Читать книгу The Book of Gratitudes - Pablo R. Andiñach - Страница 16

In the Old Testament, Aaron´s and Moses’ sister was called Miriam. The origin of this name is unknown, although it probably derives from an Egyptian word. When it was translated into Greek, it became Mary, and so it appears by mistake in many Bibles in Exodus 15:20 and other passages that mention her. Miriam was a woman of character, the first to be called a prophetess, and leader of the women who sang and danced after crossing the Red Sea. Perhaps it was because of her strength and bravery that only she was punished when she challenged Moses for his sexual misconduct (Numbers 12). She made the accusation together with her brother Aaron, but nothing is said about his punishment.

Joseph (yosef in Hebrew) means “he who adds” (yasaf is “to add” in Hebrew). Height, soft curves and sharp profile embodied the name Tamara, which is feminine and means palm tree. With Mark, which is a Latin name, we have two alternatives: it may derive from the word for hammer, in the sense of strength and power, but it also may come from Mars, the god who was the son of Jupiter and Juno, who was devoted to war and gave strength to the fighters. It is probable that both meanings are connected to this name. Andrew is a Greek word that means “male,” and was also related to bravery and virility.

There are names that sparkle: Sarah in Hebrew means “princess.” Leah probably means “wild cow,” which in that time was a compliment that all women wished to hear, and accepted with modesty. We are told that her eyes were tender and pleasant (Genesis 29:16), but her charm was not enough to seduce Jacob, who fell in love with her sister Rachel, for such is the way of the heart, a story that we will look into later on.

From the theophoric name Nathanael come our Nathan and Natalie. It means “gift of God” (natan in Hebrew is a word related to giving and the suffix el means “God”).

Joshua (yehoshua) means “the savior.” He succeeded Moses and led the people of Israel when they reached the Promised Land, a land of salvation and abundance for those who came from slavery and the desert. From the aridity of the desert they went to a land flowing with milk and honey, where the sickle and the plough could do their work. Many centuries later, a man called Joshua—we know him by the Greek form: Jesus—would also cross a border and invite others to cross it with him.