JUDA to KUMENONHI
INTRODUCTION:
This entry in the web site is No. 23 of the studies on Book of Mormon names. The half way mark in the list of names as given in the guide to names on pages 532 to 535 in the Book of Mormon has been passed and there are still many names to research. A great deal has been learned about the names, and many of them have been found in the languages that represent the geographic areas in which the Jaredites most likely were living and from where they departed as directed to for a distant land elsewhere, leaving behind languages that were altered by changing just a few letters. Looking forward we see that there will be no names that start with a Q, V, W, X or Y. It is surprising how many names can be traced back into the Jaredite language and times, and also how many are related to Egyptian and Hebrew. But after all, Lehi came from Jerusalem, the great Hebrew center and had contact with most of the other regions.
A MAP accompanies this entry. Nearly in the center is AKKAD, the seat of the AKKADIAN EMPIRE. Close by you find Babylon. The scale on this map is about a fourth of an inch to 50 miles. Just below Babylon is KISH. What we find in the Book of Mormon about KISH justifies us in concluding the Jaredites came from near there. In the lower right area is SUMMER, one of the acknowledged areas of early, post flood, developments, There is Uruk, competing for the oldest city of the region. There were towns, but Ereck and Uruk were cities with great temple complexes. The region of ELAM is just above SUMMER. The Jaredite record has many names related to ELAMITE. By trade or some other similar activity, the Jaredites had become familiar with such names. The Zagros Mountains were the location of the Gutens at about the time the Jaredites were still in there region, there are no Guten names in the Jaredite language, seriously suggesting they did not travel out of the region in that direction or have much if any contact with the mountain peoples. We have discussed KARCHEMISH in earlier entries, and again in this one. It is located southeast of EBLA. It is a quay on the Euphrates River. Crossed by Abraham coming out of the region nearly 2000 years BC., but several hundred years before the Jaredites had left. The Jaredites have Egyptian connections, the God HORUS being one. Egypt was resettled after the flood by descendants of Ham as the Book of Abraham tells us. The great city state EBLA was burned by the Akkadians 2250 BC, with their empire located at AKKAD. So the names found in the tablets from the great archives found at EBLA fit into the Jaredite narrative beautifully. Many of the early entries about names found on clay tablets, were based on discoveries made in the SUBARTU region, on the MAP marked under ASSYRIA. It is a rich area and has not been exhausted yet. Among the Jaredite names are names of HITTITE origin. They occupied early Turkey, KARCHEMISH was at one time their capital. This map will help in orientation in this and other entries.
JUDA-JUDEA:
JUDA does not appear in the Book of Mormon, but in Atlas' and dictionaries it is the alternate form of JUDAH in the King James Bible. Other forms include JUDAS and JODA. (Buttrick p. 1003)
In the KJV there is reference to the THE HILL COUNTRY OF JUDAH and also the MOUNTAIN OF JUDAH. The reference is to a district in Palestine which included the central ridge of hills south of the hill country of Ephraim between the Shephelah on the west and the wilderness of Judah on the east. The extent of the district is not defined in the OT. But in Josh. 20:7; 27:4, HEBRON on the south is included. In Josh. 15:48; Jer. 32:44; 33:13, the district is merely called 'the country,' probably the same country referred to in Luke 1:65 as the 'hill country of Judea.' In Matt. 3:1, where shepherds were watching over their sheep on a special night long go. The wilderness of Judea is identified only as the place where John the Baptist started his preaching, part of the district includes that portion of the Jordan Valley and northern part of the Dead Sea. (Buttrick p.1003) Essentially the area occupied by the JEWS along with members of the tribe of Benjamin.
JUDEA (JUDAEA)
JUDEA was a Nephite city, about which very little is known. Helaman took his 2000 stripling warriors on a march to the city of JUDEA to reinforce the Army of Antipas. The army had been reduced by much fighting over many listed cities, and Helaman had brought his small army in to the frey when the fighting was fierce for the city of Judea. (Alma 56:9-20) These chapters in Alma recount the wars and adventures of the 2000 stripling warriors and another 60 added to them, the loss of some of their commanders and the fate of many cities. (Alma 57:11) The miracle of the endurance and survival of the stripling warriors is that not one died, though all were wounded and what was outstanding was their great trust in God. Their presence changed the strategies of the Lamanites. Helaman had covert action, spies and harassment groups all around. The great courage of Moroni and other great leaders in the horrible wars is outlined. Where did Joseph get his military knowledge and the stratagems of warfare? Finally, a return to Judea is recounted. (Alma 56:2-57; 58:41; Largey p. 472)
JUDAEA is the Greek and Roman designation of the 'land' of Judah. The word in Hebrew is actually an adjective, (Jewish), with ge (LAND) or Chora (Country), understood . After the Roman conquest about 63 BC, it appears 'land' and 'country' both were used in a wider sense, denoting all of Palestine, including Galilee and Samaria, and in the narrower sense, which includes these two regions as Herod's kingdom of Judaea, (37-4 BC), which included all of Palestine and some districts East of the Jordan. Archelaus' ethnarchy of Judaea, (4 BC to AD), embraced Judaea in the narrower sense, and Samaria. The same is true of the Roman province of Judaea from AD 6 to 41 AD. After the death of Herod Agrippa 1, in AD 44, the Roman province of Judaea also included Galilee (Douglas p. 821).
