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'''Etymology'''
'''Etymology'''


Possibly hypothetical [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] *''zerʿa-ḥemlâ'' "Seed of Compassion" ([[Jo Ann Hackett|JH]], [[John A. Tvedtnes|JAT]]), or "Merciful scattering," employing ''ḥemlâ'' "mercy, compassion, pity, commiseration" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/19.16?lang=eng#15 Genesis 19:16]), and the same Semitic root is a loanword (''ḥml'') in 20th Dynasty [[EGYPT|E<small>GYPT</small>]] as ''ḥa-ma-nra'' "Be merciful, Have Compassion!"<ref>[[James E. Hoch|James Hoch]], ''Semitic Words in Egyptian Texts of the New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period'', ( Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1994), 226-227.</ref> [[Paul Y. Hoskisson|PYH]] argues that ''ḥemlâ'' looks like a feminine participle from the verb "to pity." If so, the preceding element in the name would probably not be a verb, thus perhaps leaving us with the meaning "Merciful-scion." This proposed name is structured somewhat like [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''zeraʿ hammělûkâ'', ''zeraʿ hammamlākâ'' "royal descendant" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/jer/41.1,%202?lang=eng#primary Jeremiah 41:1, 2]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/2-kgs/11.1?lang=eng#primary 2 Kings 11:1]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/2-kgs/25.25?lang=eng#24 25:25]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ezek/17.13?lang=eng#12 Ezekiel 17:13]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/dan/1.3?lang=eng#2 Daniel 1:3]),<ref>[[Hayim ben Yosef Tawil]]. ''An Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew: Etymological-Semantic and Idiomatic Equivalents with Supplement on Biblical Aramaic.'' (Jersey City: [[(Jewish Publisher)|KTAV]] Pub. House, 2009), 95-96.</ref> and like [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''zeraʽ ʼĕlōhîm'' "progeny of God, godly offspring" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/mal/2.15?lang=eng#14 Malachi 2:15]),<ref>Andrew E. Hill, ''Malachi'', Anchor Bible 25D (Yale Univ. Press/Doubleday, 1998), 201.</ref> and the Neo-Babylonian PN ''Zer-babili'',<ref>Bryan E. Beyer. "Zerubbabel." ''Anchor Bible Dictionary'', VI. ed. David Noel Freedman. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1085.</ref> the PN of the late biblical prince and governor ''Zerubbabel'' "Scion/Offspring of Babylon, Seed-of-Babylon, Born-in-Babylon" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/1-chr/3.19?lang=eng#18 1 Chronicles 3:19], [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ezra/3.2?lang=eng#1 Ezra 3:2] = Sheshbazzar, [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ezra/1.8?lang=eng#7 Ezra 1:8]; NT ''Zorobabel'' [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/1.12-13?lang=eng#11 Matthew 1:12-13]).<ref>[[John A. Tvedtnes|John A. Tvedtnes]], "Hebrew Names in the Book of Mormon," 3, citing especially [[Stephen D. Ricks|Stephen Ricks]] & [[John A. Tvedtnes|John Tvedtnes]], "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place-Names," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 6/2 (Fall 1997):259.</ref> Note also that each is a royal descendant of the House of [[DAVID|D<small>AVID</small>]]. Word-play based on this etymology has been found by Pedro Olavarria and David Bokovoy at [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/9.2?lang=eng#1 Mosiah 9:2], and [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/8.24?lang=eng#23 3 Nephi 8:24] (based on use of ''ḥml'' "spared" at [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/1-sam/15.9?lang=eng#8 1 Samuel 15:9]).<ref>In Insights 30/5 (2010), online at http://mi.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=30&num=58&id=917, and at [[Mormon dialogue & discussion board www.mormondialogue.org|MDDB]] online at http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/52705-zarahemla-revisiting-the-seed-of-compassion/. Cf. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/8.21?lang=eng#20 Helaman 8:21] "seed of Zedekiah" = people of '''Z<small>ARAHEMLA</small>'''.</ref>
