Abstract

Abstract Although scholars have generally treated Ugaritic ltn as a cognate of Hebrew liwyātān, the vocalization of this word and its relationship to the Hebrew form remain debated. In this article, we will argue that ltn should be vocalized /lītan-/ and that Ugaritic ltn and Hebrew liwyātān derive from Proto-Northwest Semitic *lawiy-(a)t-an- through a series of attested sound changes. We will also discuss the morphology of *lawiy-(a)t-an- and the syntax of the Northwest Semitic formula *lawiy(a)tanu baṯnu barīḥu … baṯnu ʕaqallatānu “Leviathan, the fleeing serpent … the twisting serpent” found in KTU 1.5 i 1–3 and Isa 27:1.

Highlights

  • Since the Ugaritic word ltn was first discovered, scholars have generally treated it as a cognate of Hebrew liwyātān.[1]

  • We will discuss the morphology of ltn/liwyātān and the syntax of the inherited Northwest Semitic formula *lawiy(a)tanu baṯnu barīḥu ... baṯnu ʕaqallatānu “Leviathan, the fleeing serpent ... the twisting serpent” found in KTU 1.5 i 1–3 and Isa 27:1

  • Wilson-Wright has argued that these two passages preserve reflexes of the same inherited Northwest Semitic formula: *lawiy(a)tanu baṯnu barīḥu ... baṯnu ʕaqallatānu “Leviathan, the fleeing serpent ... the twisting serpent.”[3]. They employ a series of cognate terms to describe a serpentine monster with only two minor differences: the Hebrew reflex uses nāḥāš in place of the semantically similar Ugaritic term bṯn and repeats the word liwyātān in the second half of the formula

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Summary

In memory of Calvert Watkins

Since the Ugaritic word ltn was first discovered, scholars have generally treated it as a cognate of Hebrew liwyātān.[1] But the vocalization of the Ugaritic word and its relationship to the Hebrew form remain debated. We will argue that ltn should be vocalized /lītan-/ and that Ugaritic ltn and Hebrew liwyātān derive from Proto-Northwest Semitic *lawiy-(a)t-an- “the great twisting one” through a series of attested sound changes. We will discuss the morphology of ltn/liwyātān and the syntax of the inherited Northwest Semitic formula *lawiy(a)tanu baṯnu barīḥu ... Baṯnu ʕaqallatānu “Leviathan, the fleeing serpent ... The twisting serpent” found in KTU 1.5 i 1–3 and Isa 27:1 We will discuss the morphology of ltn/liwyātān and the syntax of the inherited Northwest Semitic formula *lawiy(a)tanu baṯnu barīḥu ... baṯnu ʕaqallatānu “Leviathan, the fleeing serpent ... the twisting serpent” found in KTU 1.5 i 1–3 and Isa 27:1

On that day Yahweh will inflict punishment
The Vocalization of Ugaritic ltn and Its Relationship to Hebrew liwyātān
The Syntax of the Inherited Northwest Semitic Formula
Conclusion
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