The wilderness of Judaea, (Mt. 3:1 , associated with John the Baptist, is probably identical with the 'wilderness of Judah,' (Jdg. 1:16) the desert to the west of the Dead Sea. Most information and names probably can be traced back to the brass plates. We often forget just how complete the Brass Plates were in history and geography.
KIB
KIB is the name of an early Jaredite King (Ether 1:31). KIB was the grandson of JARED. JARED had five sons, the fifth was named ORIHAH, the father of KIB. KIB had two sons, CORIHOR and SHULE. CORIHOR has been discussed in an earlier entry in this series. This information is from the genealogical line of ETHER himself. Ether lists 44 persons in this line, though there are some gaps as discussed in an earlier entry. (Peterson p. 67) KIB reigned in his father Orihah's stead. Kib lost his throne to his rebellious son Corihor, after which he dwelt in captivity. KIB's son, Shule restored him to his throne. (Ether 5:3-5; Largey p. 430-431) SHULE a second son of KIB, rose up against his brother CORIHOR and restored the kingdom to his father. SHULE Then succeeded his father and following a period of bloody family intrigues, was able to restore peace to the land and promote the work of the PROPHETS of GOD. (Ether 7:25-27; Pinegar p. 90) Contemporary or even a little earlier than the Jaredites, the name KIB as a prefix is found in the name KIBRI-DAGAN, the governor of Terqua, part of the territories of ancient MARI. (Saggs p. 19)
KIB is also found in the records of the Elephantine Archives recovered from the ruins of Elephantine, an Island in the Upper Nile River, in Egypt, where Hebrew mercenaries were defending the borders of Egypt about 600 BC. (Porten 1968; See THE ANCIENT CITY OF KISH, THE JAREDITES AND THE BRASS PLATES, 4 Aug. 2005) Nibley was long puzzled by the congregation of Book of Mormon names in this area of Egypt. He soon became aware of the observations of Prof. William Albright, one of the brilliant minds of the entire region, who noted that when Jerusalem fell, in the period 68-70 AD, many Jews, no doubt some who had even persecuted Lehi, fled into the wilderness during the siege under Nebuchadnezzar. In particular some went into upper Egypt as mercenaries , where the Jews had a very special settlement, including a rare temple away from the Jerusalem Temple. They went as far up the Nile as they could get to Elephantine. Egypt was the lone survivor in those days against Nebuchadnezzar's insatiable appetite for new territories and slaves in the Middle East. (Nibley p. 285) Most of the Jews had lost their freedom and their homeland, including the temple, after Lehi had left. It was the time of a Diaspora, or dispersion, of the Jews. Nephi had seen all this in a vision, but his brothers would accept none of it. The Great Diaspora occurred at the time of the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.
The prefix KI- or KIB- is of greater antiquity than is at first perceived. The cuniform development of the word KI- meaning 'earth' was found on a clay tablet with a tabulation of many words, in ancient SUMER (Kramer pp. xxi, 278). It is found in many ELAMITIC names, these are ancient, contemporary with Akkadian and Sumerian names. It appears in the name KIB-URTI, possibly based on the root KBR meaning 'to be great', which is also found in the same consonants element, KBR, in Phoenician, meaning 'to be great.' (Benz p. 130) The prefix KI- alone means 'to be.' For instance, it was the name of an "individual connected with ELAM {reign of Sargon II) [Akkadian] ...mentioned in a letter dealing with Elamite affairs." (Baker p. 614) Other names, without meaning given, have this same prefix, and all are identified as ELAMTIC. (Ibid) Several names are listed by Black as well, including the name KIB-ABA, who was the City Lord of Harhar (reign of Sargon 11) as with the other names they are identified as ELAMITC (Baker p. 614) Note the doubled element in the city name of HARHAR. This doubling or short element was discussed under the names beginning with G, such as Gidgiddonah, attesting again to the veracity and consistency of the names in the Book of Mormon. More than thirty words or names in the Akkadian dictionary have KIB as a prefix. (Black p.155-157) To further confirm KIB is a name found in great antiquity and in the general geographic region from which the Jaredites came, we find the name KIB in the list of personal names found at EBLA, there the prefix KIB- means 'trustworthy' in two names, and the element KI- as a prefix in the name KI-I-LUM, 'like God.' The element I-L, is an abbreviation of the Great God EL, (Elohim), and is attended by the much used mimation (UM) found in Jaredite names, where it has the already mentioned meaning of: 'to be like.' Think of it! The names were found on tablets inscribed before 2250 B.C. (Pagan p. 343) In Akkadian the name KI-IB-RI is interpreted as 'like my friend' or 'like something,' such as KI-IB-RI/RI, meaning 'my god is my canal-bank.' Also there is KI-A-BI, meaning 'my god is LIKE my father.' (De Vito p. 312) So the elements, KIB and KI-, used as a prefix, can both be used to mean 'like.'
