77. SAME PERSON, DIFFERENT NAMES

PHARAOH, for the kings of the Egyptians, such as Pharaoh Hophra (Jer. xliv. 30); Pharaoh Necho (2 Kings xxiii. 29, 33, 34, 35. Jer. xlvi. 2).

We may learn a solemn lesson from the history of the calamitous and fatal matrimonial alliance of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat with Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel.¹

We find, after this, the same names being given to members of both families, showing how close this alliance became, and how the evil leaven worked and permeated the whole mass.

Not only was the house of Jehovah broken up and the vessels thereof taken to the house of Baal, but the two families became alike in their life and their religion.

Care has to be taken by the Bible student in the midst of the confusion created for him by this unholy alliance: and the difficulties caused by it have to be noted and unravelled.

2. The same person has different names,² or more than one:

ARIEL (1 Sam. ix. 1) is NER of 1 Chron. ix. 39.

ISHUI (1 Sam. xiv. 49) is ABINADAB of ch. xxxi. 2.

ABIMELECH of Ps. xxxiv. (Title) is ACHISH of 1 Sam. xxi. 11. (See above.)

LEVI (Luke v. 27) is the same as MATTHEW.

THOMAS and DIDYMUS are the Hebrew and Greek words respectively for twins.

SILVANUS (2 Cor. i. 19. 1 Thess. i. 1. 1 Pet. v. 12) is the same as SILAS (Acts xv. 22, 27, 34, 40; xvi. 19, 25).

TIMOTHEUS (Acts xvi. 1, etc.) is TIMOTHY.

CEPHAS (John i. 42. 1 Cor. i. 12; iii. 22; ix. 5; xv. 5. Gal. ii. 9) is the Aramaic for the Greek PETER. His Hebrew name was SIMEON or SIMON. Hence he was sometimes called SIMON PETER. But there were several who are known by the name of SIMON. (See above, page 367). ¹ See the separate pamphlet on Jehoshaphat: a Lesson for our Times, by the same author and publisher.

² Sometimes this is only apparent, as in the case of JESUS, which is the Greek form of JOSHUA (Acts vii. 45. Heb. iv. 8). CHRIST is the Greek for the Hebrew MESSIAH. REMPHAN (Acts vii. 43) is the Greek for CHUN (Amos v. 26). So in the same way ALLELUIA (Rev. xix. 1, 3, 4, 6) is the Greek form of the Hebrew HALLELUJAH. A A

ESAU'S WIVES. -Perhaps one of the most intricate of these problems is that of Esau's wives. As infidels and "higher" critics (which too often mean very much the same thing) have sometimes referred to this as showing the human element in an untrustworthy record, it may be well to say a few words about it. In Gen. xxxvi. 1-3 we have "the generations of Esau." This, therefore, is the correct and standard genealogy which must be our foundation.

Here Esau's wives are stated to be three in number; and their names are thus definitely stated:

(1) ADAH. (2) AHOLIBAMAH. (3) BASHEMATH.

(1) As to the first, ADAH, she was the daughter of Elon the Hittite. In Gen. xxvi. 34 she has a second name, BASHEMATH, which happened to be the same as that of the first name of the third wife, and therefore is dropped here.

(2) As to the second, AHOLIBAMAH, she was the daughter of Anah the Hivite (Gen. xxxvi. 3, 14, 25). In Gen. xxvi. 34 she is called JUDITH, and her father is called BEERI the Hittite. Doubtless ANAH got this name later on, from a fact that is mentioned in ch. xxxvi. 24 concerning ANAH. "This is that ANAH who found the hot springs" in the wilderness as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father." This was the origin of his other name BEERI or the spring-man, or the man that discovered the hot springs.

(3) As to the third, BASHEMATH, she was the daughter of Ishmael and had a second name MAHALATH (ch. xxviii. 9).

1 In Gen. xxvi. 34 he is called "Hittite." Hittite is the general name, which includes the Hivite, which is particular. Ch. xxvi. 34 is history, but ch. xxxvi. 2 is genealogy, and is therefore more precise (see Josh. i. 4. 1 Kings x. 20. 2 Kings vii. 6). In Gen. xxviii. 8 these Hittite wives are called "daughters of Canaan," i.e., the general name. 2 The Hebrew is מַצָּא (mātzā), to happen on, meet with, find, discover (not to invent or find out).

3 Hebrew, הַיָּמִים (hayyēmim), hot springs. (The Vulgate has aqua calidæ. Probably the Calirrhoe in the Wady Zerka Maeim, or Wady el Asha, S.E. of the Dead Sea.) Hence Anah was called Beeri, which would mean the spring-man. It certainly cannot mean mules, as the word for mules is פְּרָדִים (perādim). (See 2 Sam. xiii. 29: xviii. 9. 1 Kings x. 25. 2 Kings v. 17. Pa.xxxii. 9). NAMES OF PERSONS: ESAU'S WIVES

There is no difficulty, therefore, if we accurately note these different names; and remember that a forger would be perfectly sure to have made all clear, and have left no such matters in doubt; also that women, as a rule, received a second or additional name on their marriage. 3. Changes in Names.—In some cases different names came from a definite change, as ABRAHAM for ABRAM (Gen. xvii. 5). BOANERGES for JOHN and JAMES, PETER for SIMON (Mark iii. 16, 17). PAUL for SAUL (Acts xiii. 9). DANIEL and his three companions (Dan. i. 7). JOSEPH (Gen. xli. 45). 4. The Divine Names and Titles.—These also need careful discrimination if we would explain difficulties, and see new beauties in the words of God.

