VERRE ET BIBLE 18. BIBLE GEOGRAPHY AND SAILING. MEDITERRANEAN ARABA SEA, INDIA SEA OF OPHIR, EPHRAIM. JERUSALEM, ZION. BY PASI K. POHJALA
VERRE ET BIBLE EIGHTEEN. BIBLE GEOGRAPHY AND SAILING. MEDITERRANEAN ARABA SEA, INDIA SEA OF OPHIR, EPHRAIM. JERUSALEM, ZION.
by Pasi K Pohjala. August 26, 2013.
The Verre et Bible publishing series has been great success and the writer Pasi K Pohjala here wishes to thank all interested Readers for often greatly interested and appreciating reception of these important Biblical studies. The publishing project Verre et Bible is ongoing already eight years, and Really much has been during this time in the Verre et Bible project achieved!
In this Edition of Verre et Bible Eighteen is included in pages 24-50 copied publication of my recent Verre et Bible Twelve in its completeness that discusses Biblical navigating with magnets:
(A Study of Biblical Navigation in Seafaring and Land Travels: Their Use of Compass and Magnet SAAB and Seeing Lighthouses MENORA, MINARET Study of Old Testament Book of MALACHI, by Pasi K. Pohjala).
The current Verre et Bible study now progresses discussion to very important topic in Old Testament: the descriptions of places, arranging of space and GEOGRAPHY in political realities, and names designating political realities, states, cities and important political units. Nowadays we can follow magnificent pictures by satellites and thus even ordinary internet followers clearly distinguish small geographical details; we see currently the continents, coastal lines, rivers, channels and lakes so enormously clearly. Various modern functions of webcam even produce live HD video streaming from some distant locations and are easily in modern internet communication transmitted to modern handsets of audience located in other part of world in real time! These are of course ENORMOUS technological developments of modern information technology! We modern readers first thus shall try to somehow imagine the comprehension of world available to times and cultures where Biblical texts were written and in their early audiences. Even road networks were not so developed so that travelling to the nearest towns took time and was difficult; and longer distance travelling indeed was even much more difficult. And boating along coastal lines was difficult and required much comprehension. Even among well travelled populace comprehension of world was quite limited. It is advisable thus to first remind of some details of Hellenistic cartography that knows much details, apparently mostly along more travelled areas and coastal lines, and notices many cities. But Biblical texts are ancient, and their early readership lived in world quite different than the arrangements after Alexander that much organised eastern Mediterranean realm and continued in different levels in Roman times. But Bible is ancient; and thus we aim to consider some developments in late Bronze age and early Iron age and in the times of Prophets. We thus consider important GEOGRAPHICAL contents and names ISRAEL, ZION, JERUSALEM, Gola (“exile”), and names for seas such as NUN, JAM, BAHAR and OLAM.
We thus shall see that:
ISRAEL is ancient designation of network of sea routes and transportation network, name of maritime confederation of important sea regions (landing areas, safe havens, and coastal cities). We shall also notice Arabic designation of Algeria Al-JAZAIR and that in Arabic the Arabian Peninsula is called JAZIRA AL-ARAB. The famous GOLA of Israel’s situation thus mostly describes that ISRAEL is scattered in numerous overseas places and regions, harbours and trade stations (rather than the GOLA describing hapless “exile”).
BERIT OLAM is “juridical” aspect of the reality of this confederation of important sea regions, the BERIT OLAM is in the juridical alliance agreement of these regions, so that together they constituted the maritime confederation ISRAEL. (The word OLAM in Old Testament often notices SEA, so also the similar Arabic word; so that BERIT OLAM is the juridical sea-alliance comprising large areas- and the usual understanding BERIT OLAM emphasises large time, talking of “eternal covenant”).
JERUSALEM is noun that designated numerous harbours, and safe havens (cf. Arabic MURSAHA). There were in ancient world understandably numerous such “Jerusalem” cities- still we well know ancient founded major harbour cities e.g. Marseille and Barcelona that remind of such ancient traditions.
ZION notices ancient often coastal elevated places, coastal mountains or generally coastal strongholds where were built ancient signal systems such as smoke and light signals that were for coastal navigating so specially important. In Biblical traditions are Jerusalem and Zion usually closely associated.
The MENORA designates ancient light-towers (some kind of early light-houses) (cf. MINARET)
Traditions of JONA’s seafaring continue in tales of famous singer ARION in later Hellenistic times.