KIM
KIM is the name of an early Jaredite King. (Ether 1:21) KIM is the 27th descendant from Jared, counting Jared. (Largey p. 431) "And Morianton was a very good king; his son and successor KIM was captured by his brother, who became Number One but Kim's son Levi made war against him and thus he became Number One." (Ether `10:32; Nibley p. 441)
The name KIM, unexplained, was in an inscription found at MALTA, the Island where Paul was shipwrecked; the consonantal letters, KM are Phoenician, but the inscription left no doubt, it included the entire name: KIM, or all the elements. (Benz p. 332) But the prefix element KI- appears in the Akkadian name KI-MAMA, where the element KI- means 'to be like' interpreting the name as an abbreviation of -LU-KI-MAMA for the deity MAMA, meaning 'to be like the God MAMA,' where KIM means 'like.' MAMA is just one of the many Gods worshipped at that time. (Baker p. 614) However, the god MAMA is found in documents coming from the city state of LAGAS, an active region during SUMERIAN TIMES, so KIM is traced back to earliest of times. (De Vito p. 13) This is also true for a SUMERIAN VARIENT OF KIM, in Sumerian names found at NIPPUR, LAGAS and UMMA, you get the form KAM, and as noted below, KAM shows up in EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHICS with the same meaning: 'as, like.' Moreover, also from NIPPUR are SUMMERIAN names with the elements KI and KIB, confirming the antiquity of the names KIM and KIB. (DI VITO pp. 31, 49). The prefix or names KIB and KIM, both may mean 'to be, or to be like.' Further references to KIM being used as such is found in the name KIMA, meaning 'Amurru is like my god,' where the suffix or ending in KIMA, is the letter -A, which is the theophoric abbreviation for the God AMURRU. (Di Vit0 p. 312). Wherever used, from ancient SUMERIA and north to ASSYRIA and south to Egypt, theuse of the names KIB and KIM, with only slight variations, mainly a vowel, the meaning is the same or very similar.
Sometimes when researching for a name in another language, one looks for the actual meaning of the name and then tries to find the word in that language that carries that meaning. For an example in looking through Egyptian Hieroglyphics for a word or name that has that meaning, one finds KAMA, which has five elements on a panel that means 'as, like' just as the names and elements, just discussed. And so does the name KIMA, especially, mean the same.(Budge p. 789) This provides a link to another western Semitic language, Egyptian.
But a strange usage and meaning of another Akkadianname KIMUMAIA, 'MAN from Kimumu,' (Baker p. 616) recalls unique Mormon doctrines of the name for the FATHER. "In the language of Adam, 'MAN OF HOLINESS' is his name, and the name of his only begotten is the SON OF MAN, EVEN JESUS CHRIST." (Moses 6:57) This is part of the record of ENOCH long before the flood in the waning years of the Adamic dispensation, and indicates there was a thorough understanding of one of the unique names for father, was MAN. The favorite, most used name, SON OF MAN, is what Christ preferred to use for himself, using it more than a dozen times in the New Testament alone. So, he was known as JESUS CHRIST from the beginning, though during the Old Testament period he was known as JEHOVAH, but before that he was known as THE SON OF MAN. When speaking of GOD, the ineffable, "some positive attributes and metaphors do apply to him: Light, Life, Spirit, Father- the Good, but not Creator, ruler, Judge [which applies to CHRIST]. Significantly, in some systems one of his secret names is 'MAN'." (Jonas p. 268) This is one of those GEMS hidden away in the body of ancient doctrines and histories. In the Akkadian dictionary there is a detailed discussion of KIM used as a prefix and used as an adverb or in personal names, where the first meaning is given as 'like' with variations depending upon, as usual, the -suffix that is used. (Black p. 157-158). It can also mean 'to you.' (Black p. 157)
It should be noted there are a lot of three letter names in Akkadian, but there were fewer in languages that followed and by the time the Nephites were settled, they were seldom using three letters or short names, instead they were given to compounding a name sometimes using up to five short-core names or words in long names. In the genealogy record for himself, Ether lists 44 names, six are three letters, 10 are four letters, and 17 are five letters, others are six letters or more. (Largey p. 431) How would the Prophet Joseph have known to keep the names short when dealing with the Jaredites? Or that the Nephites would have names not with three to five letters, but three to five actual names or abbreviations for them? (See the entry that discusses the name AMNIGADDAH)
In the search for the antiquity and usage of the short name KIM, we found OLD IRANIAN linguistic elements, PERSIAN and ELAMITE, (see the map) , of interest. We have noted before that the Jaredites were very likely extensive traders and used the southern route of trade through ELAMITE territories to get the gold-silver, and precious gems, Lapis Lazuli, (Bowersox pp. 39 and Map; 40 and map) and other trade goods. In the collected documents from those sources we find the names CUM-CAXRIS and CIN-CAXRISan Old Persian, Babylonian and ELAMITE expression for 'effectuating something,' and they translate as 'KIM (CIM).' (Tavernier p. 15) where in AKKADIAN there is no C, but there would be a K. KIM was no doubt a much used name in the period in which the Jaredites struggled to maintain their spiritual identity and established language. It is incredible that in the translation of the Book of Mormon so much detail was given to Joseph with the names being spelled out for him so the names could be recognized in the Adamic language of the Jaredites, and the changed languages of the Akkadian, Assyrian, Sumerian, Sargonic, Egyptian and Elamitic, and that the names would cluster in the regions of Mesopotamia including KISH, BABYLON, EBLA, MARI, SUBARTU, HITTITE, and other nearby languages where clay tablets would be found with those name inscribed on them.