Possibly hypothetical [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] *''zerʿa-ḥemlâ'' "Seed of Compassion" ([[Jo Ann Hackett|JH]], [[John A. Tvedtnes|JAT]]), or "Merciful scattering," employing ''ḥemlâ'' "mercy, compassion, pity, commiseration" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/19.16?lang=eng#15 Genesis 19:16]), and the same Semitic root is a loanword (''ḥml'') in 20th Dynasty [[EGYPT|E<small>GYPT</small>]] as ''ḥa-ma-nra'' "Be merciful, Have Compassion!"<ref>[[James E. Hoch|James Hoch]], ''Semitic Words in Egyptian Texts of the New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period'', ( Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1994), 226-227.</ref> [[Paul Y. Hoskisson|PYH]] argues that ''ḥemlâ'' looks like a feminine participle from the verb "to pity." If so, the preceding element in the name would probably not be a verb, thus perhaps leaving us with the meaning "Merciful-scion." This proposed name is structured somewhat like [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''zeraʿ hammělûkâ'', ''zeraʿ hammamlākâ'' "royal descendant" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/jer/41.1,%202?lang=eng#primary Jeremiah 41:1, 2]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/2-kgs/11.1?lang=eng#primary 2 Kings 11:1]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/2-kgs/25.25?lang=eng#24 25:25]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ezek/17.13?lang=eng#12 Ezekiel 17:13]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/dan/1.3?lang=eng#2 Daniel 1:3]),<ref>[[Hayim ben Yosef Tawil]]. ''An Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew: Etymological-Semantic and Idiomatic Equivalents with Supplement on Biblical Aramaic.'' (Jersey City: [[(Jewish Publisher)|KTAV]] Pub. House, 2009), 95-96.</ref> and like [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''zeraʽ ʼĕlōhîm'' "progeny of God, godly offspring" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/mal/2.15?lang=eng#14 Malachi 2:15]),<ref>Andrew E. Hill, ''Malachi'', Anchor Bible 25D (Yale Univ. Press/Doubleday, 1998), 201.</ref> and the Neo-Babylonian [[Personal Name|PN]] ''Zer-babili'',<ref>Bryan E. Beyer. "Zerubbabel." ''Anchor Bible Dictionary'', VI. ed. David Noel Freedman. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1085.</ref> the [[Personal Name|PN]] of the late biblical prince and governor ''Zerubbabel'' "Scion/Offspring of Babylon, Seed-of-Babylon, Born-in-Babylon" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/1-chr/3.19?lang=eng#18 1 Chronicles 3:19], [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ezra/3.2?lang=eng#1 Ezra 3:2] = Sheshbazzar, [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ezra/1.8?lang=eng#7 Ezra 1:8]; [[New Testament|NT]] ''Zorobabel'' [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/1.12-13?lang=eng#11 Matthew 1:12-13]).<ref>[[John A. Tvedtnes|John A. Tvedtnes]], "Hebrew Names in the Book of Mormon," 3, citing especially [[Stephen D. Ricks|Stephen Ricks]] & [[John A. Tvedtnes|John Tvedtnes]], "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place-Names," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 6/2 (Fall 1997):259.</ref> Note also that each is a royal descendant of the House of [[DAVID|D<small>AVID</small>]]. Word-play based on this etymology has been found by Pedro Olavarria and David Bokovoy at [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/9.2?lang=eng#1 Mosiah 9:2], and [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/8.24?lang=eng#23 3 Nephi 8:24] (based on use of ''ḥml'' "spared" at [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/1-sam/15.9?lang=eng#8 1 Samuel 15:9]).<ref>In Insights 30/5 (2010), online at http://mi.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=30&num=58&id=917, and at [[Mormon dialogue & discussion board www.mormondialogue.org|MDDB]] online at http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/52705-zarahemla-revisiting-the-seed-of-compassion/. Cf. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/8.21?lang=eng#20 Helaman 8:21] "seed of Zedekiah" = people of '''Z<small>ARAHEMLA</small>'''.</ref>