The God is AHAD, God directs and guides voyages of travellers (HUDA notices directing in routes in Arabic language); cf. also the traditional great sea deity AHTI in folk mythology.
Special role in this culture is for NOAH, and NOAHITES.
We simply start with some considerations of name ISRAEL. The current writer knows actually quite much of theories of ancient interpreters who maintained that ISRAEL is etymologically derived from words of seeing and thus notices “he who sees God”; these suggested etymological derivations are numerous in Hellenistic times. The Arabic traditions importantly still currently know that JAZIRA generally notices islands and peninsula regions (and now one popular news channel has taken for some important reason this name too). In ancient seafaring such areas were important landing places and settlement places, centrally important for seafaring and overseas voyages. Importantly, still in our times the Algeria is in Arabic known as AL-JAZAIR where Israel name is apparent (notice that the –EL in Semitic parlance quite generally notices reference to deity or godhead). And the Arabian peninsula is called JAZIRA AL-ARAB in modern parlance. We thus recognise current realities and refer back to the ANCIENT FLOURISHING ARAB SEAFARING: ISRAEL. Indeed, in Arabic the verb JAZARA notices ebb of waters- thus relevantly considering appearance of land area from beneath the waves in coastal regions of islands and peninsula. Comparison with Arabic JASARA verb also is informative: the noun JISR notices bridges and embankments. Also dams and dikes are currently noticed as JISR. Thus are different bridges and floating structures such as pontoons noticed; and the JASARA in Arabic notices also acts of crossing and traversing, thus relevantly to activities of undertaking actual journeys on floating devices and boats. JAZIRA islands, and JISR, JASARA noticing bridges and methods and activities of traversing waters. Arabic speakers thus currently actually quite easily recognise fundamental connection of ISRAEL name with islands, peninsula regions and seafaring. In the Quran the Sura AL-JISRA greets especially descendants of those who were carried with Noah in the ship. Ancient Russian regions and floods were important transport and voyage routes, and in Russian language isles and islands are noticed with noun OSTRAV that apparently much resembles the Arabic JAZIRA noun for islands; and it is interesting peculiarity that in little archaic Finnish language noun for isles and islands is the SAARI that is in Finnish certainly not derived from Swedish (OO, or OLAND) and is slightly different from OSTRAV too. Seafaring is truly international. Since some time Readers have of course been used to consider Israel as denoting one geographically quite well defined area, approximately the northern part of land of Palestine, the northern monarchy or part of the United monarchy, and therefore such notices of meaning of word ISRAEL may at first sound surprising and astonishing; and Readers are thus invited to important ponderings and studies!
We consider some statement in the apocryphal Book of BARUCH that very interestingly specify interesting comprehension of ISRAEL, ZION and many of here discussed topics. The time of composition of Baruch is in time clearly after Alexander and thus terminology and comprehension of world somewhat resemble those established in the Hellenistic times and continuation in times of Roman hegemony of the Mediterranean realm. The current writer Pasi K Pohjala has been much studying details of this important book (and other Baruch literature) since times of early graduate studies in Biblical exegesis; now we indeed make some interesting notices how name ISRAEL is here presented. Thus we read in Baruch 3:20-24 (Septuagint):
ODON DE EPISTEMEES OUK EGNOOSAN OUDE SUNEEKAN TRIBOUS AUTEES OUDE ANTELABONTO AUTEES OI HUIOI AUTOON APO TEES ODOU AUTOON PORROO EGENESTHEESAN OUDE EEKOUSTHEE EN KHANAAN OUDE OOFTHEE EN THAIMAN OUTE HUIOI HAGAR OI EKZETOUNTES TEEN SUNESIN EPI TEES GEES OI EMPOROI MERRAN KAI THAIMAN OI MUTHOLOGOI KAI OI EKZEETEETAI TEES SUNESEOOS ODON TEES SOFIAS OUK EGNOOSAN OUDE EMNEESTHEESAN TAS TRIBOUS AUTEES OO ISRAEEL OOS MEGAS O OIKOS TOU THEOU KAI EPIMEEKEES O TOPOS TEES KTEESEOOS AUTOU MEGAS KAI OUK EKHEI TELEUTEEN HUPSEELOS KAI AMETREETOS