KIMNOR
KIMNOR was the name of the father of AKISH, the Jaredite who conspired with Jared, son of OMER, and JARED's daughter to institute and reinstate secret combinations in the land, patterned after those in antiquity, to seize power by and through insurrection and murder. (Pinegar p. 90) Kimnor initiated secret combinations to assassinate King Omer in exchange for permission to marry the daughter of Jared. (Ether 8:10)
The name KIMNOR has the prefix KIM-, discussed in detail above. The suffix -NOR, has the letter O which is common in the Jaredite language, but in AKKADIAN and other West Semitic languages there is no O. The usual substitute for O in Akkadian or Neo-Assyrian is U, such as in the name NURU(M) with an ancient mimation, and where NURU(M) means 'light,' 'light of the sun, light of God.' In Akkadian there are more than fifteen names with NUR as a prefix. It is noted that the plural form NURATUM, has also been found in records from MARI, a City State contemporary with EBLA, and the Akkad empire. (Black p. 258; Baker, L-N, pp. 968-972) The suffix ending in the name is NOR, consonantal NR, which means 'light' is found in Hebrew, Phoenician, Aramaic and Amorite names. (Benz p. 363) Alone N, may mean 'deity' or 'good;' (Benz p. 362) The element -R, an ending that means 'friend Companion' is not attested in Phoenician, Egyptian or Cyprus names. The element -OR, as an ending, may be a hypocoristicon or abbreviation for HORUS, which is abundantly referred to. So the meaning of KIMNOR could be 'one who has the light of God, or light' or 'to be like God' in light and knowledge, or 'to be like or a friend and companion , of the God Horus.' The latter is favored because HORUS is a frequent god referred to and employed in some of the ancient names found in the Book of Mormon .
HORUS has been discussed in detail in earlier entries to this series. Generally represented on the cartouches, name panels, of ancient leaders or kings, by the symbol of the Falcon God, facing to the left and the first hieroglyphic on the left end of the cartouche, (Budge p. 917) appearing in the records of ancient Egypt in the hieroglyphics for the predynastic kings, Narmer and Tehar, and Men, Mena, and others in Dynasty l. (Budge p. 917) The Jaredites may have made their departure during or before the OLD KINGDOM in the time of the reigns or Dynasties of Pepy l and Pepy II, about 2345-2181 BC. (David p. 8), but before the Akkadian destruction of EBLA in 2250 BC. The chronology of the rise of Akkad and the fall of Agade is provided by Saggs p. 415. (also see the MAP) Many names already discussed and yet to be discussed take us back into this same time period which they should do if the Book of Mormon is an authentic ancient document, which it surely is! The names found in the Book of Mormon make it impossible for someone to reject that Book, for to do so one does it at his own peril. I think I may have said that before!
KISH
The name KISH was first a Jaredite name, and later a biblical name, certainly the name was in the Brass Plates as well. KISH was a Jaredite leader and king who ruled somewhere in the middle of the sequence of leaders between JARED, founder of the Jaredite nation, and ETHER, the last of the Jaredite prophets. (Largey p. 431) "And Lib was the son of KISH, and KISH was the son of Corom" (Ether 1:18-19). COROM was a righteous king who was succeeded by KISH, who was succeeded by his son LIB, who also reigned in righteousness. (Ether 10:17-19) Note that these names are all three, four, or five letter names!
