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Meaning and etymology of the name Harosheth-hagoyim




Harosheth-hagoyim Harosheth


Harosheth-hagoyim is the home of general Sisera, who was killed by Jael during the war of Naphtali and Zebulun against Jabin, king of Hazor in Canaan (Judges 4:2). The lead players of this war are the general Barak and the judge Deborah.

The name Harosheth-hagoyim obviously consists of two parts. The first part is derived from the root harash , which HAW Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament treats as four separate roots (harash I, II, III, & IV).

The verb harash (harash I) means to engrave or plough. HAW Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament reads, "The basic idea is cutting into some material, e.g. engraving metal or plowing soil." Derivatives of this verb are:
harash (harash), meaning engraver;
haroshet (haroshet) a noun meaning a carving. This word is equal to the first part of the name Harosheth-hagoyim;
harish (harish), meaning plowing or plowing time;
harash (maharesha) meaning ploughshare;
harishi (harishi), a word which is only used in Jona 4:8 to indicate a certain characteristic of the sun - vehement (King James) or scorching (NIV).

The verb harash (harash II) most commonly denotes refraining from speech or response, either because one is deaf or mute, or because one doesn't want to respond. None of the sources indicates a relation with the previous root, and perhaps there is none, but on the other hand, perhaps deafness was regarded in Biblical as either being marked or else cut or cut off.

The noun harash (horesh) from root harash (hrsh III) occurs only in Isaiah 17:9 and has to do with a wood or forest. The noun harash (heresh) from root harash (hrsh IV) occurs only in Isaiah 3:3 and probably means magical art or expert enchanter, or something along those lines.

The second part of the name, hagoyim, comes from the definite article (ha plus the common word goy (goy) meaning nation, people, gentile. This word comes from the assumed root gwh (gwh), which is not translated but which seems to denote things that are surpassed or left behind. Other derivatives are: gaw (gaw a and gew), meaning back, as in "cast behind the back," i.e. put out of mind (1 Kings 14:9, Nehemiah 9:26, Isaiah 38:17); gewiya (gewiya), meaning body, either dead or alive (Genesis 47:18, Judges 14:8, Daniel 10:6).

The meaning of the name Harosheth-hagoyim can be found as any combination of the above. NOBS Study Bible Name List reads Carving Of The Nations, but equally valid would be Silence Of The Gentiles or Engraving Of What's Abandoned.
Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads Manufactory for Harosheth and "of the Gentiles" for Hagoyim.







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