In this Greek text of Septuagint we thus notice how ISRAEL is mentioned in statement that ISRAEL OOS MEGAS O OIKOS TOU THEOU KAI EPIMEEKEES O TOPOS TEES KTEESEOOS AUTOU this notices Israel, large realm of habitation of God, very large realm of his own. This large realm is described in terms of ODOI roads and TRIBOI routes. (Regarding the usual Semitic change of S and T letters, ISRAEL word is related with ITRA word- that is importantly similar with Greek TRIBOI noticing roads and routes). Of these realms are specially mentioned Canaan and Theman, noticed are merchants of Merran and Theman; and notoriously is ethnic group of sons of HAGAR mentioned here positively, those who search with good comprehension (SUNESIS); this is apparent reference to Arabs. In the Book of Baruch the 2:12 refers to the fundamental episode that God lead Israel from Egypt- and this famous journey from Egypt especially included traversing certain Sea. Sea voyages are interestingly mentioned in 3:30
TIS DIEBEE PERAN TEES THALASSEES KAI EUREN AUTEEN KAI OISEI AUTEEN KHRUSIOU EKLEKTOU that interestingly notices sea voyage with the DIABAINOO that notices travelling across the sea (DIA-BAINOO) with method and knowledge because the Greek DIABEETEES notices ancient compasses. This saying of PERAN TEES THALASSEES interestingly notices sea THALASSA in Greek but also refers to ancient Arabic usage because BAHAR notices in Arabic the sea, resembling the PERAN here in Greek written. Interestingly, in Hellenistic times the region OPHIR was famous for their superabundance and prosperity, and Bible does record many sea connections with OPHIR, already from Solomonic enterprises, and this statement in Baruch apparently reflects usual Biblical Ophir traditions (In this study we later more consider the Ophir and Ephraim tribe).
progressing Verre et Bible 18. by Pasi K Pohjala August 11, 2013
We consider now writings in Jeremiah 31. The Jeremiah 31:10 states that
Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and tell it in the isles afar. Say:
He who scattered Israel will gather them; and will guard them as a shepherd his flock (Tanakh trl)
SMYW DBR-JHWH GWJM WHGJDW BAJJM MMRHQ WAMRW
MZRH JSRAL JQBZNW WSMRW KRYH YDRW
Here is described the ISRAEL and compared situation that ISRAEL IS SCATTERED MZRH with situation that ISRAEL is gathered. This message is to be proclaimed in the AJJM isles, in isles afar. Thus is noticed situation that ISRAEL is scattered MZRH in numerous distant isles (verb ZRH is discussed in BDB 279, this verb notices scattering). We soon also notice mention of AJJM in Isaiah 49:1 and compare in that context discussions of Israel in Chapter 48. Importantly, the reality of being MZRH scattered in distant isles is described in Hebrew with MZRH that much resembles the Arabic JAZIRA noun for isles. It is worth emphasising that this Jeremiah 31:10 thus emphatically compares name ISRAEL (JSRAL) with this MZRH that notices reality of being scattered. Here is importantly also noticed that ISRAEL is not only scattered in these distant isles, but ISRAEL shall be making travels to gather QBZ.
And here the Jeremiah 31:9 notices details of their travelling:
They shall come with weeping, and with compassion will I guide them, I will lead them to streams of water, by a level road where they will not stumble. For I am ever a Father to ISRAEL, Ephraim is my first-born (Tanakh translation)
Here is importantly written that AWLJKM AL NHLJ MJM BDRK JSR LA JKSLW in Hebrew writ. Here is thus described their travelling along (AL) waters, along water streams, streams in seas. Importantly, these are their DRK Derekh roads- thus are usual searoutes noticed with the DRK Derekh word. God is here noticed doing leading their travelling (HLK verb in Hifil AWLJKM). This Hebrew writ notoriously compares these DRK Derekh roads or searoutes here clearly with name ISRAEL, writing in this sentence NHLJ MJM BDRK JSR LA where is importantly the name ISRAEL (Hebrew consonants JSRAL) referred to in letters JSR LA. In realities here described: ISRAEL is scattered in distant isles; but ISRAEL is also name or term noticing established sea routes- and God himself directs travels along these sea routes.
progressing Verre et Bible 18 by Pasi K Pohjala Aug 12, 2013
Thus we consider comprehensions of the ZION proceeding reading of this Jeremiah 31. We find in this very important chapter interesting mention of ZION, the Jeremiah 31:21 writes that:
Erect markers (HZJBJ LK ZJNJM), set up signposts (SMJ LK TMRWRJM), keep in mind the highway, the road that you travelled. Return, Maiden Israel! Return to these towns of yours (Tanakh translation)