[Lexicog] names as characteristic of a category

[John Roberts]

Thanks for this clarification, Hayim.

When you said:

"As specialist in biblical translations you must be aware on many 
biblical names
that made such categories:

Solomon - wise man
David - wise king
Jonathan - good friend
Ruth - true proselite
Esther - beautiful patriot
Elija - maker miracles"

I wasn't clear what the context was you had in mind that these names are 
idiomatic for the meanings you gave. You mentioned a Biblical context 
but none of these names (except one) are used idiomatically in the 
Bible, as far as I can tell. Wherever they are used they refer to the 
historical character, not to the idiomatic meaning you give. The names 
Jonathan and Esther do not occur in the NT. Only one of these names has 
a possible idiomatic usage in the NT and that is Elijah. After the 
disciples had seen Jesus with Moses and Elijah on the mountain (E.g. Mt 
17.1-13) they asked him "Why then do the (Jewish) teachers of the law 
say that Elijah must come first?" [The traditional eschatology of the 
teachers of the law, based on Mal 4.5-6, held that Elijah must appear 
before the coming of the (Jewish) Messiah. The disciples reasoned that 
if Jesus really was the Messiah, as the transfiguration proved him to 
be, why had not Elijah appeared? Things did not add up for them.] Jesus 
replied, "To be sure Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I 
tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognise him, but 
have done to him everything they wished. ..." The the disciples 
understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist. So here 
Jesus gives the name "Elijah" the idiomatic meaning of "the one who must 
precede the coming of the Messiah".

So, are you saying Jewish people today use these names with the 
idiomatic meanings you have given them? E.g. Do they say "he is a 
Solomon" meaning 'he is a wise man' or "he is an Elijah" meaning 'he is 
a worker of miracles'?

John Roberts


-- 
********************
John R Roberts
SIL International Linguistics Consultant
dr_john_roberts at sil.org
********************



 
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