TIP OF THE DAY 21: Name > Etymology (conclusion), Variants

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QUESTION: What etymological lexicons are in Logos/Verbum?

SOFTWARE: Etymological lexicons:

• Beekes, Robert. Etymological Dictionary of Greek, edited by Alexander Lubotsky. Vol. 1 & 2. Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series. Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2010.
• Boyce, Edward Jacob. An Etymological Glossary of Nearly 2,500 English Words in Common Use Derived from the Greek. London: George Bell and Sons, 1878.
• Findlater, Andrew, ed. Chambers’s Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. London; Edinburgh: W. & R. Chambers, 1900.
• Curtius, Georg. Principles of Greek Etymology. Translated by Augustus S. Wilkins and Edwin B. England. Fifth Edition. Vol. 1. London: John Murray, 1886.
• Curtius, Georg. Principles of Greek Etymology. Translated by Augustus S. Wilkins and Edwin B. England. Fifth Edition. Vol. 2. London: John Murray, 1886.
• Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of English, edited by Baruch Sarel. Jerusalem: Carta Jerusalem; The University of Haifa, 1987.
• Vaan, Michiel de. Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the Other Italic Languages, edited by Alexander Lubotsky. Vol. 7. Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series. Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2008.

 

QUESTION: What is the difference between a dictionary, glossary, and lexicon?

SOFTWARE: From the All search in Logos/Verbum:

A dictionary, glossary, and lexicon are all reference works that deal with words and their meanings, but they have some distinct characteristics. A dictionary is primarily concerned with words as materials for speech, providing definitions, pronunciations, and usage examples[1]. It may also include some encyclopedic information about the things the words represent[2]. A lexicon, while technically synonymous with dictionary, is often used in a more restricted sense, typically referring to specialized dictionaries for languages like Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, or Arabic[3]. Lexicons may provide more detailed linguistic information, such as etymology, different forms of verbs, and meanings in various contexts, along with biblical passages where these forms occur[4]. A glossary, while not explicitly defined in the provided articles, is generally understood to be a list of terms in a specific domain with their definitions. The articles do not provide a clear distinction between a glossary and the other terms. It's worth noting that some sources, like the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains, have attempted to organize lexical items into semantic domains, providing a more comprehensive view of related words and their meanings[5].

 

TOPIC: Name.Name variants, related, and cognate

QUESTION: What are related names, variants, and cognates in reference to Biblical names?

ANSWER: We have already discussed name substitutes i.e. titular, descriptive, metaphorical, situational, pet, and nicknames. Here we add:

• Cognates are names that share a common linguistic origin across different languages. They often have similar meanings but different forms due to language evolution.
• Related names are those that have a connection in meaning, origin, or usage. Most often they share roots or affixes (i.e. non-grammatical morphemes). A common subgroup of related names are gender variants.
• Variants are names that differ in spelling, dialect, or time. Nicknames and diminutives are placed here in some schemes. For Biblical names, the transliterated names across the original language – Greek – Syriac – Latin Bibles are treated as variants.

 

QUESTION: How easily is comprehensive information available?

SOFTWARE: Method 1: I cannot coax a useful response from Logos/Verbum.

Method 2: Using a query in the form of “For the Biblical Hebrew personal name Joshua, list the name in the Tanakh, Septuagint, Peshitta, and Vulgate; list the name in Abrahamic religions including small ones, list its variants, cognates, and related names of use in Biblical studies” in Perplexity gives reasonable but not exhaustive results. Note that the related names are relevant to the next topic – name in translation.

