In this article I will cross-reference a few items from four different cultures: Sumerian, Egyptian, Hebrew, and Samoan/Hawaiian. I will also make a slight foray into several Native American languages like Lakota and Hopi for confirmation of the scope of some of the morphemes. I previously wrote that I suspected the concept of a messiah, or a deliverer, is symbolically linked with the #Serpent, and the Serpent in turn associated with #Water where the Serpent shapeshifts appropriately into a variety of primordial aquatic forms, which include octopi, sharks, whales, and various other fish. The heroic role includes titanic biblical figures like #Noah, #Moses / #Moshe (#מֹשֶׁה), #Hoshea whom Moses dubbed #Joshua, his strong right hand and military leader / general, a "son of #NUN", and #Jesus (#Yeshuah, #Yahoshuah, etc.) who taught Galilean #fishermen to #fish for men.
Understandably, water figured largely in artistic express in the ancient world, whether with respect to chants, material culture, or dance expression. Literary conventions, metaphors, allegories, allusions often centered on the sacredness and subtle but supreme power of water. In #Exodus 2:10, #Pharaoh's queen is remembered as saying "I drew him out (meshi-ti-hu / #מְשִׁיתִהוּ) of the water". Moses Hebrew name rendered phonetically into Sumerian is MUŠ or:
𒈲
This symbol means "SERPENT". Throughout the Books of Moses the symbol of the snake appears again and again, however, contrary to the Adamic version of the serpent, the version presented in Moses' stories are largely symbols of healing and restoration as with #NEHUSHTAN a bronze serpent upon a pole.
14 - And as Moses lifted up the SERPENT in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 - that whoever believes in him may have eternal life... (John 3:14 - John 3:15)
This must be connected to the #Hermopolitan Egyptian symbol of a serpent wound around the staff as with #Imhotep, whom the Greeks renamed #Asclepius. Moses, however, was not alone for his brother Aaron also wielded a staff. Two magi, one a healer and one a warrior, two staves, conflated into one symbol produces the staff of #Hermes #Trismegistus, the #Caduceus, a throwback symbol that hints at #twin brothers of equal and opposite power in balance.
While comparing the traditions of several of the cultures I earlier mentioned, I repeatedly come across a common theme shared by them all, namely words connected linguistically to:
"WORD"
"FIRE"
"SERPENT" / “SNAKE”
"CHILD" / "SON"
"REST" / "SALVATION"
The Hebrew word for "snake" is NEḪAŠ / NEKHASH (נחש)
NEḪAŠ / NEKHASH phonetically decomposes into:
NEḪ + AŠ / NEKH + ASH = "to rest" / "at rest" (נח)+ "fire" (אש)
NEḪ / NEKH = NOAH = a #savior of the human race at the time of the most recent great deluge (see "Egyptian" notes below) some 12,500 years ago. He is one who “gathers”, “collects male and female of every kind”, “raises up (as water)”.
AŠ / ASH (אש) = 𒐋 = six = VAV / WAW (ו) = SHISHI (שֵׁשׁ)
This is relevant because NEKH (נח) is etymologically linked to NAG, NAK, NAKA, NGATI, GATI, GAGA, NANA, NAGA. These words in turn all relate to "word", "speech", "serpent", "children", "sons", "healing", "wisdom", "knowing", "masculine sexuality", "seed", "insemination"
In Hebrew:
NE'E / נֶאֱ / NE'ESEFET / נֶאֱסֶפֶת
NE'E / נֶאֱ means "to collect", "to pick up", "to lift up", "to raise".
NE'ESEFET / נֶאֱסֶפֶת means "I am collected" / "you are collected" / "she/it is collected". This verb conjugation was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls through a multiple-pass / multiple wavelength high-resolution digital scan of the Qumran texts. The word is used in a context describing the tallness of Noah's ark and the gathering together of the ribs to a point at the apex described as a "light" or "window" (TZOHAR / צהר). Researcher Dr. Alexey Yuditsky of Hebrew University of Jerusalem is credited with this interpretation in a paper he published in 2016 where he asserts that Noah's ark was built in the shape of a pyramid. The implication for his work is that Noah was an early Pharaoh. For the purposes of understanding the verb used, namely NE'E, I wish to emphasize the semantics of the verb and its parallel to the Sumerian, Egyptian, and Samoan.
