Proto-Semitic Terms in Abraham 3

Proto-Semitic Terminology in Abraham Chapter 3

Research by Michael McCarron (m.j.h.mccarron@gmail.com), 9/9/2016

Proto-semitic language is the language that is believed to have formed a common base to such contemporary languages as Hebrew, Syriac, and Arabic. It is believed to have developed in Mesopotamia and the Levant around 3750BC1 and is grouped as a Afroasiatic language, one other major language group of interest to Semitic religions is that of proto-Indo-European language of which the term for sun is taken below.

The publication date of the Book of Abraham as revealed by Joseph Smith is 1836. It is important to understand the chronology of our understanding of proto-Semitic languages which dates to the mid-19th Century2, 15 years after the publication of the Book of Abraham. With limited understanding of the languages in this grouping at that time only to come to fruitful academic translation in the 1870’s and up to 1915. So there could not have been any for-knowledge of these technical terms by a poorly educated person such as Joseph Smith in terms of secular education.

Five terms for astronomical objects are encountered in Chapter 3 of the Book of Abraham, I look at these terms to try and suggest their ancient origins in the native languages of the time of Abraham (circa 1850BC). These terms are:

• 1. Kolob (Abr. 3:3) “Satellite” Akkadian ‘kalbum’3 meaning ‘dog’. Related to the dog star known as Sirius, the morning star, see Rev. 22:16 in relation to Jesus Christ, appears in the constellation Canis Major.

  2. Shinehah (Abr 3:13) “Sun” Etymology: developed from proto-Indo-European *s(u)wen- (ca. 3500BC)4 which later evolved into for example old German: sonne, old English: sunne. Related to Hebrew: ‘Shinah’- to sleep, transform, have visions.

  3. Kokob (Abr. 3:13) sing. “Star” singular of below #4. Hebrew ‘kokhav’ associated with a star in Ursa Minor, the little dipper5. See Job 38:32 ‘Arcturus (ursa major) and his sons (ursa minor)’.

  4. Kokaubeam (Abr. 3:13) pl. “Stars or planets” plural of ‘kokab’. Akkadian ‘kokkab’, pl. ‘kokkabum’6

  5. Olea (Abr 3:13) “Moon” from Akkadian ‘ilu’7 Hebrew ‘eli’ used in 1 Samuel 1:3 ‘a priest at Shiloh” as a proper name. Derived from proto-semitic moon god ‘il’, Assyrian ‘elu’. In Arabic ‘`ali’ meaning ‘lofty’

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Notes:

• 1. Kitchen, A; Ehret, C; Assefa, S; Mulligan, CJ. (2009)."Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of Semitic languages identifies an Early Bronze Age origin of Semitic in the Near East". Proc Biol Sci. 276 (1668): 2703–10. doi:10.1098/rspb.2009.0408.PMC 2839953

• 1. . PMID 19403539

  2. Kevin J. Cathcart (2011) “The Earliest Contributions to the Decipherment of Sumerian and Akkadian” Cuneiform Digital Library Journal 2011:1 © Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative ISSN 1540-8779 Version: 3 March 2011 http://cdli.ucla.edu/files/publications/cdlj2011_001.pdf In 1872 the “Epic of Gilgamesh’ was translated. Hittite was deciphered in 1915 by Bedrich Hrozny.

  3. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akkadian_language term ‘kalbum’

  4. See http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=sun

  5. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursa_Minor#/media/File:Ursa_Minor_IAU.svg

  6. See https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/kabkab-

  7. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_(deity)