Based on the search results and the query, here's a comprehensive list of the name Joshua in various texts, religions, and its variants, cognates, and related names:

Joshua in Ancient Texts

1. Tanakh (Hebrew Bible):

   - יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshua)

   - יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshua) - in later books[7]

2. Septuagint (Greek):

   - Ἰησοῦς (Iesous)

3. Peshitta (Aramaic):

   - ܝܫܘܥ (Isho)[9]

4. Vulgate (Latin):

   - Iosue[10]

Joshua in Abrahamic Religions

1. Judaism: Yehoshua or Yeshua[11]

2. Christianity: Joshua or Jesus[12]

3. Islam: Yusha or Isa[13]

4. Baha'i Faith: Joshua (recognized as a prophet)[14]

5. Samaritanism: Yehoshua

6. Rastafari: Joshua (as part of Abrahamic tradition)[15]

Variants

- יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshua) - full form in Biblical Hebrew[16]

- יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshua) - shortened form in post-exilic books[17]

- הוֹשֵׁעַ (Hoshea) - original name before Moses changed it[18]

- יהושע (unvocalized form of Yehoshua)[19]

- ישוע (unvocalized form of Yeshua)[20]

Cognates

- Ἰησοῦς (Iesous) - Greek form[21]

- Jesus - English form derived from Greek Iesous[22]

- Josue - French, Spanish, and Portuguese form[23]

- Iosue - Biblical Latin spelling[24]

- Jozua - Dutch form[25]

- Giosuè - Italian form[26]

Related Names

- Josh - English short form[27]

- Jesse - variant form[28]

- Josué - accented form in Catalan[29]

- Josu - Basque diminutive form[30]

- Isa - Persian, Albanian, and Arabic form[31]

- Yasu - Arabic form[32]

- Heshel - Yiddish form[33]

- Iokua - Hawaiian form[34]

- İsa - Turkish form[35]

- Jose - variant form[36]

- Jossue - variant form[37]

Additional Information for Biblical Studies

- Meaning: "Yahweh is salvation" or "God is salvation"[38]

- Usage in Biblical texts: Yehoshua appears 218 times in the Hebrew Bible[39]

- Yeshua appears in post-Exilic books (Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles)[40]

- Historical development: Yeshua became a known form of Yehoshua during the Second Temple period (538 BC-70 AD)[41]

- Both forms (Yehoshua and Yeshua) continued to be used, with Yehoshua seeing revived usage from the Hasmonean period onwards[42]

- In Greek texts, Joshua is referred to as Ἰησοῦς τοῦ Ναυή (Iesous tou Naue) to distinguish from Jesus Christ[43]

This comprehensive list covers the various forms of Joshua across different texts, religions, and languages, providing valuable information for Biblical studies and comparative religious research.

 

QUESTION: What is the effect on modern Christians to know Jesus from the Greek and Joshua from the Hebrew, thereby losing the fact they shared a name?

ANSWER: from Perplexity to start a conversation:

Based on the search results and the query, here are some key points about the effect of knowing Jesus from Greek and Joshua from Hebrew:

1. Loss of linguistic connection:

- Many modern Christians may not realize that Jesus and Joshua shared the same name in Hebrew (Yehoshua/Yeshua)[44].

- This can obscure the meaningful connection between Jesus' name and its meaning "Yahweh is salvation" or "the Lord saves"[45].

2. Missed theological significance:

- The Hebrew name Yeshua embodies the meaning of "the Lord is salvation," which directly relates to Jesus' mission[46].

- Matthew's Gospel explicitly connects Jesus' name to salvation (Matt 1:21), a connection that may be less apparent in the Greek/English forms[47].

3. Cultural context:

- Using the Greek-derived "Jesus" instead of the Hebrew "Yeshua" can distance Jesus from his Jewish cultural and linguistic background[48].

- This may make it harder for some to appreciate Jesus' Jewish identity and context.

4. Disambiguation challenges:

- In Greek texts, Joshua is referred to as "Jesus son of Nun" to distinguish him from Jesus Christ, showing awareness of the shared name[49].

- Modern readers may miss this connection entirely.

5. Theological implications:

- Some argue that using "Yeshua" instead of "Jesus" is more accurate or spiritually significant, though this is debated[50].

- Others contend that the Apostles' use of the Greek form in the New Testament justifies continued use of "Jesus"[51].

6. Historical perspective:

- Understanding the name's evolution (Yehoshua > Yeshua > Iesous > Jesus) can provide insight into linguistic and cultural changes over time[52].