Cf. also Semitic ''zhr'', ''zrʿ'' "to sow" in Demotic ''ḏrʿ'', ''ḏl3'' "spread, scatter" (> Coptic ''ḏōōre'', ''ḏar'', ''ḏar='', ''ḏare='', ''ḏēr'', ''čer=''),<ref>Wolfhart Westendorf, ''Koptisches Handwörterbuch'', 2nd ed. (Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsverlag, 1977), 431-432 (an earlier parallel cited there is denied by [[James E. Hoch|Hoch]], ''Semitic Words'', 392-393).</ref> as the possible prefix of the name.
Cf. also Semitic ''zhr'', ''zrʿ'' "to sow" in Demotic ''ḏrʿ'', ''ḏl3'' "spread, scatter" (> Coptic ''ḏōōre'', ''ḏar'', ''ḏar='', ''ḏare='', ''ḏēr'', ''čer=''),<ref>Wolfhart Westendorf, ''Koptisches Handwörterbuch'', 2nd ed. (Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsverlag, 1977), 431-432 (an earlier parallel cited there is denied by [[James E. Hoch|Hoch]], ''Semitic Words'', 392-393).</ref> as the possible prefix of the name.


Alternatively, [[Jo Ann Hackett|Jo Ann Hackett]] compared the King James Bible PNs ''Zarah'' ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/38.30?lang=eng#29 Genesis 38:30]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/46.12?lang=eng#11 46:12]), ''Zerah'' ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/36.13,%2017,%2033?lang=eng#12 Genesis 36:13, 17, 33]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/1-chr/1.37?lang=eng#36 1 Chronicles 1:37]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/neh/11.24?lang=eng#23 Nehemiah 11:24]), ''Zara'' ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/1.3?lang=eng#2 Matthew 1:3]), all based on [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''Zaraḥ'', ''Zeraḥ'', "Shine foroth, Light up; Dawn; Risen-Like-the-Morning-Sun" (hypocoristic PN for [[King James Version|KJV]] Zerahiah ''Zeraḥ-Yah'' "YHWH has Risen Like the Morning Sun"<ref>Ernst Axel Knauf. "Zerah." ''Anchor Bible Dictionary'', VI. ed. David Noel Freedman. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1080; [[George Reynolds| George Reynolds]], ''Dictionary of the Book of Mormon.'' (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1954), 315; cf. Rodney H. Shearer, "Zerahiah," ''Anchor Bible Dictionary'', VI. ed. David Noel Freedman. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1081, who notes additional interpretations: "YHWH will arise/shine; YHWH has dawned"; Andrew E. Hill, ''Malachi'', [[Anchor Bible. 88 vols.|AB]] 25D (Yale/Doubleday, 1998), 349; cf. the solar symbolism in [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ps/19.4-6?lang=eng#3 Psalms 19:4-6]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ps/84.11?lang=eng#10 84:11]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/mal/4.2?lang=eng#1 Malachi 4:2] (3:20 [[Massoretic Text = Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1984.|MT]]), [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/1.78-79?lang=eng#77 Luke 1:78-79]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/rev/1.16?lang=eng#15 Revelation 1:16].</ref> [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''Zrḥy'' = [[Septuaginta. Alfred Rahlfs, ed. 8th ed. Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1965.|LXX]] ''Zaraei'', and that [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''Zryh'' = [[Septuaginta. Alfred Rahlfs, ed. 8th ed. Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1965.|LXX]] ''Zaraia''.<ref>J.W. Wevers and D.B. Redford, eds., ''Essays on the Ancient Semitic World'' xii. (Toronto Semitic Texts and Studies, 1970),107,; Wevers compares the Old South Arabic PN ''Ðrḥ'' (voiceless interdental spirant).</ref> Cf. the [[ASSYRIAN|A<small>SSYRIAN</small>]] practice of naming a land for its capital city.
Alternatively, [[Jo Ann Hackett|Jo Ann Hackett]] compared the King James Bible [[Personal Name|PN]]s ''Zarah'' ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/38.30?lang=eng#29 Genesis 38:30]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/46.12?lang=eng#11 46:12]), ''Zerah'' ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/36.13,%2017,%2033?lang=eng#12 Genesis 36:13, 17, 33]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/1-chr/1.37?lang=eng#36 1 Chronicles 1:37]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/neh/11.24?lang=eng#23 Nehemiah 11:24]), ''Zara'' ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/1.3?lang=eng#2 Matthew 1:3]), all based on [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''Zaraḥ'', ''Zeraḥ'', "Shine foroth, Light up; Dawn; Risen-Like-the-Morning-Sun" (hypocoristic [[Personal Name|PN]] for [[King James Version|KJV]] Zerahiah ''Zeraḥ-Yah'' "YHWH has Risen Like the Morning Sun"<ref>Ernst Axel Knauf. "Zerah." ''Anchor Bible Dictionary'', VI. ed. David Noel Freedman. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1080; [[George Reynolds| George Reynolds]], ''Dictionary of the Book of Mormon.'' (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1954), 315; cf. Rodney H. Shearer, "Zerahiah," ''Anchor Bible Dictionary'', VI. ed. David Noel Freedman. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1081, who notes additional interpretations: "YHWH will arise/shine; YHWH has dawned"; Andrew E. Hill, ''Malachi'', [[Anchor Bible. 88 vols.|AB]] 25D (Yale/Doubleday, 1998), 349; cf. the solar symbolism in [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ps/19.4-6?lang=eng#3 Psalms 19:4-6]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ps/84.11?lang=eng#10 84:11]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/mal/4.2?lang=eng#1 Malachi 4:2] (3:20 [[Massoretic Text = Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1984.|MT]]), [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/1.78-79?lang=eng#77 Luke 1:78-79]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/rev/1.16?lang=eng#15 Revelation 1:16].</ref> [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''Zrḥy'' = [[Septuaginta. Alfred Rahlfs, ed. 8th ed. Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1965.|LXX]] ''Zaraei'', and that [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''Zryh'' = [[Septuaginta. Alfred Rahlfs, ed. 8th ed. Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1965.|LXX]] ''Zaraia''.<ref>J.W. Wevers and D.B. Redford, eds., ''Essays on the Ancient Semitic World'' xii. (Toronto Semitic Texts and Studies, 1970),107,; Wevers compares the Old South Arabic [[Personal Name|PN]] ''Ðrḥ'' (voiceless interdental spirant).</ref> Cf. the [[ASSYRIAN|A<small>SSYRIAN</small>]] practice of naming a land for its capital city.