KISH, in Hebrew means 'bow' or 'power'. The name KISHI, also called KUSHAIAH, (I Chron. 15-17), means 'my bow.' (Mandel p. 321) At later times it also meant 'bestow or gift.' (Gardner p. 264) The name in the form if KI-SA-DU found on tablets from EBLA also meant 'gift.' (Pagan p. 343) The shortened forms of the name, KIS and KISA also mean 'gift' and were found on tablets from Ebla. (Pagan p. 343) It is one of the more popular names persisting in being used for more than 3000 years, in the records of the Jardites, the Biblical texts, the Brass Plates, and the Book of Mormon.
KISH was also the name of a Benjaminite, the son of Abiel and the father of KING SAUL (1 Sam. 9:1). KISH is also stated to be the son of NER, (Chron. 8:32) probably another name for So, this KISH, was, therefore, the brother of Saul's famous commander ABNER. KISH was buried in his own tomb in Zela, as king Saul and his son Jonathan were later. (Gardner p. 264) The story of SAUL and his son JONATHAN is a very sad one.
A Sheppard named KISH lived in the 11th century near the location of modern Jerusalem. He was a wealthy and powerful man in his community. One day some of Kish's asses were lost, and he sent his son Saul, a tall, good looking young man, to search for them. The search led to Saul's meeting with the prophet SAMUEL, and his anointment as the first king of Israel. It seems that his court was at Gibeah, today's Tell el-Ful. (Leick p. 141) You know the story of the tragedy of the first three kings of Israel? Saul went mad, David committed adultery and murder, and Solomon worshipped idols of one of his wives on his own porch.
KISH was also the name of the son of Jehiel and Maacah (l Ch. 8:30).
KISH was also the name of a Levite, grandson of Merarai (1Ch. 23:31).
KISH was also the name of a Levite who with Merarite assisted in the cleansing of the temple in Hezekiah's time (2Ch. 29:12)
KISH was also the name of a Benjaminite, the great-grandfather of Mordecai, who with his adopted young cousin, Esther, saved the Jews from destruction in southern Persia. (Est. 2:5)
KISH is the name of the ancient capital of a City-State about 50 miles southeast of Babylon, modern Tell el-Ukheimer where, according to the Sumerian Tradition (King List), the first dynasty after the flood ruled. (See the MAP with this entry) But it already had had a pre-flood phase as well so it is an Adamic name, one of the reasons it is found in the Jaredite Language. (See the entry on THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF KISH, THE JAREDITES AND THE BRASS PLATES, 4 August 2005) So, there was a land of Kish, a City of Kish, a family of Kish, kings of Kish, a place well known to the Jaredites. Some of the earliest examples of a the development of writing were found in the then Sumerian town of KISH. (Higham p. 24) The Jaredites could have given a very good account of Kish.
The kingdom of KISH, flourished about 2200 to 3200 BC., as a rival of Erech when it was linked with the legendary Etans and King AGGA of the SUMERIANS. KISH had been conquered by the ancient SUMERIANS. AGGA was an early Sumerian king of KISH. in the Sumerian king list he is the son of MEBARAGESI. According to the recovered literary compositions of that time, he was the enemy of GILGAMESH, who prevailed over him when AGGA besieged URUK, the oldest city in the world. AGGA also is featured in the Tummal Inscriptions as having repaired the great sanctuaries of the Gods at Nippur, (Nineveh). (Leick p. 6). This was the environment in which the Jaredites lived before leaving under divine guidance to go to a new world. Documents from earlier occupation of KISH and from the 2nd millennium are extant. Excavations began by the French starting in 1914, and by a joint Oxford, the Ashmolean Museum, and the Chicago Field Museum expedition of 1922-22. Finds include early palaces, tablets and a major flood deposit level dated about 3300 BC. (Douglas Vol. 2 p. 862) The flood deposit is too early to be related to the great Biblical flood. But it is all part of Book of Mormon history.
KISHKUMEN
KISHKUMEN was one of the founders of secret combinations that from time to time plagued the Jaredites and Nephites as Lucifer pursued his ambitions to destroy the work of God; and everybody else as far as that matter goes.
