Chapter V: Curiosities of Certain Proper Names in the Bible

Shakespeare, in one of his plays, asks “What's in a name?” That he himself believed that there was a good deal in a name is shown by his fondness for reading certain characteristics into the personality of the possessors of certain names. Thus, for example, in the dialogue between King Richard and Gaunt (cp. _Richard II_, Act 2), the former says:—

What comfort, man? How is it with aged Gaunt?
_Gaunt._ Oh, how that name befits my composition!
Old Gaunt indeed, and _gaunt_ in being old!

With this may be compared Falstaff's remark in _2 King Henry IV_, Act 3, Scene 2, where he says:—“I told you John a Gaunt he beat his own name; for you might have thrust him and all his apparel into an eel-skin.”

In Greek literature, too, several names occur which are even more striking, inasmuch as they foreshadow the future fate, and sometimes also the mental or physical disposition of their bearers^[43-1]. Similarly, certain Hebrew proper names are found in the Old Testament, which are attended with peculiar significance. So, for instance, in the name of the first man _Adam_ (אדם, from אדמה, “the earth”), the final destiny of man seems to have been predicted. At a subsequent period in Adam's life, this hidden allusion to his future fate is made even more clear by the words: “For _dust_ art thou, and unto _dust_ shalt thou return” (Gen. iii. 19).

Something similar is noticeable in connexion with the first woman, _Eve_. She was first called _Ish-shah_ (אשה, from איש) “because she was taken out of man,” but subsequently, after she had tasted of the “tree of knowledge,” her name was changed into חוה = “Eve” (from חיה, “living”), which is evidently a name showing that she was destined to become “the mother of all living.” In the name of one of her sons, _Abel_ (הבל, signifying “breath” or “nothingness”), a prophetic prediction of his brief life seems to have been expressed; and the names of the descendants of her second son _Cain_, viz. _Jabal_, _Jubal_, and _Tubal_ (יבל, יובל, תובל), indicated their respective occupations after reaching manhood.

At a later period in Biblical times, we meet with the names _Noah_ (נח, meaning “rest” or “comfort”), _Abram_ (אברם, “the exalted father”), and _Sarah_ (שרה, “the princess”), and it is interesting to notice how these names foretold the future fate of their owners. There are three more proper names in the Pentateuch, which belong to the same category, viz. _Korah_, _Balaam_, and _Balak_. _Kerah_ signifies in the original Hebrew “coldness,” exemplified by his apathy to divine ordinances, when he brought about a rebellion against the authority of Moses. It has also another meaning in Hebrew, viz. “baldness,” and it is curious to observe that it gave some ardent followers of the Church of Rome a ready handle with which to banter Calvin (Lat. _Calvus_, _Calvinus_ = “bald”) as being homonymous with his predecessor (קרח) in schism (cf. Smith's _Dictionary of the Bible_, sub _Korah_).

In the names of _Balaam_ and _Balak_, some of the old Jewish and Christian commentators on the Bible have detected a particular meaning. In _Balaam_ (בלע־עם) they saw a future “devourer,” or “destroyer of the people,” and in _Balak_ (בלק) a representation of “incompetence,” illustrating their subsequent conduct towards the Jewish people. Similarly, too, the name of _Achan_ or _Achar_ (עכר) (1 Chron. ii. 7), which latter word means “to cause trouble,” and _Machlon_ and _Chillion_ (מחלון, כליון) “the sick, the perishing,” seem to be foretokens of the subsequent fortunes of their owners.

Interesting, again, is the name _David_ (דוד), which means “the beloved one,” or “the friend,” and was given to the child that subsequently became the sweet singer in Israel. In connexion therewith a play on words may be mentioned here, which seems to have hitherto been overlooked by students of the Bible. When King Saul, who hated David after his victory over Goliath, missed his presence at the royal table, he asked his son Jonathan, “Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat?” (אל הלחם). Thereupon Jonathan ironically replied: “David has asked leave of me to go to _Beth-lehem_” (בית לחם). By this play on words Jonathan seems to have intended to tell his father that David had a home of his own where there was plenty of food (לחם), and he could therefore readily dispense with the hospitality of the royal palace.

This play on words is found elsewhere in the Bible, in connexion with proper names, viz. בתי אכזיב לאכזב, “The houses of _Achzib_ (from כזב) shall be a ‛lie’” (Mic. i. 14); and עקרון תעקר, “_Ekron_ (from עקר) shall be destroyed” (Zeph. ii. 4). It is noticeable that the idol which the inhabitants of the latter town used to worship was ignominiously called in the Bible “_Baal-Zebub_”—“The Lord of Flies.” It is said in 2 Kings i. 2, not without a slight touch of irony, that King _Ahazia_ had sent messengers to this impotent deity to inquire about the issue of his protracted illness.

There are four other proper names in the Bible which have seemingly foretold the future characteristics of their respective possessors. These are: _Solomon_ (שלמה), being a name which signifies “Peace” (from שלום); _Malachi_ (מלאכי), “My Messenger,” the future Jewish prophet; _Ezra_ (עזרא), “The Helper”; and _Nehemia_ (נחמיה), “God's Comforter.” The subsequent history of the two latter in leading back to Palestine the bulk of the Jewish exiles from the Babylonian captivity shows that their names were not ill-bestowed.

There are also a few female proper names in the Bible of similar interest. Besides the names of _Eve_ and _Sarah_, to which reference has already been made, there is the name _Miriam_ (מרים, from מרי, “rebellion”), which suggests her and her brother Aaron's revolt against Moses on the occasion of his marrying the Cushite woman. Jacob's only daughter was called _Dinah_ (דינה, from דין), signifying “judgment,” and that name seems to have foreshadowed punishment for her unprotected wanderings. _Deborah_ (דבורה), “The Bee,” made the enemies of her race feel her sting in the great battle that she fought against them. Another Biblical heroine, _Hannah_ (חנה, from חון, “to pray,” or חנן, “to be favoured”), afterwards received that favour which her name prognosticated. She longed and prayed for a son, whose life was to be wholly devoted to the service of God, and her prayer was favourably received. She subsequently became the mother of Samuel, who was the first of the regular and unbroken succession of prophets.

Footnotes:

[43-1] Cp. the ἑλέναυς, ἕλανδρος, ἑλέπολις of Aesch. _Agam._ 689, and the play on the word Πενθεύς in Eurip. _Bacch._ 508.