The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

166 VII.vii.11–viii.9 Isidore of Seville
called from “proclamation,” because it is a rendering of
thanks.
11. Issachar means “he is a recompense”; is indeed
means “he is,” and sachar means “recompense.” This is
because Leah purchased for herself intercourse with her
husband, which was owed to Rachel, with the mandrakes
of her son Reuben. Whence when Issachar was born Leah
said (Genesis 30:18), “God hath given my recompense.”
12.Zebulun means “dwelling place,” for Leah gave birth
to him as her sixth son, and therefore now assured she
said (Genesis 30:20), “My husband shall dwell with me.”
Whence her son was called “habitation.” 13. Naphtali:
the principle in his name has to do with “conversion” or
“comparison” (comparatio), whence Rachel said, when
her maid Bilhah had given birth to him, “God hath made
me live in a dwelling with my sister.” 7
14. Dan means “judgment,” for when Bilhah gave
birth to him, her mistress Rachel said (Genesis 30:6),
“The Lord hath judged for me, and hearing my voice he
hath given me a son.” She expressed the principle in his
name in that, because the Lord had judged, she imposed
the name ‘judgment’ on the son of her maidservant.
15. Gad was named from “outcome” or “disposition,”
for when Zilpah had given birth to him, her mistress
Leah said (Genesis 30:11), “Happily,” that is, meaning
with regard to his disposition or to his outcome. 16.
Asher means “blessed,” for when Zilpah had given birth
to him, Leah said (Genesis 30:13), “Blessed am I, and
women bless me.” She called Asher ‘blessed’ in the etymology
of his name because she is called blessed.
17. Joseph:because his mother had wanted to add
another for herself, she called him “the addition.”
Pharoah called him Zaphanath, which in Hebrew signifies
“discoverer of hidden things,” because he laid bare
the obscure dreams and predicted the blight. 18. Still,
because this name was imposed on him by the Egyptian,
it ought to have a rationale in the Pharoah’s own tongue.
Therefore in EgyptianspeechZaphanath is interpreted
“savior of the world,” because he liberated the land from
imminent destruction by famine. 19. Benjamin means
“son of the right hand,” that is, “of valor,” for the right
hand is called iamin.Indeed his dying mother gave him
the name Benoni, that is, “son of my pain.” His father
changed this, naming him “son of the right hand.” 20.
Manasseh was so called because his father was unmindful
of his hardships, for this is the word for “unmindfulness”
in Hebrew. 21. Ephraim, because God added
him on, and the name is translated in our language as
“addition.”
viii. The prophets (De prophetis) 1. Those whom
the pagan world calls bards (vates) wecallprophets
(propheta), as if they were ‘pre-speakers’ (praefator),
because indeed they speak (fari, ppl. fatus) andmake
true predictions about the future. Those whom we call
prophets were called ‘seers’ (videns) intheOldTestament,
because they saw (videre) things that others did
not see, and would foresee things that were hidden in
mystery. 2. HenceitiswritteninSamuel(IKings9:9),
“Let us go to the seer (videns).” Hence Isaiah says (6:1),
“I saw (videre) the Lord sitting on a throne high and
elevated,” and Ezekiel (1:1), “The heavens were opened
and I saw (videre)thevisionsofGod.”
3. The etymologies of the names of certain prophets
should be remarked, for their names well display what
they foretold about future things by their deeds and
words. 4.Elijah means “the Lord God.” He was so called
as an omen of the future, for when he contended about
the sacrifice with the four hundred priests of Baal, as
the name of the Lord was invoked, fire descended from
heaven on the burnt offering (III Kings 18:39), “And
when all the people saw this, they fell on their faces
and said: The Lord he is God.” 5. For this reason he
received such a name beforehand, because afterwards
through him the people recognized the Lord God. The
same name means “strong Lord,” either because he killed
those same priests, or because he endured the enmity of
Ahab.
6.Elisha means “salvation (salus)oftheLord.” He too
got his name as an omen of the future, and accordingly
worked many miracles, and in driving away the famine
he saved (salvare)thepeople from death. 7.Nathan, “he
gave” or “of the giver.” Isaiah means “savior of the Lord,”
and deservedly, for more fully than others he heralded
the Savior of the whole world and his holy mysteries.
8. Jeremiah, “lofty of the Lord,” because of what was
said to him(Jeremiah 1:10), “I have set thee over the
nations, and over kingdoms.” 9. Ezekiel, “strength of
God.” Daniel, “judgment of God,” either because in his
judgment of the elders he delivered a judgment based on
divinely inspired consideration when he freed Susanna
7 The received text of Genesis 30:8,towhichIsidore alludes, reads,
“God hath compared (comparare) mewith my sister.”