Verre et Bible 14, by Pasi K Pohjala Feb2013. Chapter Four. Words TB designating snakes and serpents, and floating boats and Noah’s TEBA ark; dragon boats. The current study of Old Testament snake religion now proceeds with noticing that also TB words notices snakes and serpents. Every Reader notices that this is really a big question of Bible reading- really usually the TB words are comprehended noticing quality good generally, and also moral goodness. We notice that in ancient Egyptian language the S))BT notices a spotted snake. For comparison, the NHS word usually comprehended in Hebrew Bible as noticing snakes, indeed is similar to the ancient Egyptian name NHTYT for the Victorious Cobra; this history is specifically important for NHS words considering the old Egyptian domination of regions of Palestine, and apparently reflected in old traditions and sayings in those regions. Reading Hebrew Bible, the NHS is actually considered be the usual word for “snake”. In Egyptian the S))BT noticing a spotted snake now is important for many meanings, remembering also that SBT in Hebrew Bible notices staffs and rods, and thus also snake staffs; also connection to festival of SHABBATH is very important. But now we consider the TB words in Hebrew Bible and notice, importantly, that often the TB words indeed present God unmistakably as snake or snake god, or in such discussion that this is quite clear! Every Reader of course well knows that often modern Old Testament translations present that God is good, referring thus to his providence or benevolent character or to his forgiveness. These statements in Old Testament are quite usual and certainly these characterisations are usual in Christian and Jewish understanding of divine Providence and forgiveness and mercy. Importantly, these statements in Old Testament often are formulated with TWB words where the TWB is rendered as designating providential nature and mercifulness of God. There are in the Hebrew Bible indeed many statements writing that God is TWB. Thus recognising that many of these statements in Hebrew Bible actually have described Snake God or Serpent God certainly may enrich enormously the Biblical reading of Readers and bring indescribable rejoicing for such important improved comprehending of Bible! We now study writings of TWB in Old Testament and find in these many statements where TWB is so used that it certainly describes God as Snake or Serpent. The Egyptian traditions thus notice S))BT as Spotted Snake. In ancient Greek traditions is the TYPHOON snake or serpent truly famous (in Aramaic and Hebrew readings often are S and T letters changed, so that from the ancient Egyptian S))BT Spotted Snake easily is formed tradition of TBT in developments of various stages of Aramaic, and towards its one dialect, Hebrew). And Arabic parlance very usually notices meanings that TUBAN is a snake or serpent (124) and TABIA notices to track and trail, and to follow (108). Everyone knows the important office of TABIB medical doctors; and since times ancient have snakes been associated with medicine men and healers, in Hellenistic times e.g. was the Asclepios almost always depicted with snake staff. Concerning history of old Greek pantheon it is in these remarks of history important to emphasise that name ASCLEPIOS also includes the S-B that quite parallels in Old Egyptian the S))BT word designating the Spotted Snake, and the name ASCLEPIOS is in this comparison found easily to be notoriously similar with Arabic TABIB in remembering the usual change of S and T letters in Semitic languages, so that Arabic TABIB also refers thereby to the S-B words. These are notoriously important historical notices concerning words for Snakes in ancient Eastern Mediterranean world of ancient Egyptian culture and also Aramaic language, and developments of Greek language. Traditions usual in Eastern Mediterranean, both Egyptian, Greek and Arabic traditions thus emphasise considerations of TB words as words designating snakes. These considerations hugely enrich and widen our comprehension of Biblical statements for rejoicing of all Readers! For Bible Reading, this is going to develop substantially Readers’ knowledge! Everyone remembers well that the Ark of Noah is TEBA in Hebrew Bible. Thus we recognise that the Ark of Noah was actually a DRAGON BOAT. In ancient history, Dragon Boats were well known but in Biblical history somehow forgotten. But recognising T-B words as also designating snakes and serpents, brings to rejoicing of Readers the comprehension that also NOAH BUILT A DRAGON BOAT. Greek Septuagint tradition renders that with KIBOOTOS that also writes the T-B letters; and in description of Gen 6:15 is also Greek TAPEES (carpet, rug) heard in PENTEKONTAPEKHEOON TO PLATOS, and TO HUPSOS AUTEES. Of course, in Biblical seafaring histories, the Ark of Noah is the most famous historical ship, so that recognising Noah’s Ark as DRAGON BOAT brings our Bible reading much in accordance with knowledge of seafaring and boats in cultures of those areas, where DRAGON BOATS were quite usual; thus we recognise that in writing of Noah’s DRAGON BOAT the Bible is much in accordance with usual details of seafaring in surrounding ancient cultures. Such comprehension is, of course, really good! Also in name of tribe Zabulun we hear reference to T-B