April 18th, 1865. –
34 Chandos Street. –
Bradford. –
Dear Sir,
I beg to tender my best thanks for your kind Letter of March 14th, – & forward for your acceptance, by this Post, the Numbers of the “Papers for the Schoolmaster” – alluded to in my previous Note. – I shall feel exceedingly obliged to you for any corrections or new illustrations, as I am anxious to make my next issue as complete & accurate as possible.
(1.) I presume you will have seen Professor Rawlinson’s Bampton Lectures for 1859, & also the 2 Vols. already published of his Five Great Monarchies. – In the former Chedor-laomer, is said to bear (p. 72) “in the inscriptions the unusual & significant title of ‘Apda-Martu, or ‘Ravager of the West’.” I wrote to the author some time afterwards & pointed out to him that Martu was probably the name of a deity, & referred to page 56 of the Translations of Tiglath-Pileser’s Inscription, where Sir H. C. Rawlinson & yourself render a phrase – “the temple of Martu,” & Dr Hincks, – “the house of Martu”. Professor Rawlinson in his reply (Sep 25th 1861) somewhat doubtfully observed – “I am not sure whether there is now thought to be any god of that name. – I rather think there is not.” But in the Second Vol. of his Five Great Monarchies, p. 262, he calls Martu “a minor male divinity” – & describes his functions. Will you therefore favor me with the probable meaning of the first element in Apda Martu?
2. The Assyrian Zir appears to correspond to the Hebrew Zara, seed; – & hence Sir H. C. Rawlinson renders Ma-zar-ilin, “who is of the seed of the gods” (Athenæum, p. 247, Aug 22, ’63). This may, perhaps, be compared with the Hebrew Jezreel, i.e. “seed of God,” or “whom God has sown.” And, Zir, also appears to be the middle element in Nebuzaradan, & the final in Merodach-shapik-ziri (Ib. p. 344). What is the meaning of the last name?
3. Nabonadius is rendered by Dr. Hincks (Journal of Sacred Literature, Jany. 1862. p. 319.) Nabï-hñ-na’hid, i.e: – “Nebo is glorious.” And hence, we suppose, we may safely render “Nahid-Merodach,” <”>glorious is Merodach,” – as the name is a similar compound with the name of the deity transposed. May Asshur-madi-su, be translated, Asshur is glorious? Or has the affix su a pronominal meaning?
4. Asshur-nadir, does this signify Asshur-given? And therefore synonymous with the Heb. Elnathan, – the Gr. Hermodorus, Diodorus, &cc?
5. Nebo-bel-sumi, Nebo-sum-iskun; Nebo-Sal-lim. What are the probable meanings of these last three names? – Does the word “Sumu” – “name” occur in two of them?
I am Dear Sir – Yours very respectfully
William Greenwood Hird
To H. Fox Talbot Esq
13 Great Stuart Street
Edinburgh. –
P.S. Over.
I have not a copy of a little work on Scripture Names – published about 13 years ago – by me at present, but will send you one shortly. –
W. G. H.
[enclosed: a set of printed notices/reviews of the ‘Etymological Dictionary of Scripture Names, accented and explained with copious illustrative Notes, &c.’ By W. G. Hird. The book was intended for Sunday-school teachers.]
[envelope:]
H. Fox Talbot Esq.
13 Great Stuart Street
Edinburgh.