May 10th 1865. –
34 Chandos Street. – Bradford – Yorks –
Dear Sir, –
I beg to return my best thanks for your kind Letter of May 3rd, & your valuable present of “Assyrian Texts translated.”–<1> I have been deeply interested in the perusal of your work, & have found several explanations of names quite new to me, which will be quoted by me as illustrations of others, with due acknowledgment of course, when my Papers are re-printed. Perhaps, you will excuse me for again asking the favor of a little further information. –
(1.) Tsilli-Bel is given by Professor Rawlinson (Five Great Monarchies, Vol. II. p. 438) as the name of a king of Gaza. – Does it signify – shadow of Bel? If so, it corresponds with the Turkish & Persian royal title of Zil Ullah, shadow of God. It may also be compared with the Hebrew – Bezaleel, in the shadow (ie. under the protection) of God; Zilthai shadow of Jehovah, – compounded of Tsilláth from Tsel a shadow, & final God for Jah, a contraction of the divine name Jehovah. – I shall be very glad to be corrected, if you consider my inferences unsound, as I do not want to find analogies where none exist. – I am very anxious my re-print & additions should be accurate.
(2.) Ashurdanan (Assyrian Texts, p.9) May this name be rendered – “Asshur (is) powerful?”
(3.) Asshur-inadi-su (Five Great Mon. Vol. II. p. 464) Does this mean – “Asshur is his glory”?
(4.) Nebo-bel-sumi. (Ib. p. 491.) May this be rendered – “Nebo is the lord of name,” i.e., renown? He was a grandson of Merodach-baladan. –
(5) The Babylonian prince who succeeded Merodach-iddan-khi was called Merodach-shapik-ziri. (Ib. – p.332) What is the probable meaning? The second element appears to be the same as the Hebrew shapak, fudit, effudit (Assyrian Texts translated. p. 10) Is the third element zir, seed, – or a contraction of zahiri, enemies? (Ib. p. 163.)
Probably you are aware that Professor Rawlinson doubts the Hebrew explanation of the Chaldćan name Ismi-Dagon. But with all due respect to him as authority, I think the name Ismi-Bel, which is analogous, proves the identity of the first element with that in Ishmael; & in short, that the three names only differ in the name of the deity. There is no need to prove that the Philistines & Hebrews spoke the same language, as it is evident form all their recorded dealings with each other in war & peace. –
Permit me also to call your attention to a coincidence in the meaning to Kim-galli (Assyrian Texts, p. 68), The founder of an African colony was called Phut – which may have denoted an “archer”; – I may be further compared with the tribal names “the Nine Bows IX PETU or IX NA-PETU. (Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. II. p. 868) And the name “of Nubia TO-PET, ‘the region of the Bow,’” also called TO- MERU-PET, the region, ‘the island of the Bow,’ [illegible] (Ibid.p. 869.)
Lastly – I think your derivation of Abdilut (or as Rawlinson writes it Abdilihat) at p. 140 Assyrian Texts – is confirmed by such endings (fem.) as Himlicat,* &c., on the Carthaginian inscriptions discovered by Dr. Davis. –
I am Dear Sir, Yours very respectfully
Wm Greenwood Hird
[envelope:]
H. Fox Talbot Esq.
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts.
Notes:
1. Letter not located. WHFT, Assyrian Texts Translated, No. 1. 1. Bellino’s Cylinder. 2. The Cylinder of Esarhaddon. 3. A Portion of the Annals of Ashurakhabal. [Printed for Private Distribution.] (London: Printed by Harrison and Sons, 1856).
2. John Kenrick (1788–1877), classical scholar and historian.