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| |'''[[:Category:Lehite GN|Lehite GN]]''' | | |'''[[:Category:Lehite GN|Lehite GN]]''' |
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| |Land, ca. 178 BC ([http://scriptures.lds.org/en/mosiah/10/7#7 Mosiah 10:7]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/23/12#12 Alma 23:12]) | | |[[LAMANITE(S)|L<small>AMANITE</small>]] lannd, ca. 178 BC ([http://scriptures.lds.org/en/mosiah/10/7#7 Mosiah 10:7]; [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/23/12#12 Alma 23:12]) |
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| '''SHEMLON''' could be derived from the Hebrew personal name ''Samlah'' ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/36.36?lang=eng#35 Genesis 36:36]) or the Hebrew word for “cloak,” “clothing,” “garment,” etc. (''śimlāh''), both are derived from the otherwise unattested Hebrew root ''śml''. The ending ''-ōn'' is quite common in Hebrew on geograhic names. Therefore, it is possible that S<small>HEMLON</small> means “covered place” (JH), or “place of the cloak” (PYH). | | A good possibility is Hebrew ''śimlâ'', "claok, cover," with the well-known ending -''ōn'' (good form for a GN), hence '''SHEMLON''' "covered place" (JH), or "place of the cloak" (PYH). Cf. biblical PN Samlah ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/36.36?lang=eng#35 Genesis 36:36]). |
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| Though unattested in North-west Semitic, it may be possible to postulate a Hebrew root ''*šml'' from Arabic ''*samala'', “to scoop/gouge/tear out.” The name would be appropriate if the city were located in a depression. We are reminded that in several Book of Mormon passages, inhabitants of the city of [[NEPHI|N<small>EPHI</small>]] were able, from a tower near the temple, to see the [[LAMANITE(S)|L<small>AMANITES</small>]] coming against them from the direction of the city of S<small>HEMLON</small>. This may indicate a lower elevation for S<small>HEMLON</small> (JAT).
| | Even less likely is something like Arabic ''samala'' "to scoop, gouge, tear out," which might apply if the land of S<small>HEMLON</small> was in a depression--perhaps requiring a tower in [[NEPHI|N<small>EPHI</small>]] to view the [[LAMANITE(S)|L<small>AMANITES</small>]] coming from that lower elevation or depression (JAT). |
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| S<small>HEMLON</small> may be composed of Hebrew ''šēm'', “name,” and ''lyn''/''lwn'', “to rest,” “to lodge,” “to spend the night.” The resulting noun chain, ''*šēmlôn'', might mean, “name of the dwelling.” Hebrew ''šēm'' and ''mālôn'', “lodging-place,” would require a vowel between the ''m'' and the ''l'', e.g., ''*šēmālôn'' , but the Book of Mormon spelling does not have the called-for vowel. | | S<small>HEMLON</small> may be composed of Hebrew ''šēm'', "name," and ''lyn''/''lwn'', "to rest," "to lodge," "to spend the night." The resulting noun chain, ''*šēmlôn'', might mean "name of the dwelling." Hebrew ''šēm'' and ''māl |
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| Less likely is a derivation from Hebrew ''śemoʾl'', “left, on the left hand,” hence, “north” (RFS), plus the ending ''-ōn''.<ref> Both Arabic and Akkadian have a /''š''/ as the first letter of the word “left,” not the /''ś''/ or Hebrew. Therefore, that Hebrew ''śemoʾl'', which is written with a sin, could give rise to a [[NEPHITE(S)|N<small>EPHITE</small>]] /''š''/ is no problem. It is the ''shibboleth'' and ''sibboleth'' all over again.</ref> Though this derivation might provide a plausible meaning,<ref> For example, if S<small>HEMLON</small> were to the north of the city of [[NEPHI|N<small>EPHI</small>]] (JAT), this etymology would make sense.</ref> such a reading presents difficulties. ''śemoʾl'' plus ''-ōn'' would yield ''śemoʾlōn'', which has a vowel between the /''m''/ and the /’/. This vowel is necessary in order to break up the consonant cluster ''-mʾl-''.<ref> No Semitic language would tolerate a three consonant cluster such as ''-mʾl-''</ref> But S<small>HEMLON</small> clearly does not have a vowel anywhere between the /''m''/, the /’/ or the /''l''/. Therefore, an etymology from ''śemoʾl'' plus ''-ōn'' does not seem likely. The fact that Palmyrenean, a North-west Semitic language related to Hebrew, does not represent orthographically the aleph<ref> See ''DNWSI'', ''šml'', which means in Palmyrenean “left.”</ref> is probably not relevant.
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| Until ''r''/''l'' interchanges can be documented between Hebrew and Lehite (such as between Hebrew and [[EGYPTIAN(S)|E<small>GYPTIAN</small>]], and between Spanish and Portuguese), it seems unlikely that S<small>HEMLON</small> is a corruption of or equivalent to biblical Shimron (JH).
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| A derivation from North-west Semitic ''sml'' meaning “statue” or “image” is probably not possible. The /''s''/ (Hebrew samekh) seldom changes into /''š''/, as S<small>HEMLON</small> would require.
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| Cf. Book of Mormon [[SHEM|S<small>HEM</small>]], [[SHEMNON|S<small>HEMNON</small>]], [[SHIM|S<small>HIM</small>]], [[SHIMNILOM|S<small>HIMNILOM</small>]] | | Cf. Book of Mormon [[SHEM|S<small>HEM</small>]], [[SHEMNON|S<small>HEMNON</small>]], [[SHIM|S<small>HIM</small>]], [[SHIMNILOM|S<small>HIMNILOM</small>]] |
A good possibility is Hebrew śimlâ, "claok, cover," with the well-known ending -ōn (good form for a GN), hence SHEMLON "covered place" (JH), or "place of the cloak" (PYH). Cf. biblical PN Samlah (Genesis 36:36).
Even less likely is something like Arabic samala "to scoop, gouge, tear out," which might apply if the land of SHEMLON was in a depression--perhaps requiring a tower in NEPHI to view the LAMANITES coming from that lower elevation or depression (JAT).
SHEMLON may be composed of Hebrew šēm, "name," and lyn/lwn, "to rest," "to lodge," "to spend the night." The resulting noun chain, *šēmlôn, might mean "name of the dwelling." Hebrew šēm and māl
Cf. Book of Mormon SHEM, SHEMNON, SHIM, SHIMNILOM
NOTES