Less likely is hypothetical [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] *''zĕrōʿ-ḥemla'' "Arm of mercy," an English phrase used three times in the Book of Mormon, including once by [[JESUS|J<small>ESUS</small>]] at [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/9.14?lang=eng#13 3 Nephi 9:14], which could be a play on words (pun) on the name of '''Z<small>ARAHEMLA</small>''' (using a folk etymology), whose destruction he had just mentioned ([[John A. Tvedtnes|JAT]]). Cf. for example, the reading ''zeraʽ'' in [[Massoretic Text = Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1984.|MT]], which is not supported by [[Septuaginta. Alfred Rahlfs, ed. 8th ed. Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1965.|LXX]] Greek ''omos'' "shoulder" and Vulgate ''brachium'' "forearm," which means that the correct reading should be ''zĕrōʿa'' "arm."<ref>Andrew E. Hill, "Malachi", ''Anchor Bible Dictionary.'' 25D (Yale/Doubleday, 1998), 9, 200-201.</ref>
Less likely is hypothetical [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] *''zĕrōʿ-ḥemla'' "Arm of mercy," an English phrase used three times in the Book of Mormon, including once by [[JESUS|J<small>ESUS</small>]] at [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/9.14?lang=eng#13 3 Nephi 9:14], which could be a play on words (pun) on the name of '''Z<small>ARAHEMLA</small>''' (using a folk etymology), whose destruction he had just mentioned ([[John A. Tvedtnes|JAT]]). Cf. for example, the reading ''zeraʽ'' in [[Massoretic Text = Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1984.|MT]], which is not supported by [[Septuaginta. Alfred Rahlfs, ed. 8th ed. Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1965.|LXX]] Greek ''omos'' "shoulder" and Vulgate ''brachium'' "forearm," which means that the correct reading should be ''zĕrōʿa'' "arm."<ref>Andrew E. Hill, "Malachi", ''Anchor Bible Dictionary.'' 25D (Yale/Doubleday, 1998), 9, 200-201.</ref>
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Less likely is hypothetical [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] *''Zārâ-ḥemlâ'' "Scattering of mercy," employing piel [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''zrh'' "to scatter, spread," i.e., the scattering of [[JUDAH|J<small>UDAH</small>]] among the nations ([[Robert F. Smith|RFS]]).<ref>Ibid., 201.</ref>
Less likely is hypothetical [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] *''Zārâ-ḥemlâ'' "Scattering of mercy," employing piel [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] ''zrh'' "to scatter, spread," i.e., the scattering of [[JUDAH|J<small>UDAH</small>]] among the nations ([[Robert F. Smith|RFS]]).<ref>Ibid., 201.</ref>


Margaret Barker combines several of these meanings into complex wordplay designed to communicate the deeper meaning of the Servant Songs of [[ISAIAH|I<small>SAIAH</small>]]: "To whom has the '''arm''' [''zĕrōʿa''] of the LORD been revealed?" can also mean "To whom has the '''seed'''/'''son''' [''zeraʿ''] of the LORD been revealed?" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/53.1?lang=eng#primary Isaiah 53:1] ||[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/14.1?lang=eng#primary Mosiah 14:1]; cf. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/15.31?lang=eng#30 Mosiah 15:31] "The Lord hath made bare his holy '''arm'''") without changing the [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] consonantal text - especially since the next line reads "he grew up before him as a suckling child" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/53.2?lang=eng#1 Isaiah 53:2] [ [[Abbreviations|RSV]] "young plant"; [[Septuaginta. Alfred Rahlfs, ed. 8th ed. Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1965.|LXX]] "little child"] ||[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/14.2?lang=eng#1 Mosiah 14:2]) - and this coheres with [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/53.10?lang=eng#9 Isaiah 53:10]||[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/14.10?lang=eng#9 Mosiah 14:10] "he shall see his '''seed/offspring''', " which can also be read "he shall be revealed as the '''son'''."<ref>Margaret Barker, ''Temple Mysticism: An Introduction.'' (London: SPCK Publishing, 2011), 157, 162.</ref> This is merely part of the much broader liturgical and esoteric content of First Temple Israelite religion jettisoned by Deuteronomistic revisionism - according to Barker - a revisionism which did not infect the Book of Mormon.
Margaret Barker combines several of these meanings into complex wordplay designed to communicate the deeper meaning of the Servant Songs of [[ISAIAH|I<small>SAIAH</small>]]: "To whom has the '''arm''' [''zĕrōʿa''] of the LORD been revealed?" can also mean "To whom has the '''seed'''/'''son''' [''zeraʿ''] of the LORD been revealed?" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/53.1?lang=eng#primary Isaiah 53:1] ||[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/14.1?lang=eng#primary Mosiah 14:1]; cf. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/15.31?lang=eng#30 Mosiah 15:31] "The Lord hath made bare his holy '''arm'''") without changing the [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] consonantal text - especially since the next line reads "he grew up before him as a suckling child" ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/53.2?lang=eng#1 Isaiah 53:2] [ [[Revised Standard Version|RSV]] "young plant"; [[Septuaginta. Alfred Rahlfs, ed. 8th ed. Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1965.|LXX]] "little child"] ||[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/14.2?lang=eng#1 Mosiah 14:2]) - and this coheres with [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/53.10?lang=eng#9 Isaiah 53:10]||[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/14.10?lang=eng#9 Mosiah 14:10] "he shall see his '''seed/offspring''', " which can also be read "he shall be revealed as the '''son'''."<ref>Margaret Barker, ''Temple Mysticism: An Introduction.'' (London: [[The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge|SPCK]] Publishing, 2011), 157, 162.</ref> This is merely part of the much broader liturgical and esoteric content of First Temple Israelite religion jettisoned by Deuteronomistic revisionism - according to Barker - a revisionism which did not infect the Book of Mormon.


