neuen Reiches’ (um 1500–1000),” Zeitschrift für Assyriologie 13 (1898):51, treats the name as Semitic in EGYPTIAN transcription although he is not certain that it is Semitic, and he does not provide a meaning. He transcribes it into Hebrew characters with mr/lmn(w). Spiegelberg’s description of the stele unfortunately does not permit its current identification. Despite various difficulties, such as dating to at least 600 years before LEHI and not having an etymology, this name, mrmn, on an EGYPTIAN inscription seems like a direct hit, as Hugh Nibley pointed out years ago.[7]

Nibley has also pointed out that mrm, besides appearing in the EGYPTIAN PN, is attested in Hebrew and Arabic, and means “desirable” or “good.”[8] In this case, MORMON would consist of the root mrm plus the common Semitic ending -ōn, often used on GNs and PNs, such as Kidron and GIDEON. For Hebrew examples, see the biblical PN mirmâh in 1 Chronicles 8:10 (HALOT does not offer an etymology), and the PN merēmȏt (also of questionable etymology), the name of a priest in Ezra 10:36 (=Nehemiah 10:5), are possibilities (JH). The name also appears as mrmwt on a 6th century BC ostracon from Arad[9] . Note also the PN at Ugarit, ma ri ma na (JH), but the language origin of the name is unknown.[10]

Ben Urrutia has called attention to EGYPTIAN mr mn, “truly beloved,” or “love is established” (BU, “The Name Connection,” New Era, June 1983, p 40), or “strong/firm love” or “love remains steadfast/firm” (RFS). The translation “love is established forever” brings to memory the words of Paul, “charity never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:8) (BU). Interestingly, it is MORMON who uses the same words in a letter written to his son MORONI, adding, “But charity is the pure love of CHRIST, and it endureth forever” (Moroni 7:46–47) (JAT).

Less likely is EGYPTIAN mr (> Nubian and Coptic mur, mor), “bind, girth” (RFS). On the element mr see Nibley, SC, 194, n. 107.


Cf. Book of Mormon MORON, MORONI, MORONIHAH, MORIANTUM, MORIANTON, et al. Per RFS, see also AMMON, AMMONIHAH, MOSIAH, AMMORON, AMORON, RAMEUMPTOM

Notes

  1. ↑ My thanks and appreciation to Andrew Hedges, Church History Library, for calling my attention to this passage. I have quoted the passage from Scott H. Faulring, An American Prophet’s Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1989), p. 378, entry for 20 May 1843.
  2. ↑ For W. W. Phelps as a ghost writer for Joseph Smith, see Samuel Brown, “The Translator and the Ghostwriter: Joseph Smith and W. W. Phelps,” Journal of Mormon History, 34/1 (Winter 2008):26-62. See pages 42-42 where Brown discusses this Times and Seasons passage. See also page 54. Another piece ghostwritten by W.W. Phelps is discussed by Michael Hicks in “Joseph Smith, W. W. Phelps, and the Poetic Paraphrase of ‘The Vision’,” Journal of Mormon History, 20/2 (Fall 1994):63-84.
  3. ↑ Truman Madsen, Defender of the Faith: The B. H. Roberts Story (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1980), 291-292. Madsen cites no source for his information.
  4. ↑ HC, V:400.
  5. ↑ One example will suffice here. “They then commenced to whip me with large gads which they had for the purpose, and literally mangled me from my shoulders to my knees” (HC 4:181). Here, “literally” means flesh wounds, not that his whole upper body was mangled.
  6. ↑ This statement may refer to the fact that the Restoration, including the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon, was not done by any secular, academic, or scholarly means of our enlightened age.
  7. ↑ ABM, 500, footnote 30 to Chap. 22. Nibley states that “the common EGYPTIAN Mr- means ‘intention, wish, desire.’”
  8. ↑ ABM, 500, footnote 30 to chapter 22.
  9. ↑ Arad ostracon # 50. See Shmuel Ahituv, Echoes from the Past: Hebrew and Cognate Inscriptions from the Biblical Period, trans. Anson F. Rainey (Jerusalem: Carta, 2008), p. 149. On page 484 Ahitub explains this PN as “Blessed by the god Mawt, death.”
  10. ↑ The name appears in the appendix “Liste ungedeuteter oder ihrer sprachlichen Herkunft nach unsicherer Namen,” in Frauke Gröndahl, Die Personennamen der Texte aus Ugarit, Studia Pohl 1 (Rome: Pontificium Institutum Biblicum, 1967), p. 304.
Retrieved from "https://onoma.lib.byu.edu/index.php?title=MORMON&oldid=4695"