7. Interfaith dialogue:

- Awareness of the Hebrew name can facilitate better understanding in Jewish-Christian dialogues[53].

In summary, the separation of Jesus and Joshua in modern Christian understanding can lead to a loss of linguistic, cultural, and theological connections that were more apparent in the original Hebrew context. However, this effect varies among individuals and denominations, with some Christians actively exploring these connections.[54]

 

QUESTION: How do I find the names related to a name?

SOFTWARE: Note that the first method is identical to the first method for a name’s meaning and etymology.

Method 1 Internet Hebrew scripture names only: My favorite source for the related name of Hebrew names is Abarim Publications on the internet:

1. Click on Why you want to study the Bible, and transcend religion (abarim-publications.com) (or enter the URL www.abarim-publications.com into your browser),
2. On the upper left of the page, click on browse names and categories.
3. Select the appropriate category e.g. male names, female names, peoples, divine names, other gods …)
4. Select from the alphabetic list the desired entry.  For example, the entry for Joshua is”

The name Joshua

Summary

Meaning

Yah Saves, Yah Will Save, Yah Is Salvation

Etymology

From (1) יה (yah), the name of the Lord, and (2) the verb ישע (yasha'), to save.

Related names

• Via יה (yah): See the 'browse by form' menu for a long list of yah-names.

• Via ישע (yasha'): Abishua, Bar-Jesus, Bath-shua, Chemosh, Elisha, Elishah, Elishua, Hosanna, Hosea, Hoshaiah, Isaiah, Ishi, Jason, Jeshua, Jesus, Malchi-shua, Mesha, Shuah

The name Joshua in the Bible

There are four different individuals named Joshua in the Bible (not counting those with the name Jesus). Most famous is the judge Joshua the Ephraimite, the successor of Moses and the one who leads Israel into the Promised Land. The original name of this Joshua is Hosea (הושע) but Moses names him Joshua (Numbers 13:16). His name is spelled יהושוע in Deuteronomy 3:21 and Judges 2:7 only.

Other Joshua's are:

• The owner of a field in Beth-shemesh, where the Ark returns to Israel (1 Samuel 6:14);
• A governor of Jerusalem (2 Kings 23:8).
• A famous, post-exilic high priest (Haggai 1:1).

Joshua is also the original Hebrew form of the Greek name Jesus. A shortened form of Joshua is the name Jeshua (ישוע).

Etymology of the name Joshua

The name Joshua is a compilation of two elements, the first one being the appellative יה (Yah) = יהו (Yahu) = יו (Yu), which in turn are abbreviated forms of the Tetragrammaton; the name of the Lord: YHWH.

The second element of the name Joshua/Jesus comes from the verb ישע (yasha'), meaning to save or deliver:

Excerpted from: Abarim Publications' Biblical Dictionary

שוע  ישע

The verb ישע (yasha') means to be unrestricted and thus to be free and thus to be saved (from restriction, from oppression and thus from ultimate demise). A doer of this verb is a savior. Nouns ישועה (yeshua), ישע (yesha') and תשועה (teshua) mean salvation. Adjective שוע (shoa') means (financially) independent, freed in an economic sense.

Verb שוע (shawa') means to cry out (for salvation). Nouns שוע (shua'), שוע (shoa') and שועה (shawa) mean a cry (for salvation).

The noun תשע (tesha'), nine, looks like תושע (tohasha'), he or it will cause to save: the third person masculine singular Hiphil of the verb ישע (yasha'), to save. See our article on the Greek word for nine, εννεα (ennea).

Joshua meaning

BDB Theological Dictionary lists יהושע under יהוה and reads Yah Is Salvation. NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads Yahweh Is Salvation.

The name Joshua is the precise reversal of the name Isaiah (ישעיה).