See [[ZERAHEMNAH|Z<small>ERAHEMNAH</small>]], [[ZERAM|Z<small>ERAM</small>]], [[ZERIN|Z<small>ERIN</small>]].
See [[ZERAHEMNAH|Z<small>ERAHEMNAH</small>]], [[ZERAM|Z<small>ERAM</small>]], [[ZERIN|Z<small>ERIN</small>]].
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''zeraʿ měraʿîm'' “seed of evildoers” ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/1.4?lang=eng#3 Isaiah 1:4]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/14.20?lang=eng#19 14:20])
''zeraʿ měraʿîm'' “seed of evildoers” ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/1.4?lang=eng#3 Isaiah 1:4]; [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/14.20?lang=eng#19 14:20])


''zěrūbbābel'' “Seed-of-Babylon, Offspring-of-Babylon” ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/hag/1.1,%2012?lang=eng#primary Haggai 1:1, 12]) PN
''zěrūbbābel'' “Seed-of-Babylon, Offspring-of-Babylon” ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/hag/1.1,%2012?lang=eng#primary Haggai 1:1, 12]) [[Personal Name|PN]]
----
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Akkadian
Akkadian


''zēr-bābili'' “Seed, Offspring of Babylon” PN
''zēr-bābili'' “Seed, Offspring of Babylon” [[Personal Name|PN]]


''zēr šarrūti'' “royal descendant”
''zēr šarrūti'' “royal descendant”
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Barker, Margaret. ''Temple Mysticism: An Introduction''. SPCK, 2011.
Barker, Margaret. ''Temple Mysticism: An Introduction''. [[The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge|SPCK]], 2011.


Beyer, Bryan E. "Zerubbabel," in Freedman, ed., ''Anchor Bible Dictionary'', VI:1085.
Beyer, Bryan E. "Zerubbabel," in Freedman, ed., ''Anchor Bible Dictionary'', VI:1085.
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Knauf, Ernst A. "Zerah," in Freedan, ed., ''Anchor Bible Dictionary'', VI:1080-1081.
Knauf, Ernst A. "Zerah," in Freedan, ed., ''Anchor Bible Dictionary'', VI:1080-1081.


[[George Reynolds|Reynolds, George]], ''Dictionary of the Book of Mormon''. SLC: J. H. Parry, 1891.
[[George Reynolds|Reynolds, George]], ''Dictionary of the Book of Mormon''. [[Salt Lake City|SLC]]: J. H. Parry, 1891.


[[Stephen D. Ricks|Ricks, Stephen D.]], and [[John A. Tvedtnes]]. "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place-Names," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 6/2 (Fall 1997):255-259.
[[Stephen D. Ricks|Ricks, Stephen D.]], and [[John A. Tvedtnes]]. "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place-Names," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 6/2 (Fall 1997):255-259.
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Wevers, J. W. "''Ḥeth'' in Classical Hebrew," in Wevers & Redford, eds., ''[[J. W. Wevers, and D. B. Redford, eds. Essays on the Ancient Semitic World. Toronto Semitic Texts and Studies 1. Univ. of Toronto Press, 1970.|EASW]]'', 101-112.
Wevers, J. W. "''Ḥeth'' in Classical Hebrew," in Wevers & Redford, eds., ''[[J. W. Wevers, and D. B. Redford, eds. Essays on the Ancient Semitic World. Toronto Semitic Texts and Studies 1. Univ. of Toronto Press, 1970.|EASW]]'', 101-112.
<div style="text-align: center;"> [[UZZIAH|<<]] Zarahemla [[ZEBULUN|>>]] </div>
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Revision as of 18:04, 21 November 2015

