Some Additional Arabic Etymologies in Old Testament Lexicography

Abstract

The lexicography of the OT has been considerably enriched by L. KOPF'S recent contributions of Arabic etymologies and parallels that shed new light on the actual meaning of many Biblical passages 1). In addition, he has set up certain guiding principles that allow for further pursuit of such comparative studies while at the same guarding against certain pitfalls and fallacies likely arise in this type of research 2). Stimulated by KoPF's findings and, at the same time, trying adhere his method as closely as possible, the present author believes that he has discovered some additional etymologies part of which he presents in these lines. 1) The etymology of the root :n; is still doubtful. It is usually connected with arab. habba to be excited 3) while THOMAS derived it from an onomatopoetic root a1 to huff and puff (heftig atmen) 4). The use of the root in Ugarit proves that it originally denoted to love in a sexual sense 5). Thus it may be related arab. 'ihab which means both (human) skin and (raw) leather. In the latter sense it appears in Hos. xi 4 and certainly in Ct. iii 10; Solomon's litter is not inlaid with love, but with leather, as a matter of course, which makes the emendation tQ3n; unnecessary. Two more Semitic roots combine the concept of carnal knowledge with skin. Heb. irn corresponds arab. bashar, although in Heb. it stands for flesh while in arab. it is used for skin.