eTeacher HebrewOnline Hebrew SeminarsNames in the Biblical Text

Names in the Biblical Text

What's in a name? If you lived in ancient Israel, your answer to this question might be, "Everything." Why were names so important in biblical times? What kinds of personal and place names do we see in Israel and in the surrounding cultures, and what role do these names play in biblical writings? This seminar will explore how the Hebrew language, culture, and religion are reflected in names and in the giving of names. In addition to more general discussion, several specific biblical examples will be examined: the renaming of Jacob, the significance of the names used for God and Israel in prophetic literature, etc.
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Topics Covered

Topics Covered

Class One

Our first session will focus on general questions surrounding the issue of names and the giving of names. What was the significance of names in ancient Near Eastern culture? In what kinds of situations do we see people and places being named (or renamed), and what role do these namings play in biblical literature?
 

Class Two

As we continue our discussion of names in biblical literature, we will turn our attention to some specific names. What types of personal and place names do we see in Hebrew narrative? What figurative names are used for the nation of Israel in Hebrew poetry? What are the Hebrew names and titles of God, and what do they mean?
 

Class Three

Our study of biblical names will conclude with several case studies that demonstrate the significance of names for the biblical writers. We will examine passages both in prose (e.g. the renaming of Jacob in Genesis 32) and in poetry/prophecy (e.g. the names used for God and Israel in Jeremiah's "Book of Consolation").

 

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