Lehite PN 1. Royal descendant of MULEK, and ancestor of AMMON and CORIANTUMR (Omni 1:14, 18; Mosiah 7:3, 13; 25:2; Helaman 1:15)
2. People of (Omni 1:14, 15, 19, 21; Mosiah 1:10; 7:13; 25:2, 3, 4, 13; Alma 22:30)
Lehite GN 3. Land of (Omni 1:12, 13, 24, 28; Mosiah 1:1, 18; 2:4; 7:1, 9, 13, 14; 8:1, 5, 7, 8, 14; 9:Preface, 2; 21:24, 25, 26; 22:11, 13; 24:25; 25:5, 6, 19, 23; 27:35; 29:44; Alma 2:15, 24, 26; 3:20; 4:1; 5:1, 2; 6:1, 4, 7; 7:3, 5; 8:1 (x2); 15:18; 16:1; 17:1, 7; 22:27 (x2), 28, 32; 25:2; 26:1, 9, 23; 27:5, 14, 15, 20; 28:1; 30:6, 29; 31:3, 6; 35:14; 45:18; 46:33; 47:29; 48:6; 50:7, 9, 11; 51:11; 52:12; 53:10, 12; 56:25, 28, 57; 57:6, 11, 15, 16 (x2), 28, 30; 58:3, 4, 23, 24; 59:4; 60:1, 30; 61:8 (x2), 18; 62:6, 7, 11, 14, 42; 63:4; Helaman 1:15, 17, 18 (x2), 22, 23, 27, 29, 33; 3:3, 31; 4:5; 5:16, 19; 6:4; 7:1, 10; 13:2, 12; 3 Nephi 1:2; 2:9; 3:23 (x2); 6:25; 8:8, 24; 9:3; 4 Nephi 1:8; Mormon 1:6, 10; Ether 9:31)

Etymology

Possibly hypothetical HEBREW *zerʿa-ḥemlâ "Seed of Compassion" (JH, JAT), or "Merciful scattering," employing ḥemlâ "mercy, compassion, pity, commiseration" (Genesis 19:16), and the same Semitic root is a loanword (ḥml) in 20th Dynasty EGYPT as ḥa-ma-nra "Be merciful, Have Compassion!"[1] PYH argues that ḥemlâ looks like a feminine participle from the verb "to pity." If so, the preceding element in the name would probably not be a verb, thus perhaps leaving us with the meaning "Merciful-scion." This proposed name is structured somewhat like HEBREW zeraʿ hammělûkâ, zeraʿ hammamlākâ "royal descendant" (Jeremiah 41:1, 2; 2 Kings 11:1; 25:25; Ezekiel 17:13; Daniel 1:3),[2] and like HEBREW zeraʽ ʼĕlōhîm "progeny of God, godly offspring" (Malachi 2:15),[3] and the Neo-Babylonian PN Zer-babili,[4] the PN of the late biblical prince and governor Zerubbabel "Scion/Offspring of Babylon, Seed-of-Babylon, Born-in-Babylon" (1 Chronicles 3:19, Ezra 3:2 = Sheshbazzar, Ezra 1:8; NT Zorobabel Matthew 1:12-13).[5] Note also that each is a royal descendant of the House of DAVID. Word-play based on this etymology has been found by Pedro Olavarria and David Bokovoy at Mosiah 9:2, and 3 Nephi 8:24 (based on use of ḥml "spared" at 1 Samuel 15:9).[6]

Cf. also Semitic zhr, zrʿ "to sow" in Demotic ḏrʿ, ḏl3 "spread, scatter" (> Coptic ḏōōre, ḏar, ḏar=, ḏare=, ḏēr, čer=),[7] as the possible prefix of the name.

Alternatively, Jo Ann Hackett compared the King James Bible PNs Zarah (Genesis 38:30; 46:12), Zerah (Genesis 36:13, 17, 33; 1 Chronicles 1:37; Nehemiah 11:24), Zara (Matthew 1:3), all based on HEBREW Zaraḥ, Zeraḥ, "Shine foroth, Light up; Dawn; Risen-Like-the-Morning-Sun" (hypocoristic PN for KJV Zerahiah Zeraḥ-Yah "YHWH has Risen Like the Morning Sun"[8] HEBREW Zrḥy = LXX Zaraei, and that HEBREW Zryh = LXX Zaraia.[9] Cf. the ASSYRIAN practice of naming a land for its capital city.

Less likely is hypothetical HEBREW *zĕrōʿ-ḥemla "Arm of mercy," an English phrase used three times in the Book of Mormon, including once by JESUS at 3 Nephi 9:14, which could be a play on words (pun) on the name of ZARAHEMLA (using a folk etymology), whose destruction he had just mentioned (JAT). Cf. for example, the reading zeraʽ in MT, which is not supported by LXX Greek omos "shoulder" and Vulgate brachium "forearm," which means that the correct reading should be zĕrōʿa "arm."[10]

Less likely is hypothetical HEBREW *Zārâ-ḥemlâ "Scattering of mercy," employing piel HEBREW zrh "to scatter, spread," i.e., the scattering of JUDAH among the nations (RFS).[11]

Margaret Barker combines several of these meanings into complex wordplay designed to communicate the deeper meaning of the Servant Songs of ISAIAH: "To whom has the arm [zĕrōʿa] of the LORD been revealed?" can also mean "To whom has the seed/son [zeraʿ] of the LORD been revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1 ||Mosiah 14:1; cf. Mosiah 15:31 "The Lord hath made bare his holy arm") without changing the HEBREW consonantal text - especially since the next line reads "he grew up before him as a suckling child" (Isaiah 53:2 [ RSV "young plant"; LXX "little child"] ||Mosiah 14:2) - and this coheres with Isaiah 53:10||Mosiah 14:10 "he shall see his seed/offspring, " which can also be read "he shall be revealed as the son."[12] This is merely part of the much broader liturgical and esoteric content of First Temple Israelite religion jettisoned by Deuteronomistic revisionism - according to Barker - a revisionism which did not infect the Book of Mormon.