KISHKUMEN appears on the scene without much introduction, "He knew that the parallel path to power was that of organized crime." (Nibley Vol. 8, p. 511) He murdered the chief judge Pahoran for the decision by the "voice of the people" to execute Pahoran's ambitious and rebellious brother Paanchi (Hel. 1:8-12). KISHKUMEN, the leader of the a band of conspirators, sought out the services of a professional hit man.."GADIANTON, a talented killer, exceeding expert...in his craft," (Helaman 1:12) who could be trusted to carry out the secret work of murder and robbing...He (GADIANTON) worked out a plan which he guaranteed would put KISHMUMEN and his gang in complete control of the government. Just "murder the chief judge Helaman, as they had ....murdered ...Pahoran II, ...make Gadianton ...judge...he would take care of the rest." (Nibley Vol. 8, p. 359; Helaman 2:3-5) The Nephite robber and murderer had assumed the name of an ancient robber, GADIANTON, who would later take over the leadership of KISHKUMEN'S secret band. Together they plotted to assassinate the chief judge Helaman. The plot was discovered by a servant of Helaman and KISHKUMEN was killed by that servant in a failed attempt to carry out the murder. (Hel. 2:3-9) GADIANTON and the murderous-robber band escaped into the wilderness, it would be another 24 years before they would be able to make a come-back, and when they did it spelled the doom of the people, "almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi." (Helaman 2:13) The prefix GAD- (GADA) for the robber, GADIANTON, goes back to the SUMERIANS. (Di Vito p. 42) Where the meaning is 'Looter. robber.' (Tavernier p. 185) In the Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon GADIANTON was spelled with two 'D's, GADDIANTON. (Welch p. 249) However, as Ether tells us, this ancient order goes back to CAIN, "which was handed down even from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning. From time to time Lucifer himself brought back the oaths as he did with KORIHOR as mentioned below. Those oaths were "kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people, to help such as sought power to gain power, and to murder." (Ether 8:15-19)
KISHKUMEN was also the name of one of the wicked cities burned in the destruction that accompanied the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The inhabitants had cast out and stoned the prophets and Saints. (3 Ne. 9:10-11) If you are going to throw stones, don't through them at a prophet!
Two names, KISH and KUMEN, were combined to make the name KISHKUMEN, a typical Nephite practice. The meaning KISH has been described above, and an earlier entry in this series. The tablets of EBLA provided enough names to permit a scholar to write a book about them. (See PAGAN) The prefix KUM-, in the name, KUMEN was found in more than seventeen names, with the meaning 'be true' (Pagan p. 344), so the name seems to have been intended to mean 'be true to the power' and likely the ending, -EN, in the name is a hypocoristicon or abbreviation for deity, so the name would likely have meant, 'be true to the power of God,' but that was something the man who bore the name never was.
KUMEN is also the name of one of the twelve apostles called by Christ after his resurrection to lead the Nephites. (3 Ne. 19:4) Nibley called attention to this name and that of a very similar name in HITTITE. He compared KUMEN with the HITTITE CITY KUMANI. A very close fit. (Nibley Vol. 5 p. 33) In this study we have found evidence supporting the contention that the Jaredites went north and northwest when they left the Mesopotamia river country, and in passing through HITTITE country they evidently became familiar with HITTITE names. The evidence also supports that the Jaredites were traders and very familiar with the regional world at that time. They would have become very familiar with the names of persons and places in their activities. The Jaredites were very familiar with the quay at KARCHEMISH on the Euphrates River, a crossing they would have to take to cross the river on their journey to a new land. The name CHEMISH is in the Jaredite record and was also discussed in the earlier entries of this series. KARCHEMISH , for a period of time, was the Capital of the HITTITE empire. (Sasson pp. 1205-1307) It has been discussed in earlier entries to this web site. The name seems to have come into the Nephite records after the discovery of the Jaredite record. The prefix KAR, which means "quay," in the Adamic language spoken by the Jaredites would have been CAR. In that form it is found in the ancient records. (Sasson pp. 2841, 2887) More than 1400 years later another group crossed the river at this quay, to go to their promised land, Abraham and his family crossed the river at this Quay. Their temporary home at Haran was just due east of this quay.
KUMEN is also a possible hypocoristicon or abbreviation or short form, for the names KUMENONHI and KISHKUMEN.
KUMEN is also a separate name of another Jaredite figure discussed below. Of the 3400 names in the bible, only four of them, KISH, KETURA, KOHATH and KORAH, start with the letter K. In the nearly 337 names in the Book of Mormon, there are only eight names that begin with a K, and they are all Jaredite, (Book of Mormon pages 533-534), and three of them have the name KUMEN in their makeup. All of this is not trivia, but profound evidence of an authentic document being translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith, he was not conjuring names out of thin air, he did not use the Bible as a source of names, and he was consistent with nearly every rule of onomastic practices. If he was going to use some source for his names, he could have used the clay tablets being found in Mesopotamia in ancient cities destroyed before 2250 BC. But, those cities did not yield their tablets until more than 120 years after Joseph was killed, and it took armies of excavators a long time to excavate them and translate them.
At ancient "times an Egyptian governor (rabu) of Syria...was placed by Pharaoh as governor of the Uge district, with his headquarters at KUMEDI. (cf. the element -KUMEN in the Book of Mormon places names." (Nibley p. 22) Nibley also drew attention to the similarity of the high priest as a judge and governor, in Alma 30:1, 19-21, 29:31, the high priest of Amon was a judge and governor during a certain time in Egypt's history. (Nibley p. 21) So there are a lot more parallels than just names. The Book of Mormon is rich in original thought, stories, and theological content. Nibley was one of those who mined for gold and diamonds in the Book of Mormon and found the precious things.