word; and indeed, Genesis 49 mentions how Zabulun was inhabiting areas beside the sea, up to Tyre and Sidon. Importantly, in Synagogues the Ark of Torah Scrolls is the TEBA; and in front of this is the NIR OLAM eternally burning Lamp illuminating. This is quite much like incarnation of the ancient role of light-bringing serpent. And reading New Testament, we remember STEPHEN, important in early Christianity and described in New Testament Acts. Traditionally, St. STEPHEN is remembered in the day following Christmas day in Christian Churches; and parishes and religious groups may ascribe quite much importance for celebrating St. STEPHEN. And many more interesting questions for Bible reading are here to be discussed. We thus notice important connection of TB words in Hebrew Bible with seafaring and sailing in noticing some TPP words. Importantly, In Aramaic the TWP words usually notice “TO FLOAT, TO COME TO THE SURFACE, TO BUBBLE UP” (see Jastrow 525; and notoriously in Arabic the WATABA notices to jump, jump up, spring, arise (1228); Arabic DAF notices drums BUT also rudders and tillers (328) and rudders and tillers indeed are important in seafaring); and indeed in the Aramaic the Afel form ATP notices causative meanings “TO CAUSE TO FLOAT” and “to make flow”, also the Aramaic Pael forms can notice such causative meanings “TO CAUSE TO FLOAT”. And one interesting and also mystical feature of carpets and rugs are that usually they float on waters even if they are heavy themselves- and Greek word for carpets and rugs, TAPES (similarly Latin), quite resembles these TWP words. Thus we state now very important statement T IN HEBREW BIBLE AND IN ARAMAIC TEXTS THEREAFTER TB AND TWP WORDS OFTEN NOTICE DIVINE DRAGON WHO HAS POWER OF CAUSING FLOATING This is very important detail of culture and religion of those ancient naval trade empires. Very important for their life was maritime travel and trade, so that very central question for their prosperity and existence was to manage boats and ships so that they FLOATED on high seas. Short consideration of floating and rituals is here important. Inflated bladders float; but inflated bladders are also quite lightweight. Their use for support swimmers is depicted from very old times. People noticed that some logs and planks floated; and larger constructed raft also could float. The phenomenon of floating was of course seen stronger in rafts and floats supported with inflated bladders that travel across a river- even larger river like the Nile. But think of a boat, structurally totally different than raft- and also quite heavy. Ancient people must have deeply wondered if such structure as boat could at all be used in seafaring- it is often very heavy and people certainly wondered if such boat structure could be strong enough to sail even in smaller waves that are usual in coastal waters. We understand that bowl divination, even divination in larger ponds, could thus bring some encouraging to ancient people- themselves being safely standing on the ground and participating in the religious rituals, they could witness that such boat type structures indeed floated upon waters! And the bowl or larger container being shaken and stirred, they could observe that such boat type structures also could manage in such situations! One important ritual in bowl and pond divination clearly was observing how boat type structures were floating, indeed, floating! Thus ancients could become thus more courageous to do some travelling in such boat type structures. Maritime travelling in ships across high seas, even if in nearness to coastal line, is much more serious and dangerous undertaking: amidst roaring waves and often too suddenly starting fiery storms, some quite small and weak boat is struggling forward, FLOATING on the surface even if waves are high and boat some times half full of water. (And one important improvement of course was placing heavier ballast in the ship so that the ship or boat sailed much more stably even amidst some storms. We recognise that bowls and ponds also served as places of testing such structures and observing their behaviour in sailing; current shipbuilding does actually very much testing of different designs in ponds, before constructing the actual ships. Ancients could therefore use bowls and ponds, in some rituals of bowl divination). Indeed, FLOATING is truly a remarkable phenomenon- and for ancient naval trade empires this was the central phenomenon that they encountered- simply that their boats and ships could be afloat whilst travelling in the seas. Understandably, divine help was called for. The Aramaic TWP words notice “to float, to cause to float”, and TWB words notice dragon and snake deities, thus IN HEBREW BIBLE AND IN ARAMAIC TEXTS THEREAFTER TB AND TWP WORDS OFTEN NOTICE DIVINE DRAGON WHO HAS POWER OF CAUSING FLOATING We notice that the whole Biblical Prophesy of Book of Zephaniah has much relevance in this discussion. Usually in Biblical Hebrew is translated ZPH to make wide and broad, and to designate anything broad such as stones, planks, sheathing and plating (thus following Syriac and Arabic, see more in BDB 860)- and especially planks are famous for that they indeed are usually floating on surface of waters, individual planks and boats made of planks. (Readers should, however, recognise that