See ZERAHEMNAH, ZERAM, ZERIN.

See also Zarahemla / Zarrahemla Variants.


HEBREW

zeraʿ ʾănāšîm “male descendant” (1 Samuel 1:11)[13]

zeraʿ hammělûkâ “royal descendant” (Jeremiah 41:1)

zeraʿ hammamlākâ “royal descendant” (2 Kings 11:1)

zeraʿ měraʿîm “seed of evildoers” (Isaiah 1:4; 14:20)

zěrūbbābel “Seed-of-Babylon, Offspring-of-Babylon” (Haggai 1:1, 12) PN


Akkadian

zēr-bābili “Seed, Offspring of Babylon” PN

zēr šarrūti “royal descendant”

zēr nērti “seed of a murderer”

zēr amēlūti “mankind”

zēr bānītu “creatress of seed/offspring”

Cf. Akkadian Arad-dNIN (pronounced Arda-milissu) ||HEBREW ’Adrammelek (Isaiah 37:38)[14] Akkadian Yauḫazi “Jehoahaz”||HEBREW ’Āḥāz (Isaiah 7:1 hypocoristicon[15]

Akkadian Aššur-bâni-apli “Ashurbanipal”||HEBREW ’Āsnappar (Ezra 4:10)[16]

Akkadian Aššur-aḫ-iddin(a) “Esarhaddon” ||HEBREW ’Ēsar-ḥaddōn (Isaiah 37:38)[17]

Akkadian Tubaʾil (Tiglath-pileser III inscript) ||HEBREW ’Etbaʿal “Ethbaʿal”[18]

Akkadian Balaṭ-šarri-uṣur/Balassu-uṣur ||HEBREW Bēlṭěš’aṣṣar “Belteshazzar” (Daniel 1:7; 10:1)

Akkadian Ausiʾi “Hosea” ||HEBREW Hôšēʿa (2 Kings 15:30)[19]

Akkadian Ḫirumm(y)u “Hiram” ||Phoen. ’Aḥirâm ||HEBREW Ḥîrôm, Ḥîrām (1 Kings 5:24; 2 Samuel 5:11)

Akkadian Samerīnāya “Samaria” ||HEBREW Šōmrôn “Samaria” (Isaiah 7:9)[20]

Akkadian Menasi, Minsi “Manasseh” ||HEBREW Měnašše “Manasseh” (2 Kings 20:21)

Akkadian Ibnaḫaza “Nibḫaz” ||HEBREW Nibḥaz (2 Kings 17:31)[21]

Akkadian Sakkud, dSAG.KUD ||HEBREW Sikkût “Sikkuth” (Amos 5:26)[22]

Akkadian Sîn-uballiṭ “Sanballat” ||HEBREW Sanbalaṭ (Nehemiah 2:10, 19)

Akkadian Sîn-aḫḫē-erība “Sennacherib” ||HEBREW Sanḥērîb (2 Kings 18:13; Isaiah 36:1)

Akkadian Ḫumri “Omri” ||HEBREW ʿOmrî (1 Kings 16:16)[23]

Akkadian Raḫi’anu / Raqiʾanu “Rezin” ||HEBREW Rěṣîn (2 Kings 15:37)

Akkadian Šulmānu-ašaridu “Shalmaneser” ||HEBREW Šalmanʾeser (2 Kings 17:3)[24]

Akkadian Tukulti-apil-Ešarra “Tiglath-pileser III” ||HEBREW Tiglat pilʾeser (1 Chronicles 5:6)

Akkadian Dumuzû, dDumu-zi “Tammuz” ||HEBREW Tammûz (Ezekiel 8:14)

Variants

Zerahemla, Zarrahemla, Zarahelma, Zarahelmla, Zarahemlah, Zararemla

Deseret Alphabet: 𐐞𐐁𐐡𐐈𐐐𐐇𐐣𐐢𐐈 (zeɪræhɛmlæ), 𐐞𐐡𐐈𐐐𐐇𐐣𐐢𐐈 (zræhɛmlæ)