There is no need to say anything on the subject here, as the whole subject is referred to above (p. 312); and is fully dealt with in our separate pamphlet on this subject.

(b) Of places.

(1) The same name was given to different places.

CAESAREA

(1) Was given to DAN, before called LAISH (see below), and

(2) Was called CAESAREA PHILIPPI (Matt. xvi. 13. Mark viii. 27) to distinguish it from CAESAREA of Palestine, which was on the coast (Acts xviii. 22; x. 1, 24; xii. 19; xxi. 8; xxv. 6, 13).

ANTIOCH was the name of

(1) A city in Syria (Acts xi. 20-26); and

(2) A city of Pisidia (Acts xiii. 14).

DAN was the name of a city or country in the north of Palestine (Gen. xiv. 14. Deut. xxxiv. 1), long before the tribe of Dan changed the name of quite another place (before called Laish) to the name of their ancestor, Dan (Judges xviii. 29). 1 Because beautified by Philip the Tetrarch, now known as BANIAS.

A A 2

BETHSAIDA:

(1) The city of Andrew and Peter on the N.E. shore of Galilee (John i. 44), called πόνις (polis), a city.

(2) On the W. shore (called κώμη (kōme), a village, Mark viii. 22, 23).

(3) Of Gaulonitis, Luke ix. 10 (afterwards called Julias).

BEEROTH:

(1) In Benjamin, Josh. ix. 1--18. 2 Sam. iv. 2.

(2) Of the children of Jaakan. Deut. x. 6 (Num. xxxiii. 31, 32, called Bene-jaakan).

RAMAH:

(1) A city of Benjamin (Judg. iv. 5; xix. 13. 1 Sam. xxii. 6. Jer. xxxi. 15. Matt. ii. 18).

(2) In Asher (Josh. xix. 29).

(3) In Naphtali (Josh. xix. 36).

(4) In Gilead (2 Kings viii. 29. 2 Chron. xxii. 6).

(5) The birth-place of Samuel (1 Sam. i. 19; ii. 11, etc.).

Sometimes these names were so indeterminate that it was necessary to couple with them some explanatory word:—

KIRJATH. From Kir, a wall or walled. Hence we have:

(1) Kirjath Arba (Gen. xxiii. 2; xxxv. 27. Josh. xiv. 15; xv. 13, 54; xx. 7; xxi. 11. Neh. xi. 25).

(2) Kirjath Baal (Josh. xv. 60; xviii. 14).

(3) Kirjath Huzoth (Num. xxii. 39).

(4) Kirjath Jearim (Ezra ii. 25. Josh. ix. 17).

(5) Kirjath Sepher (Josh. xv. 15, 10. Judg. i. 11, 12).

(6) Kirjath Sannah (Josh. xv. 49).

ARAM (meaning high, but translated "Syria"). From this we have:

(1) Aram of Damascus (2 Sam. viii. 5, 6).

(2) Aram-beth-Rchob (2 Sam. x. 6).

(3) Aram-Zobah (2 Sam. x. 6).

(4) Aram-Naharaim (i.e., Aram of the two rivers, translated "Mesopotamia"), (Gen. xxiv. 10. Compare ch. xxvii. 43).

So that if we note accurately the use of these various names we shall not, like many, jump to the conclusion that there must be a "discrepancy."

The same phenomena are seen in all countries.¹

(2) The same place has different names.

JEGAR-SAHADUTHA was the Aramaic name, but the Hebrew name was GALEED (both having the same meaning) (Gen. xxxi. 47).

LUZ was afterwards called BETHEL (Gen. xxviii. 19).

HERMON was known as SIRION by the Sidonians, and as SHENIR by the Amorites (Deut. iii. 9), also by the name of SION (ch. iv. 48).

EGYPT was known as HAM (Pss. lxxviii. 51; cv. 23), and as RAHAB (Pss. lxxxvii. 4; lxxxix. 10. Isa. li. 9).

JERUSALEM is called ARIEL (The lion of God, Isa. xxix. 1), as it had been called JEBUS by the Jebusites (Judg. xix. 10).

BABYLON is called SHESHAK (Jer. xxv. 26).

CÆSAREA in Galilee was called LAISH at first, and was afterwards known as DAN (Judg. xviii. 29. 1 Kings xii. 29). This has to be distinguished from another CÆSAREA, which was on the coast (Acts xviii. 22, see above).

THE LAKE OF GENNESARETH was known also as the SEA OF TIBERIAS, and as the SEA OF GALILEE (John vi. 1, 23). Also as CHINNERETH.

CHARRAN of Acts vii. 2 is the HARAN of Gen. xi.

ARAM is the same as MESOPOTAMIA and SYRIA (Num. xxiii. 7).

MIZRAIM is EGYPT.

LAISH was afterwards called DAN (Judg. xviii. 29).

SINAI is known also as HOREB.