A Note on Yahwistic Personal Names in the Murašû Texts

Abstract

In two recent articles, Michael Coogan drew renewed attention to the appearance of Jewish personal names in texts of the Murai^ Archive, written at Nippur in the 5th century B.c. and discussed patterns among those names which include various forms of the divine name Yahweh. 1 While preparing a dissertation, the present writer was enabled to make use of unpublished Murasi texts and fragments in the University Museum, Philadelphia, and in the British Museum.2 Not surprisingly, these additional texts proved essentially similar in form and content to the portions of the Muragi^ Archive already published.3 Likewise, it comes as no surprise that they contain further occurrences of most of the Yahwistic names known from the previously published texts, as well as occasional names new to the Archive. The theophorous element which distinguishes these names occurs in previously published Murasi texts in two forms, with some variation in spelling: in non-final position as da-a-hu-t_.-, dla-a-huand dla-hu-u; in final position as -ia-a-ma, -ia-ma, and -a-ma. The occurrences have been collected repeatedly, most recently and conveniently by Coogan.4 The additional texts offer data bearing on both forms. This note is intended only to offer some of the material which may be of interest to the study of these names, leaving detailed assessment to more qualified scholars.