Not really all that complicated
in reply to a message by ella/michele ?
In the bible you will find:
MICHAEL (m.), the meaning of which is not really being discussed
MICHAL 1 (f.): She was the daughter auf Saul and one of King David’s wives (1. Sam 14,49). Her name is generally looked upon as a short form of Michael with the character aleph dropped in the middle.
MICHAL 2: This appears as a vocabulary word, not a name, in 2. Sam 17,20 (and nowhere else!) and the meaning may well be “brook”, as one of the two sites says. The Greek Septuaginta has “mikron tou hydatos” which translates “little water”. In later Hebrew michal became indeed a word for “brook”. Etymologically it has nothing to do with the name Michael and I don’t see any evidence that it should have anything to do with Michal 1. I know there is Brooke Shields, but I can’t think of a biblical name that would have a similar name giving motive.
MICHA (m.): This is the name of a prophet (Mi 1,1) and in Jer 26,18 he is referred to as Michaya (“who is like Yah”) which is pretty much the same as Michael. I don’t know if it’s used as a feminine name in Israel, too.
MICHAYAHU (m./f.): This is the name of various persons, one of them being a woman (2. Chr 13,2). “Hu” is “he” (!) and does not add anything to the meaning.
Andy ;—)
MICHAEL (m.), the meaning of which is not really being discussed
MICHAL 1 (f.): She was the daughter auf Saul and one of King David’s wives (1. Sam 14,49). Her name is generally looked upon as a short form of Michael with the character aleph dropped in the middle.
MICHAL 2: This appears as a vocabulary word, not a name, in 2. Sam 17,20 (and nowhere else!) and the meaning may well be “brook”, as one of the two sites says. The Greek Septuaginta has “mikron tou hydatos” which translates “little water”. In later Hebrew michal became indeed a word for “brook”. Etymologically it has nothing to do with the name Michael and I don’t see any evidence that it should have anything to do with Michal 1. I know there is Brooke Shields, but I can’t think of a biblical name that would have a similar name giving motive.
MICHA (m.): This is the name of a prophet (Mi 1,1) and in Jer 26,18 he is referred to as Michaya (“who is like Yah”) which is pretty much the same as Michael. I don’t know if it’s used as a feminine name in Israel, too.
MICHAYAHU (m./f.): This is the name of various persons, one of them being a woman (2. Chr 13,2). “Hu” is “he” (!) and does not add anything to the meaning.
Andy ;—)