In Sumerian: 𒉈 = NE (also BI / BI2 / DE3 / IZI / ŠE / ŠEG) = "fire" it also means "to raise", "to lift up", "to carry", it is alternately pronounced ŠEG, meaning "to cook", which is very similar to Samoan SEGA (SHENGA) the brightly fiery plumed parroquet of Samoa and Fiji designated in the Latin scientific tradition as Lorius Solitarius. Particularly the red chest feathers of this bird were prized as they adorned chiefly possessions such as the fringe of mats (for example: 'ie toga) and chiefly garments. This SEGA is a suffixed root of 'OLOSEGA, or "expeditionary fortress of Sega", the name of the island of the Manu'a group of Samoa. The Sega was worshiped during idolatrous ancient history of Samoa.
In Egyptian:
NU as NOAH and NĀ WAI / NĀ VAI
The Egyptian word that references the Deep, the primordial waters of creation, is NU (also NUN, NEN, NENU, NUNU) represented by the following hieroglyphs:
𓏍
𓇯𓈗 = NN, NU, NUN, NEN, NENE. The shorthand notation for this being is nw(j) and according to Budge regarded as meaning "the watery one" (159). The /j/ is pronounced like /y/ or a long /i/ sound and /w/ sounds like /oo/ or long /u/ such that nw(j) can be rendered as:
NUI
NUI, v. to be great, to increase, as wind or pain. ʻUa nui i le po.'Tis near night.
NUI is often added at the end of Ali'i names and titles, such as Alapa'inui, Kamehameha-nui, in the same manner as megas and magnus, i.e. Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ Μέγας / Aléxandros ho Mégas or Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus--Alexander the Great, and Pompey the Great.
Extending this term with hieroglyph determiners for male god (A040) and female (B001) yields the names of one male-female pairing of the eight primordial gods of the Ogdoad (eightfold powers, four pairs in all), whose roles parallel the eight anunnaki (A-NUN-NAKI ; ANU-NA-A-KI) of Sumerian lore, the family of ANU the sky god. Their names are NUN and NUNET.
Rules for reading:
read top to bottom and left to right, just so: Formula: [𓏍 over 𓇯] by 𓈗
Equivalencies:
Gardiner classification # = hieroglyph = definition = (transliteration = definition extended)
W24A = 𓏍 = vessels = /w/ = /ua/ = "rain"
N001 = 𓇯 = sky = /n/ = /anu/ = "heaven"
N35A = 𓈗 = water = /n/ = /inu/ = "drink"
X001 = 𓏏 = sunset = /t/ = /ata/ = "red color of sunset" OR = /tao/ = "spear", "the dawn"
H008 = 𓆇 = determiner for egg, womb, motherhood
A040 = 𓀭 = determiner for male, god
B001 = 𓁐 = determiner for female, queen
Interpretation:
In other words, "(the time when) the vessels in the sky poured out water". This is a reference to the Great Deluge, particularly to the rain falling from the sky in a torrential downpour. It is the root of the name #NOAH, who is known to the ancient Egyptians as NU. #NU is the same name that the Hawaiians and Samoans of old used to described a NOAH-like chief who fled a flood aboard a va'a, or ocean-going canoe. The epithet of #NUI in this context may be a deliberate effort to link the concept of nobility back to the gods, that is, the deified memory of Noah the Great.
NOAH and NOAH'S WIFE In Egyptian:
𓆇𓆇𓆇𓈗𓁐 = NUN / NU (NOAH)
𓇯
𓏌𓏌𓏌𓇒𓁐 = NUN / NU (NOAH)
NE is derived from NEN / NENE / NUN, which means "primeval waters".
According to one version of creation that originates in Thebes, also called Hermopolis, the religious center of ancient Egypt, tells that NUN, the personification of the Abyss, lifted up the sun god RE-ATUM. NUN had a female counterpart, or spouse, named NUNET. Together they are part of the OG-DOAD or eight-fold divine family. Note this is a recollection of FOUR COUPLES...
This echoes the story of NOAH and the great deluge, as Noah and his three sons brought their wives... these were four couples, or eight souls aboard the ark. Noah, Ham, Japeth, and Shem and their four wives.