KORIHOR
The name KORIHOR has two main elements: KORI and HOR. Nibley with what he had available as resources at his time for researching names found KORIHOR in Egypt. "From the eleventh dynasty on, the history of Egypt is...concerned with ...efforts of the priests of Amon...the chief priest of Amon at their head, to gain control of the country. About 1805 BC [they] seized the throne of the south, and from that time on the high priest of Amon...could and constantly did reduce the king to a position of subservience. The name of the great priest who crowned himself in Thebes was HERIHOR or KHERIHOR...the priestly rule ...a new system of ...law courts...uniting ...all the south countries as a single administrative unit...no philologist will refuse to acknowledge the possible identity of the Book of Mormon KORIHOR with the EGYPTIAN KERIHOR..." (Nibley pp. 20-21) Nibley also noted that in Egypt there were two separate names spelled differently: KHERIHOR and HURHOR. There are also two forms of the name in the Book of Mormon, CORIHOR, an important early Jardite name, discussed in a previous entry in this series, and retaining the letter C in the Jaredite language. The other is Korihor, a name given to a Nephite chief judge, (Nibley p. 193) using the Akkadian K letter because there is no C in Akkadian, but since both names are present in the Book of Mormon it is clear the name in both forms was known and retained their original linguistic characteristic. The form HURHOR, is of Asiatic origin and goes back to the dawn of History. (Nibley p. 193)
About 74 BC KORIHOR came preaching against all the prophets and prophecies concerning the coming of Christ. (Alma 30:6). He did so under the Nephite laws of the right to freedom of speech and conscience. (Alma 30:11) . But he was an anti-Christ. We know little about his origin and background. He attacked the Nephite religious traditions and teachings about Christ as "foolish and a vain hope" (Alma 30:13), and "Whatsoever a man did was no crime" (Alma 30:17). He taught there is no such thing as sin, no need for Christ, no atonement, no guilt, nor need of repentance and forgiveness, and when a man was dead, that was it. (Alma 30:18) The movement today of Free Inquiry has at its heart the deep malaise of despair generated by the emotion and feeling that one gets when one thinks that this life is all there is, at death that is the total end of it all. The question of "Where are you going to spend eternity" is not entertained or considered. There was no need to fear having to give an account of one's life, or bear any responsibility, fostering all kinds of manner of wickedness. (Largey p. 183) This is the same attitude of humanistic philosophies of today. It leads to the same results: self destruction as well as the destruction of many. It takes away the solace of hope.
Finally his teachings which led to whoredoms and other wickedness, resulted in his arrest. Nephite law permitted variant beliefs and was protected, as it is today, and tolerated; disobedience to the laws of the land, however, were not. (Alma 20:10, 18) He enjoyed success in Zarahemla, but his preaching ended abruptly in the land of Jershon where his views aroused stalwart Lamanite converts to arrest him and expel him. He met the same reception in Gideon, but his excessive pride pushed him to stubbornly orate his views. GIDDONAH, the priest at Gideon, rather than responding to his wranglings, and observing his obstinacy, sent him to Zarahemla to appear before ALMA the high priest of the church and NEPHILAH, the chief judge over all the land (Alma 20:19-29) . There he accused the prophet of Priestcraft, preaching for money, glutting on the labors of church members. Alma convinced him of his deceitfulness (Alma 30:31-32) . Alma, like present day prophets, who have a personal knowledge of the living Christ, and prophecy, challenged KORIHOR'S distorted views and discerned that KORHIOR was possessed of a lying spirit and being overpowered by the devil. (Alma 30:19-42) Can you imagine the confrontation between such a character as KORIHOR saying, "there is no Christ and therefore he cannot come again," to a man who has seen and KNOWS Christ lives and KNOWS he is coming. With no substantive argument whatsoever, KORIHOR blurted out that he wanted a sign that he might be convinced that there is a God. How many people had chocked on the dust of despair in desperation asking for a sign when a true believer has signs galore. Alma responded, "Thou hast had signs enough," and cited a string of evidences, (Alma 30:40-43) the same ones used today. But KORIHOR only exhibited his stubbornness even more. Alma said "I am grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea, that ye will still resist the spirit of truth, that thy soul may be destroyed." (Alma 30:46) Alma then affirmed, "It is better that thy soul should be lost than that thou shouldst be the means of bringing many souls down to destruction." (Alma20:45-47; l Ne. 4:13) Alma warned "if thou deny again...God shall smite thee...thou shalt become dumb," KORIHOR may have paused only a moment, "I do not deny the existence of a God...but I do not believe that there is a God." (Alma 30:47-48), thinking he cannot be punished for his personal beliefs (Alma 30:11). But KORIHOR demanded again for a sign. Alma, in the name of God, announced: "you shall be struck dumb" Unable now to speak, he tried to defend his case by writing, attributing his deception to Satan, whom he claimed had appeared to him and taught him what to say, appealing to the carnal impulses and minds of people. (Alma 30:49-50; 30:52-53) This is one of those rare moments in history that Satan is recorded to have actually appeared to someone and given him guidance. KORIHOR pleaded for a reversal of his condition, perceptive Alma told him if his speech was restored he would return to his former efforts, so his fate would be left up to the Lord. The man with huge pride, was now cast out, becoming a beggar, and in the end his was trampled to death by Zoramites. Alma moralized: in the last day, the devil will not support his followers, but doth speedily drag them down to hell. (Alma 30:54-60: Largey pp. 293-284)