1. In actual practice, I have a shortcut to this site in the shortcuts section of the Application Toolbar.

1. SOFTWARE: I was unable to get useful results from an all Search.

Method 2: Search

While  a search combining the root of a name with a semantic domain of personal name could raise potential related names by root, a similar search based on other non-grammatical morphemes is more problematic. A search that produces some interesting results:

1. Open a search panel.
2. Set search type to all.
3. Set search argument to "related names" NEAR Joshua. Change Joshua to the appropriate name.
4. Screen the results for useful information.

Method 3: Perplexity comprehensive search

Using a query in the form of “For the Biblical Hebrew personal name Joshua, list the name in the Tanakh, Septuagint, Peshitta, and Vulgate; list the name in Abrahamic religions including small ones, list its variants, cognates, and related names of use in Biblical studies” in Perplexity gives reasonable but not exhaustive results. Note that the related names are relevant to the next topic – name in translation.

For the results see above.

 

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[1] H. W. Fowler, “Dictionary, Encyclopaedia, Lexicon,” in A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (Oxford; London: The Clarendon Press; Humphrey Milford, 1926), 112.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Mark Futato, Daily Dose of Hebrew with Mark Futato: Transcripts (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2021), Jon 4:11.

[5] Simon Wong, “Leftovers of Louw-Nida’s Lexicon. Some Considerations Towards «A Greek-Chinese Lexicon»,” Filología Neotestamentaria (Noviembre 1994) VII, no. 14 (1994): 149.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Joshua

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeshua

Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] https://www.momjunction.com/baby-names/josue/

[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeshua

[12] https://www.abrahamicstudyhall.org/2015/09/25/abrahamic-religions/

[13] https://www.momjunction.com/baby-names/josue/  and https://www.abrahamicstudyhall.org/2015/09/25/abrahamic-religions/

[14] https://www.abrahamicstudyhall.org/2015/09/25/abrahamic-religions/

[15] Ibid.

[16] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeshua

[17] Ibid.

[18] ibid

[19] Ibid.

[20] Ibid.

[21] Ibid.

[22] Ibid.

[23] https://www.momjunction.com/baby-names/josue/

[24] Ibid.

[25] Ibid.

[26] Ibid.

[27] Ibid.

[28] Ibid.

[29] Ibid.

[30] Ibid.

[31] https://www.momjunction.com/baby-names/josue/  and https://www.abrahamicstudyhall.org/2015/09/25/abrahamic-religions/

[32] https://www.momjunction.com/baby-names/josue/

[33] Ibid.

[34] Ibid.

[35] Ibid.

[36] Ibid.

[37] Ibid.

[38] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeshua

[39] Ibid.

[40] Ibid.

[41] Ibid.

[42] Ibid.

[43] Ibid.

[44] https://jesuschristsavior.net/why-is-yeshua-called-jesus/ and https://ebible.com/questions/3525-if-his-name-was-yeshua-yehoshua-why-do-we-call-him-jesus

[45] https://jesuschristsavior.net/why-is-yeshua-called-jesus/ and https://www.crossway.org/articles/what-the-name-jesus-means-for-believers/

[46] https://jesuschristsavior.net/why-is-yeshua-called-jesus/

[47]  https://weekly.israelbiblecenter.com/jesus-hebrew-name-yeshua-yahshua

[48] https://www.thecrosspensacola.org/blog/2020/4/20/should-christians-say-yeshua-instead-of-jesus

[49] https://ebible.com/questions/3525-if-his-name-was-yeshua-yehoshua-why-do-we-call-him-jesus

[50] https://www.thecrosspensacola.org/blog/2020/4/20/should-christians-say-yeshua-instead-of-jesus

[51] Ibid,

[52] https://jesuschristsavior.net/why-is-yeshua-called-jesus/ and https://www.crossway.org/articles/what-the-name-jesus-means-for-believers/

[53] https://jewsforjesus.org/answers/an-introduction-to-the-names-yehoshua-joshua-yeshua-jesus-and-yeshu

[54] https://www.reddit.com/r/latin/comments/182zigr/why_is_joshuas_name_rendered_as_josue_rather_than/