The linguistic similarity, if not identity, between 'Ibri and the cuneiform (Akkadian) h_abiru was noted by many, and rejected by some; among the latter was the late great Semiticst Rainey. Among the former, however, is Meek, the translator of the Hamurabi laws into English in ANET, who of course also mentions the occurrence of the term in Ugaritic and Egyptian, where a P replaces its close relative B.
He derives its meaning from the Hebrew 'to cross' in its transitive sense, and 'to be a crosser...a nomad' in its intransitive sense. Ezov Haqqyr, Uri Hurwitz Great Neck, NY _______________________________________________ b-hebrew mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
