Identifying the Stones of Classical Hebrew
A Modern Philological Approach
Published on 29. August 2024
Book
Hardback
250 pages
978-90-04-67799-9 (ISBN)
Description
Since the translation of the Septuagint in the 3rd century BCE, scholars have attempted to identify the stones that populate the biblical text. This study rejects the long-standing reliance on ancient translations for identifying biblical stones. Despite the evident contradictions and historical inconsistencies, scholars traditionally presumed these translations to be reliable. By departing from this approach, this volume presents a novel synthesis of comparative linguistics and archeogemological data. Through rigorous analysis of valid cognates, it establishes correlations between Hebrew stone names and their counterparts in ancient languages, corresponding to known mineral species. This methodological shift enables a more accurate identification of stones mentioned in biblical texts, thus recovering their true historical context. The research not only advances our understanding of biblical mineralogy but also provides a fresh perspective on the material culture of the Ancient Levant, offering valuable insights for scholars and laymen, linguists and archaeologists alike.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Leiden
Netherlands
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
658 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-04-67799-9 (9789004677999)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Ephraim S. Ayil (1998) holds a B.A. in Political Science from Touro University, and will be pursuing a J.D. at SMU Dedman School of Law in autumn of 2024. Most recently, he worked at Hillsdale College's Washington, D.C. campus. His research interests span multiple disciplines, reflecting a broad academic interest.
Content
Acknowledgements
1 Introduction
?1?Methodology
?2?Terminology/Scope
?3?Limitations/Preface
2 The ?osen-Priestly Breastplate
3 ????? ?o?em-Carnelian
?1?Defining Carnelian
4 ??????? Pi??a-Peridot
?1?False Etymologies
?2?Reexamining an Old Connection
?3?Identity
5 ??????? Bare?e?-Green Jasper
?1?Medieval Identifications
?2?Previous Etymologies
?3?Cognates
?4?A Semitic Etymology
?5?Possible Identities
?6?Putting the Data Together
6 ?????? Nop?e?-Turquoise
?1?Derivation from Egyptian mfk?t
?2?Semantics
?3????? Pu?
7 ?????? Sappir-Lapis Lazuli
?1?The Biblical Sources
?2?Greco-Roman Sources for ????????? Sappheiros
?3?The Supposed Indian Origin
?4?Marginal Cognates
?5?Akkadian Analogue and a Revised Etymology
8 ??????? Yahalom
9 ????? Lesem-Amazonite
10 ????? S??o-Agate
11 ????????? ?a?lama-Red Jasper
?1?Phonology
?2?Ancient Translations
12 ???????? Tarsis-Amber
?1?Internal Evidence for the Color of Tarsis-Stone
?2?Tars?is? = Tartessos = A Stone from Tartessos
?3?Applying the Philological Method
?4?Other Previous Views
?5?Conclusion
13 ????? Soham-Onyx
?1?The Location of ???????? ?awila
?2?Terminological Issues concerning Onyx
?3?Chalcedony Onyx in Arabia
?4?The Egyptian Word for Onyx
?5?Towards an Etymology
?6?New Biblical Interpretations
14 ??????? Yasp?e-Blue Chalcedony
?1?Cognates
?2?Yaspids in Greek and Mesopotamian Sources
?3?The Elamite Yaspu
?4?Breaking My Own Rules
?5?Cultural Realia, Geography, Mythology: Towards an Etymology
?6?Conclusion
15 ?????? Samir-Emery
?1?Cognates
?2?The Etymology of ?????? Samir
?3?The Shamir Worm
16 ?????? Ga?is & ?????????? ?elga?is-Crystal Quartz, Gypsum & Hail
?1?Previous Hypotheses
?2?Phonological Analysis
?3?Hebrew Sources for Elgavish
?4?On ?????? Ga?is
?5?Etymological History in Other Languages
?6?Semantics
17 ??????? Kadko? & ??????? ?e?da?-Garnet
?1???????? Kadko?
?2???????? ?e?da?
?3?Greek ?????? Anthrax and Latin Carbunculus
?4?Ugaritic P?m and Akkadian Pend?
?5?Historiography
18 ???? C?or & ???????? ?allamis-Flint/Obsidian
?1???? C?or
?2????????? ?allamis
?3?Afterword: Implications for the Reconstruction of Ancient Egyptian Phonology
?4?Harmonizing the Data
19 ?????/??? Sayis/Ses & ??? Gir-Limestone
?1??????/??? Sayis/Ses
?2???? Gir
?3?Afterword
20 Other Classical Hebrew Lithonyms
?1?????? Baha?
