# Nimrod



## sunRAE

Hello to all!  

I just have a question regarding the word _Nimrod_, found in Genesis chapters 10 and 11, in connection with a mighty hunter in opposition to God, the first human ruler after the Flood (he appointed himself King of Babel).  All my life I believed that it was his actual name, but recently I read an explanation of this name (title really) that it isn't his real name at all, and that his real name is unknown, and he is only known by this title, which was given to him, _Nimrod_.  It went on to say that it is from Hebrew _ma`radh _meaning "we will revolt".  *Is this what it really means in Hebrew?*  Since I don't know Hebrew at all I was curious to see if any one who does has heard this.  It was very interesting.  Any input is greatly appreciated!


----------



## solysombra

sunRAE said:


> Hello to all!
> 
> I just have a question regarding the word _Nimrod_, found in Genesis chapters 10 and 11, in connection with a mighty hunter in opposition to God, the first human ruler after the Flood (he appointed himself King of Babel). All my life I believed that it was his actual name, but recently I read an explanation of this name (title really) that it isn't his real name at all, and that his real name is unknown, and he is only known by this title, which was given to him, _Nimrod_. It went on to say that it is from Hebrew _ma`radh _meaning "we will revolt". *Is this what it really means in Hebrew?* Since I don't know Hebrew at all I was curious to see if any one who does has heard this. It was very interesting. Any input is greatly appreciated!


 
Sí, Nimrod es exactamente eso: We will revolt.


----------



## amikama

solysombra said:


> Sí, Nimrod es exactamente eso: We will revolt.


Y _marad _= (él) se rebeló.


----------



## scriptum

sunRAE said:


> ma`radh [/i]meaning "we will revolt". *Is this what it really means in Hebrew?*


This etymology is pure fantasy, of course. We have no grounds for supposing that Nimrod's name means anything at all in Hebrew, since Hebrew was not Nimrod's language.


----------



## sunRAE

Hebrew wasn't Nimrod's language? How can you know that? If how we say it in English "Nimrod" came from maradh a Hebrew word, which was given to him by his contemporaries, as was the custom back then, how does that equate to him not speaking Hebrew? Also it is believed that Hebrew originated with Shem, Noah's son, and soon became the most widely used language there after, probably around the time Nimrod appeared on the scene. What makes you think, Scriptum, that Nimrod's language was not Hebrew?


----------



## scriptum

sunRAE said:


> Hebrew wasn't Nimrod's language? How can you know that?


Good morning.
It's a question of geography. Hebrew belongs to the Canaanite group of languages. Nimrod was a king of Mesopotamia.


----------



## sunRAE

hmmm...interesting...ok i guess that makes sense. Thank you.  So how did he end up with the Hebrew title maradh?  I guess it doesn't really matter, after all, I did get my question answered. (thank you by the way to all who could confirm this!  Además, no escribí nada en español, asi que me sorprendió mucho cuando recibí unas respuestas en español en el foro hebreo  pero comoquiera estoy muy agradecida!)


----------



## origumi

It's not that simple. There are many theories about Nimrod. Some identify him with Gilgamesh, other with  Marduk (somehow similar name), and the relation to Semitic (not necessarily Hebrew) root m-r-d is also taken seriously by certain scholars.



sunRAE said:


> It isn't his real name at all, and ... his real name is unknown


 
What do you mean by "real name"?


----------



## scriptum

Supposing that Nimrod was a real, not mythical person, he probably spoke Sumerian. This means that his name passed from Sumerian into Accadian, then into Aramaic, then into Hebrew. It is highly probable that, on its way, the name was distorted by each one of these languages. The question "how sounded Nimrod's real (= original) name" is very interesting. It probably will never be answered...


----------



## origumi

scriptum said:


> Supposing that Nimrod was a real, not mythical person, he probably spoke Sumerian.


 
Why Sumerian and not Acadian / Babylonian (or another eastern-Semitic dialect)?

In בראשית י, דברי הימים א' א there's big balagan, for example Canaan is son of Ham, Nimrod is grandson of Ham, while Ashur is son of Shem. He should have lived in Semitic environment - Babel, Acad etc., from which Ashur emerged. According to מיכה ה it seems that the Land of Nimrod is near Ashur, which takes us to Babylon or another land in the vicinity in compliance with בראשית.


----------