boats made of planks were in ancient times in Mediterranean quite expensive, and in wider use were rafts made of reeds, especially well known in Egyptian culture). The current Author Pasi K. Pohjala has recently published translation and commentary to Book of NAHUM. Importantly was noticed also the Nahum 2:7-9 that also in currently usual Bible translations is recognised as clearly describing rivers, streams and waters “the floodgates are opened and the palace is deluged and HUZZAB is exiled and carried away… Nineveh has been like a pool of water fro earliest times” (Tanakh translation) The current Author Pasi K Pohjala has studied the Book of Nahum in much detail in my recent Verre et Bible commentary of 2011 (Pohjala 2011, p.29) “and thus in Hebrew text is further noticed in 2:7-8 writing WHHJKL NMWG WHZB GLTH Here is noticed something specially magical in the Temple Hekhal, thus noticed in the ZB that in THIS context now clearly noticed the Bz, important description of vessels and utensils, this noticed with GL making revelations. We see that also in Targumic translation is here noticed the counsellor THOTH and ZJBA BGLJA that probably in Targumic context (often writing of BZ) refers to some specially magical rituals of divinations by THOTH…The ZB and GL in context of THIS Book writing in Hebrew Bible much of BZ and GL now certainly refers to some mysterious operation or visioning.” Also, in Hebrew text MTPPWT contains TP and PT…”the TP refers to some style of waters, the PT or PTH refers to some magical operation in divination by waters, these specifying the notorious MTPPWT in Hebrew text of Nahum 2:8. Importantly in scholarly studies the TP words in Hebrew Bible actually are comprehended to denote some instruments especially used by prophets (see BDB 1074) even if currently scholarly agreed comprehension understands these TP instruments of prophets having been musical instruments (BDB 1074 “tambourine”, and the rare occurrences of TWP in Hebrew Bible are considered to notice “spit” or “spitting” in usual traditions, see BDB 1064). But in Aramaic texts the TWP notices to come to the surface, float, bubble up, to direct the overflow, to make flow (see J 525)” (in Pasi K. Pohjala: Verre et Bible SEVEN. New Translation of Bible. Book of NAHUM, Sacred Steersman of Solar Bark of AMON. Name Emanouel (Isaiah 7 and Matthew 1) declares ‘Amon is God’. First Edition. January 2011). Book of NAHUM thus apparently describes in this ZB statement FLOATING, thus also this TP statement, noticing Temple ritual concerning FLOATING devices. The detail that Targumic translation of Nahum specifically notices Egyptian deity THOTH and such ZB floating is actually quite understandable as THOTH often is depicted in the Solar Bark of AMUN RE, some times somewhat in charge of the Solar Bark. Now in the current study of Dragon religion of Old Testament more in detail consider such descriptions of ZB and TP in Hebrew Bible and clearly here now state that these describe FLOATING and religious rituals of FLOATING. Thus I now repeat the central statement in this discussion, the statement T that IN HEBREW BIBLE AND IN ARAMAIC TEXTS THEREAFTER TB AND TWP WORDS OFTEN NOTICE DIVINE DRAGON WHO HAS POWER OF CAUSING FLOATING We now study some mentions of the TBL that notices generally “world” (BDB 385; it is also worth noticing the Arabic sabil generally notices ways and roads); easily we here notice TB-EL especially in the usual vocalisation TEBEL, so that notice of divine EL and the TB are importantly said in this word TBL in Hebrew Bible. It is worth mentioning that currently Biblical scholars often describe ancient Biblical representation of world so, that the earth is founded upon pillars and thereby actually floating upon waters. In this comprehension of that ancient ideology the idea of FLOATING is, of course, very central, and usually that is explained with referring to the supporting pillars that keep the world afloat upon the primeval depths. The TEBEL word referring to world of course is much related to the TEBA Ark, especially Ark of Noah. (The TEBA denotes in Hebrew Bible also smaller FLOATING objects such as the container that carried child Moses upon the river Nile, thus in Exodus 2:3 TBT GMA words described that container). We notice in Isaiah 14:2 BL JQMW WJRSW ARZ WMLAW PNJ TBL YRJM WQMTJ YLJHM neum JHWH ZBAWT WHKRTJ LBBL…WSMTJH LMRS QPD WAGMJ MJM The current discussion now notices here the TBL written with many words noticing RISING, words QWM and YLH. The Readers are once more encouraged to look far beyond the currently widely known translations of this text and consider these Hebrew words with special attention. This text is translated currently quite negatively, TP words rendered noticing spitting, and many other such renderings try to abhor Readers from considering with attention these statements and look in Bible some far more supposedly interesting statements. But when we consider this Hebrew text we indeed find here TBL or TEB-EL with clear emphasis written with words describing rising, QWM and YLH- of course appropriately for meaning that TEB notices how this deity CAUSES FLOATING (good comparison of QWM, RWM and rising words and TEBEL is also written in Isaiah 33:8-10). Importantly is here god noticed with ZEBAOT where T-B also is heard. Indeed, usual translations