?2?????? Bo?an
?3????????? Gop?rit?
?4???? Dar
?5?????? Mela?
?6?????? Ne?er
?7?????? Shashar
21 Final Analysis
?1?Patterns in Borrowing
?2?Reconsidering the Septuagint and a Potential Pattern
?3?A Theory of the Septuagint
?4?Frontiers for Future Research
Appendix: Index of Publications concerning Stones in the Bible
Bibliography
Index of Foreign Words
Index of Gemstones & Minerals
1 Introduction
?1?Methodology
?2?Terminology/Scope
?3?Limitations/Preface
2 The ?osen-Priestly Breastplate
3 ????? ?o?em-Carnelian
?1?Defining Carnelian
4 ??????? Pi??a-Peridot
?1?False Etymologies
?2?Reexamining an Old Connection
?3?Identity
5 ??????? Bare?e?-Green Jasper
?1?Medieval Identifications
?2?Previous Etymologies
?3?Cognates
?4?A Semitic Etymology
?5?Possible Identities
?6?Putting the Data Together
6 ?????? Nop?e?-Turquoise
?1?Derivation from Egyptian mfk?t
?2?Semantics
?3????? Pu?
7 ?????? Sappir-Lapis Lazuli
?1?The Biblical Sources
?2?Greco-Roman Sources for ????????? Sappheiros
?3?The Supposed Indian Origin
?4?Marginal Cognates
?5?Akkadian Analogue and a Revised Etymology
8 ??????? Yahalom
9 ????? Lesem-Amazonite
10 ????? S??o-Agate
11 ????????? ?a?lama-Red Jasper
?1?Phonology
?2?Ancient Translations
12 ???????? Tarsis-Amber
?1?Internal Evidence for the Color of Tarsis-Stone
?2?Tars?is? = Tartessos = A Stone from Tartessos
?3?Applying the Philological Method
?4?Other Previous Views
?5?Conclusion
13 ????? Soham-Onyx
?1?The Location of ???????? ?awila
?2?Terminological Issues concerning Onyx
?3?Chalcedony Onyx in Arabia
?4?The Egyptian Word for Onyx
?5?Towards an Etymology
?6?New Biblical Interpretations
14 ??????? Yasp?e-Blue Chalcedony
?1?Cognates
?2?Yaspids in Greek and Mesopotamian Sources
?3?The Elamite Yaspu
?4?Breaking My Own Rules
?5?Cultural Realia, Geography, Mythology: Towards an Etymology
?6?Conclusion
15 ?????? Samir-Emery
?1?Cognates
?2?The Etymology of ?????? Samir
?3?The Shamir Worm
16 ?????? Ga?is & ?????????? ?elga?is-Crystal Quartz, Gypsum & Hail
?1?Previous Hypotheses
?2?Phonological Analysis
?3?Hebrew Sources for Elgavish
?4?On ?????? Ga?is
?5?Etymological History in Other Languages
?6?Semantics
17 ??????? Kadko? & ??????? ?e?da?-Garnet
?1???????? Kadko?
?2???????? ?e?da?
?3?Greek ?????? Anthrax and Latin Carbunculus
?4?Ugaritic P?m and Akkadian Pend?
?5?Historiography
18 ???? C?or & ???????? ?allamis-Flint/Obsidian
?1???? C?or
?2????????? ?allamis
?3?Afterword: Implications for the Reconstruction of Ancient Egyptian Phonology
?4?Harmonizing the Data
19 ?????/??? Sayis/Ses & ??? Gir-Limestone
?1??????/??? Sayis/Ses
?2???? Gir
?3?Afterword
20 Other Classical Hebrew Lithonyms
?1?????? Baha?
?2?????? Bo?an
?3????????? Gop?rit?
?4???? Dar
?5?????? Mela?
?6?????? Ne?er
?7?????? Shashar
21 Final Analysis
?1?Patterns in Borrowing
?2?Reconsidering the Septuagint and a Potential Pattern
?3?A Theory of the Septuagint
?4?Frontiers for Future Research
Appendix: Index of Publications concerning Stones in the Bible
Bibliography
Index of Foreign Words
Index of Gemstones & Minerals