[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
RE: Isaiahites?
----------
From: owner-orion@pluto.mscc.huji.ac.il on behalf of Aayko
Sent: Friday, October 18, 1996 3:31 PM
To: orion@pluto.mscc.huji.ac.il
Subject: AW: Isaiahites?
Dear Orionites,
Sorry to barge in, perhaps I missed the beginning of the thread. But could
someone tell a layman
about the current available proposals for the etymology of the name
Essene/Ossene?
In my humble opinion, although I find many of the alternatives intriguing,
the most plausible etymology of the name Essene would be Philo's association
with the Greek word 'Essaioi' or 'Osioi' which means holy; pious; purity from
defilement. Although Philo focused more on the 'holy' aspect of this
definition, I tend to think that the purity theme is an even stronger
indicator considering the content of the scrolls. The word's Hebrew equivalent
would be 'chaciyd' [het-sameh-yod-dalet] from which we derive 'hassidim'; a
word that occurs frequently throughout the scrolls in some form of literary
self-designation. I do believe, however, that the name Essene was primarily
ascribed to the sect by 'outsiders', as it seems clear to me that the
community had other names as well by which it referred to itself.
Regards,
Vernon Chadwick
Charlotte, NC