The significance of the number eight, especially of four couplings, is recurring theme throughout all the ancient cultures. Let's shift focus now to the Sumerian language.
In Sumerian:
NUN
𒉣
NAGA and NUN cross paths in the Sumerian language.
In Sumer, for example, a composite symbol comprised of the symbol #AN for divinity / heaven / kingship and the symbol #NAGA for "wind" respectively is:
𒀭 + 𒉀
𒀭𒉀 is the Sumerian rendering of the goddess #NISABA, also known as #NUNBARSEGUNU 𒀭𒉣𒁇𒊺𒈖 which could be understood as "Goddess (of EREŠ / ERESH) Foremost One Who Sets Aside Disturbances". This is an obscure goddess of barley, however, the obscurity of her deeds masks her status since her daughter Sud was given as a bride to the King of Heaven (Lord of Air), EN-LIL, who renamed Sud as NIN-LIL, the "Queen of Air". Her sister NIN.SUN was the mother of Gilgamesh (BIL.GA.MEŠ). NUN.BAR.SEgunu was appointed by EN-KI, (ANU's eldest son) to judge over measurements of grain and preside as scribe to the court of the gods. She kept records and maintained boundaries. She was an oracle, and tutelary deity who spread the teachings of EN-KI the god of knowledge and wisdom from the school he built for her.
𒀭 = AN = Heaven; alternately this is DINGIR, which signifies a divinity or noble
𒉣 = NUN = guidance (eridu) | prince; (as attribute) foremost, best
𒁇 / 𒈦 = BAR / MAŠ / MASH = outside, (other) side; behind; outer form, outer; fleece; outsider, strange; back, shoulder; liver; because of; to set aside; to cut open, slit, split | As MAŠ = half
𒊺 = ŠE / SHE = barley, grain; unit of length / area / volume / weight; shekel (price of a bushel of grain) 𒈖= LU₃ = to disturb, stir up; to cover completely; to mix
AN+NAGA is doubled with it's inverted reflection, to produce AN+NAGA opposing AN+NAGA:
𒀰
And doubled again such that AN+NAGA is quadrupled, with each serpent radiating from a hub thusly: 𒀱
In Samoan: NE'E = "to lift up" (as a boat that is lifted by the water... think Noah's ark). (Pratt, 230)
Samoan for "the waters" is /nā vai/
Transliteration rule:
n = ng = g
w = v = ua
vowels are flexibly unspecified and playing around with vowels reveals multiple layers of meaning that all strongly hint at themes in stories about the great deluge as told by Sumerians, Egyptians, Polynesians, and many other cultures from Mesopotamia, to Asia, to Meso-America.
Potential readings based on elements of gagana Sāmoa c. 1856 (Pratt):
w = v = ua
ua = u (u'u) + a (a'a)
ua = ua, u'ua, ua'a, u'u a'a
ua'a = va'a = whaka = vaka = "canoe"
a = "of" or "belonging to" as in "'O le afioga a le Atua" ("The Word OF God")
a = "when" as in "A o mai i latou, ia tatou o." ("WHEN they come, let's go.")
'a = "but" or "if" as in "'A 'ua leai..." ("BUT it is not...") or " 'A fai mai, tatou talia..." ("IF he speaks, we will answer."