The extraordinary narrative episode in Alma of KORIHOR fulfills an important Book of Mormon purpose: to expose the "enemies of Christ." (Benson p. 8) It is the same as today, challenges to religious faith on the existence and divinity of Christ, does religion free or bind us, can religious truth be known apart from belief, or is simply a product of social mediation, can one know the truth of something unseen, can one really know of future events? Is guilt a tool to keep believers in bondage by commandments invented by designing priests? Is it the motive of religious leaders to get rich from offerings of naive followers? (Alma 13:12-19; 30:23-29)
MORMON dealt with this attitude "And now I speak also concerning those who do not believe in Christ...Wait and see..., " (Mormon 9:1; 9:2-4) their position is wholly untenable, scientifically or otherwise, as they will realize, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon them. "A full generation before Entham, Mill, Darwin, Marx, and Huxley, the Book of Mormon was stating the case for naturalism, materialism and the survival of the fittest with the greatest precision. .. for the only free society was one in which everyone thought exactly as he [they]thought." (Nibley pp. 416-417)
The suffix of the name KORIHOR is -HOR, a frequent abbreviation for HORUS. His role in the scheme of things has been briefly discussed. Further discussion could include more on his role as an Egyptian divinity, his relationship to other divinities in Egyptian lore, mainly Osiris. His healing powers and his role in victims of snake bite. His conception and the early use of the falcon as a symbol of his uniqueness. He has a role in the divine cosmogony, and especially as the image of kingship in ancient Egypt and later, and arouses consideration of pharaohs as incarnations of Horus. He is involved in the purification of Sety l, Senwosret 1, and his relationship and confrontation with Seth, with implication of Mormon doctrine about Lucifer. There are many tales about him, myths have accumulated about him, and he plays a role in the enhancement of the names of Egyptian Kings. He appears on magical Stelae, but above all, there are details in the data about him that are familiar, (Sassson p. 2876), mainly because they recall aspects of the life and mission of Christ. How much of ancient doctrines have been swept up in the development over centuries about Horus? What is the relationship of his temple to that of ancient tabernacles and modern temples? He will come up for further discussion because future names to be studied of the Jaredites contain the element HOR.
KUMEN is the name of one of the 12 Nephite apostles (disciples) about 34 AD. (3 Ne. 29:4) chosen by the resurrected Savior when he organized His Church among the remnant of Israel in ancient America. (Pinegar p. 96) In the name KUMEN there is the West Semitic root KM, and KMR, and the Aramaic form KUMRA, meaning 'priest.' (Baker p. 637) The element KUM, would mean 'priest' and the N element, or abbreviated ending meaning, 'to answer' would suggest KUMEN means 'the priest answers.'
KUMENONHI
KUMENONHI was the name of another one of the 12 Nephite Apostles (disciples) (3 Ne. 19:4) The name, as long as it is, reflects again, the Nephite practice of splicing short forms of names, their core, together to form a name. KUMENONHI is the short form of KUMENOHIAH, which contains the construct or element NH, an authentic verbal element meaning 'to answer,' found among the names of the ancient MURASU documents. (Coogan p. 81) Note the many names in the Bible that end with IAH, AH, A, I, and H, abbreviations for Jehovah, so the name could mean 'to answer Jehovah (God).' This ending could have been added to the name by a Nephite family.
The prefix KUMEN has been discussed above. In ancient PHONEICIAN the elements 'N, NN, AN N(T), ANAT and NY, all mean 'to answer.' (Benz p. 382) In Akkadian, the word for 'answer' is NAPALU(M), (Black p. 237) but not exactly meaning 'TO answer.' Semantic subtleties are present even in ancient languages, and the use or non-use of an article changes the content of the meaning. The ancient prefix of just an N may be just enough to yield the thought of 'answer.'
Of the eight names that start with the letter K in the Book of Mormon (page 534) only the name KISH appears in the Bible. Of the 3400 names in the bible, there are only four that start with a K, one is KETURAH, the last wife of Abraham who gave him six important sons, then KISH, the name of an ancient city state, discussed before; and two other names. All of the eight names listed in the Book of Mormon can be traced back into the cultural and geographic areas of the world of the Jaredites. Three of the names carry the entire name of KUMEN, as a prefix and a suffix. This, again, is internal evidence that the Great Joseph was working with an authentic ancient document.
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