here do notice the AGMJ MJM as pools of water, so that discussion of FLOATING in such context clearly is really appropriate! We consider more this BL JQMW WJRSW ARZ WMLAW PNJ TBL YRJM WQMTJ YLJHM neum JHWH ZBAWT WHKRTJ LBBL…WSMTJH LMRS QPD WAGMJ MJM Here are importantly written of RS words, noticing WJRSW ARZ and WSMTJH LMRS QPD. Here are importantly written of TEBEL, FLOATING, and also of these RS words MRS and WJRSW. These MRS and WJRSW clearly notice haven and arrival at haven, or anchoring. Psalm 24:1 is very important mention of TEBEL. “Of David. A Psalm. The earth (MLWAH TEBEL) is the Lord’s and all that it holds, the world and its inhabitants. For He founded it upon the ocean (YL JMJM JSDH), set it on the nether-streams (WYL NHRWT JKWNNH)” (Tanakh translation of Ps 24:1-2) This is clear description of the TEBEL that it UPON WATERS. Thus is this TEBEL here clearly something that is with some method floating upon waters, YL JMJM. In this Hebrew text the JSDH notices how God has set the world on the waters; as such this JSD does not imply idea of setting upon pillars or supports, neither does the JKWNNH suppose here idea of a world supported by pillars or some special edifice (and Arabic waqin rather describes jackets, covers and protective armours (1282) so that even boat or floating raft can be seen here, protecting upon rivers). In this statement we now read a beautiful description of TEBEL that is upon waters, floating. Idea of world founded upon foundations and thus existing upon waters is, however, more prominent in the Greek Septuagint translation where the establishing is described with words AUTOS EPI THALASSAN ETHEMELIOOSEN AUTEEN (that is, HE GEE) in LXX Ps 23:3 where the Greek word ETHEMELIOOSEN indeed is more specific and refers to culture and practises of building upon groundwork THEMELIAI. Readers of the Septuagint translation thus wondered how God so may have succeeded in establishing earth (HEE GEE) upon waters- and found then answer further in the Greek translation, ARATE PULAS OI ARKHONTES HUMOON KAI EPARTHEETE PULAI AIOONIOI thus written in LXX Psalm 23:7 and 9. Here the Greek translation indeed writes of AIROO raising and PULAI pillars and pillar structures of gateways, and this description for Greek readers is really quite clear: here is clearly encouraged that the rulers raise or build or erect pillar structures- and this statement was one quite clear Biblical answer to building the groundwork or supports THEMELIAI so indicated earlier in LXX Ps 23:3 AUTOS EPI THALASSAN ETHEMELIOOSEN AUTEEN. Now such description of building edifices raised in seas became in ancient times more well known in building structures of harbours, wharfs and piers. We remember that Romans built also many concrete structures in their harbours of Eastern Mediterranean, a considerable engineering achievement even modern technologies reckoned with. But considering the Hebrew Bible the imagery is DIFFERENT. Hebrew Bible describes how God JSDH the TEBEL upon waters; the translation traditions of JSD in Hebrew Bible are various and notice appointing, finding place or seat, sitting, founding or being founded. Also the JKWNNH notices quite different meanings; Arabic tradition emphasises the KAANA that is in parlance really usual in various meanings of existing and being quite generally and WAQIN generally noticing jackets and covers and protective armours. And the traditions of translating KWN in Hebrew Bible include numerous meanings, arranging, placing, making, and fixing and founding. Reading Hebrew Bible, we thus notice the question of the method HOW this Psalm 24 in Hebrew Bible describes the world existing. It is really important to listen to the words of Hebrew Bible when considering what we regard that the Hebrew Bible states here. Hebrew Bible writes of the TEBEL that is upon waters; and specifically in Hebrew Bible the important comparison are of course the TEBA words that notice ark of Noah, ships and floating containers. Comparison of TEBEL with TEBA is detail that appears centrally in the Hebrew Bible and Aramaic translations, BUT it does not appear in Greek Bible where is of HEE GEE written- and certainly the HEE GEE is really quite different than the Greek word KIBOOTOS that usually in Septuagint translates the Hebrew TEBA words. So Greek Readers did not see this connection; but for Hebrew and Aramaic readers considering TEBEL that exists upon waters straightforward and promptly brings to mind the famous Hebrew TEBA word for ships, Noah’s ark and floating containers. Greek translation and Hebrew Bible simply write here considering different actual practises and actual doings. We should emphasise to Readers that this kind of consideration of terminology and their cultural references in the own cultures of those translations is one very central undertaking for every more serious study of Bible and Old Translations; here this reading method importantly informs us concerning the miraculous floating that is in Hebrew Bible nicely described. Thus we much better understand Hebrew Bible of Psalm 24 and its Greek Septuagint translation the LXX Psalm 23. And thus we can more easily appreciate how Hebrew Bible here writes of world that is FLOATING upon waters, the TEBEL. We thus consider also mention of TEBEL in PSALM 93, according to New and Modernised