Notes


  1. James Hoch, Semitic Words in Egyptian Texts of the New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period, ( Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1994), 226-227.
  2. Hayim ben Yosef Tawil. An Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew: Etymological-Semantic and Idiomatic Equivalents with Supplement on Biblical Aramaic. (Jersey City: KTAV Pub. House, 2009), 95-96.
  3. Andrew E. Hill, Malachi, Anchor Bible 25D (Yale Univ. Press/Doubleday, 1998), 201.
  4. Bryan E. Beyer. "Zerubbabel." Anchor Bible Dictionary, VI. ed. David Noel Freedman. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1085.
  5. John A. Tvedtnes, "Hebrew Names in the Book of Mormon," 3, citing especially Stephen Ricks & John Tvedtnes, "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place-Names," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 6/2 (Fall 1997):259.
  6. In Insights 30/5 (2010), online at http://mi.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=30&num=58&id=917, and at MDDB online at http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/52705-zarahemla-revisiting-the-seed-of-compassion/. Cf. Helaman 8:21 "seed of Zedekiah" = people of ZARAHEMLA.
  7. Wolfhart Westendorf, Koptisches Handwörterbuch, 2nd ed. (Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsverlag, 1977), 431-432 (an earlier parallel cited there is denied by Hoch, Semitic Words, 392-393).
  8. Ernst Axel Knauf. "Zerah." Anchor Bible Dictionary, VI. ed. David Noel Freedman. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1080; George Reynolds, Dictionary of the Book of Mormon. (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1954), 315; cf. Rodney H. Shearer, "Zerahiah," Anchor Bible Dictionary, VI. ed. David Noel Freedman. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 1081, who notes additional interpretations: "YHWH will arise/shine; YHWH has dawned"; Andrew E. Hill, Malachi, AB 25D (Yale/Doubleday, 1998), 349; cf. the solar symbolism in Psalms 19:4-6; 84:11; Malachi 4:2 (3:20 MT), Luke 1:78-79; Revelation 1:16.
  9. J.W. Wevers and D.B. Redford, eds., Essays on the Ancient Semitic World xii. (Toronto Semitic Texts and Studies, 1970),107,; Wevers compares the Old South Arabic PN Ðrḥ (voiceless interdental spirant).
  10. Andrew E. Hill, "Malachi", Anchor Bible Dictionary. 25D (Yale/Doubleday, 1998), 9, 200-201.
  11. Ibid., 201.
  12. Margaret Barker, Temple Mysticism: An Introduction. (London: SPCK Publishing, 2011), 157, 162.
  13. See these comparisons at Hayim ben Yosef Tawil. An Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew: Etymological-Semantic and Idiomatic Equivalents with Supplement on Biblical Aramaic. (Jersey City: KTAV, 2009), 95-96, 459.
  14. See these comparisons at Hayim ben Yosef Tawil. An Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew: Etymological-Semantic and Idiomatic Equivalents with Supplement on Biblical Aramaic. (Jersey City: KTAV, 2009), 95-96, 459.
  15. Hayim ben Yosef Tawil. An Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew: Etymological-Semantic and Idiomatic Equivalents with Supplement on Biblical Aramaic. (Jersey City: KTAV, 2009), 457, with metathesis, citing Parpola.
  16. Tawil, Akkadian Lexical Companion, 457, citing Cogan & Tadmor.
  17. Ibid, 457.
  18. Ibid, 458.
  19. Ibid, 459.
  20. Ibid, 460.
  21. Ibid, 461.
  22. Ibid, 462; cf. Akkadian Sakkut-Bānītu = HEBREW Sūkkôt Běnôt (2 Kings 17:30)
  23. Hayim ben Yosef Tawil, An Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew: Etymological-Semantic and Idiomatic Equivalents with Supplement on Biblical Aramaic. (Jersey City: KTAV, 2009), 463.
  24. Ibid, 464.

Bibliography


Barker, Margaret. Temple Mysticism: An Introduction. SPCK, 2011.

Beyer, Bryan E. "Zerubbabel," in Freedman, ed., Anchor Bible Dictionary, VI:1085.

Hoch, James E. Semitic Words in Egyptian Texts of the New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period. Princeton Unvi. Press, 1994.

Knauf, Ernst A. "Zerah," in Freedan, ed., Anchor Bible Dictionary, VI:1080-1081.

Reynolds, George, Dictionary of the Book of Mormon. SLC: J. H. Parry, 1891.

Ricks, Stephen D., and John A. Tvedtnes. "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place-Names," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 6/2 (Fall 1997):255-259.

Shearer, Rodney H. "Zerahiah," in Freedman, ed., ABD, VI:1081.

Tawil, Hayim ben Yosef. An Akkadian Lexical Companion for Biblical Hebrew: Etymological-Semantic and Idiomatic Equivalents with Supplement on Biblical Aramaic. Jersey City: KTAV, 2009.

Tvedtnes, John A. "Hebrew Names in the Book of Mormon," paper delivered at the 13th World Congress of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem, August 12-17, 2001, which is available online at www.fairlds.org/pubs/HebrewNames.pdf (7pp).

Westendorf, Wolfhart. Koptisches Handwörterbuch, 2nd ed. Heidelberg: Carl Winters Universitätsverlag, 2008.

Wevers, J. W. "Ḥeth in Classical Hebrew," in Wevers & Redford, eds., EASW, 101-112.

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