a = affix to some nouns to form adjectives as in "u" + "a" = "missiles" + "many"
a = "a fence" (a Manu'a word)
a'a = "fibers of a root", "family connections"
a'aa'a = "to have many root fibers", "to have many descendants" (as the coconut tree roots)
a'au = "to swim", "to send", "a coral reef"
u = "a reed", "an arrow" or "a missile"
u = "a brother" or "another of my father's sons"
u = "to send", "to direct towards", "to turn to"
u = "to roar", "to emit a hollow sound as the waves on the reef", "the tramp of troops"
'u = "to look angrily towards", "to be sulky"
ua = "rain", "the neck", "sinews", "veins"
ua = "to rain"
uaua = "to commence a plantation"
uaua = "a slight rain", "a lever" (an object that is used to raise another object, i.e. floatation as in uauata'i - "to raise by a lever")
uaga = "heavy rain"
ua gaga = "rain that gives permission"
uaua gaga = "permission given to commence a plantation"
ua gaga'e = "eastward driving rainfall"
ua gagau = "rain that breaks"
ua gana = "rain speaks"
uaga ga = "heavy torrential rains"
ua gege = "rain that causes animals and men to die"
ua gigi = "rain to obey"
ua naga = "rains that silence (the voices of the world)"; "rain that hides (the earth below)"
ua nana = "rain that conceals (the face of the world)"
ua naunau = "rain that was desired"
ua naunau = " to rain exceedingly"
ua ne'ene'e = "to rain and uplift (the boat) by water"
ua noanoa = "rain hushed"
ua noga = "rain that causes things to be quiet"
ua nono = "rains that bring a pause in (Man's threatening) speech
ua nunu = "rain that causes the people to stand together, crowded"
ua nuanua = "to rain"+"rainbow"
nuwa = nā vai
nā = plural marker (like 's')
vai = water
noa = to rest, to cease work, to comfort
Scriptural context:
4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. (Numbers 22:4-22:9)
SERPENT + LIFTED UP = SON OF MAN + LIFTED UP
- LIFTED UP
SERPENT = SON OF MAN
Samoan comparative lexicon:
מֹשֶׁה / MO-SHE
MAUA-SA, MAUA-SAO
MAUA-SA
MAUA v.
1. to get, to obtain, to acquire. Ona fa'aa'oa'o le 'o le leo o lona tina, ona maua lea.
2. To reach, to get to. Ne'i le maua le nu'u o Sinasegi.
3. To overtake.
4. To catch. Pe maua i le vavaloloa; pl. MAUA.
SA, a.
forbidden, prohibited. This word was used formerly to mean SACRED, HOLY, and is still much used in that sense, as, aso sa, fale sa, &c.; redup. SASA.
(Pratt, 252)
SA, s.
special privileges. 'O sa o Tuafata.
(Pratt, 252)
SAI, s.
1. a pigsty.
2. a tightly-bound bundle, as of tobacco. 'O lana sai.
(Pratt, 253)
SAO, a.
unblamable, without fault or blemish
(Pratt, 254)
SAO, v.
to collect together food or property preparatory to presenting it; pl. SASAO; pass. SAOA.
(Pratt, 254)
meshi-ti-hu / מְשִׁיתִהוּ
MASI'I TOFE, MASI'I-TOFI
MASIʻI (MASII, MASĪ), v.
1. to be raised, to be lifted up.
2. To be off on a journey or to war.
(Pratt, 211)
TOFE, s.
a precipitous place.
(Pratt, 314)
TOFI, v.
1. to split up.
2. to divide.
3. to give an inheritance or appointment (Pratt, 314)
TOFI, s.
1. an appointment. 'O la latou tofi, of the agents. 'O lona tofiga, of the object.
2. an inheritance, a patrimony.
(Pratt, 314)
Afterword:
For comparative analyses of these "dead" languages with Samoan, I have chosen to work with a combination of Milner's and Reverend George Pratt's English-Samoan dictionaries. I have used Milner primarily to help differentiate contemporary Samoan from anachronistic Old Samoan, which I shall term "High Samoan", that is deeply examined in Pratt's work. According to Andrew Pawley, Associate Professor of Linguistics University of Auckland in the Foreword to the 1984 Edition of Pratt's Dictionary:
"It records many old words of special interest–specialist terminology, archaic words and names in Samoan tradition. It contains sections on Samoan poetry and proverbs, and an extensive grammatical sketch."
References:
Hogan, Ed, Peter and Tara. Sumerian-Cuneiform English Dictionary. http://bit.ly/2XFKPhr, 2017.
Milner, G. B. Samoan Dictionary. https://amzn.to/32nDOW3. Pasifika Press, 1966, 2001, 2003.
Pratt, Rev. George. Samoan-English Dictionary. 3rd Edition Revised. http://bit.ly/2XKM0fo, McMillan, 1862, 1893, 1911, 1984.
Yuditsky, Alexey (Eliyahu). מידת התבה נאספת: New Reading in the "Commentary on Genesis D" (4Q254a) Scroll (in Hebrew). Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2019.
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