Names of Jerusalem

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This article explores the different names of Jerusalem and their linguistic natures, etc. For a discussion of the politics and history of Jerusalem itself, the Jerusalem article is probably a better place to start.

Over the millennia, there have been many names of Jerusalem in many different languages. The Jews have seventy (70) different names for Jerusalem.

Contents 1 Names 1.1 Biblical 1.1.1 Jerusalem 1.1.2 Moriah 1.1.3 Jebus 1.1.4 Zion 1.1.5 Ariel 1.1.6 City of David 1.1.7 Adonai-jireh 1.1.8 Neveh Tzedek 1.2 Roman 1.2.1 Aelia Capitolina 1.3 Islamic 1.3.1 Al-Quds 1.3.1.1 Bayt al-Maqdis 1.3.2 al-Balat 1.3.3 Ir Ha-Kodesh 1.3.3.1 Ir Ha-Kedoshah 2 Airport codes 3 References 4 External links 5 See also

[edit] Names

[edit] Biblical

[edit] Jerusalem

• Biblical Hebrew ירושלם Yerushalayim
• Aramaic יְרוּשְׁלֶם Yərûšəlem
• Biblical Greek (Septuagint) Ιερουσαλήμ, Ierousalēm, Ιεροσόλυμα, Ierosolyma
• New Testament Greek Ιερουσαλήμ Hierousalēm, Ierousalēm, Ιεροσόλυμα Hierosolyma, Ierosolyma
• Syriac ܐܘܪܫܠܡ Ūrišlem
• Biblical Latin (Vulgate) Hierusalem, Hierosolyma
• Classical Latin (Philo) Ieropolis
• Arabic اورشليم Ūršalīm, Ūršalaym
• Armenian Երուսաղեմ / Erousałem
• Tiberian Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלַםִ / יְרוּשָׁלָםִ Yərûšāláim / Yərûšālāim
• Standard Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalaim
• Old Norse Jorsala
• Russian Иерусалим / Iyerusalim
• Azeri Ürşəlim

There is also a variant form:

• Biblical Hebrew שלם š-l-m "whole", "complete" in the idiomatic sense of "at peace"
• Akkadian Urušalim (used by Sennacherib)
• Assyrian Uršalimmu (recorded by the Amarna letters
• Biblical Greek Σαλήμ Salēm, Σόλυμα Solyma
• Biblical Latin Salem
• Arabic ساليم Sālīm
• Tiberian Hebrew שָׁלֵם Šālēm
• Standard Hebrew שָׁלֵם Šalem

Yerushalayim and Yərûšəlem are the names most commonly used in the Bible (in the Hebrew and Aramaic parts respectively), and is the preferred name in Jewry and the Western World. The Aramaic, Syriac, Septuagint, Assyrian, and Akkadian, spellings are considered by linguists to imply that the original pronunciation was Yerushalem. The unusual suffix -ayim, found in most of the Bible's Hebrew references to the location, is thought to be either due to diphthongisation or reduplication.^[1]

Traditionally, the name Jerusalem has been interpreted as heritage of peace or heritage of Salem (the former translating Salem). However, it is considered more plausible that the Akkadian and Assyrian transcriptions reflect the original form of the name more accurately; the original name being Uru-Shalim, and the change to Yerushalem being a case of metathesis. Uru, and Ur (which are cognate to the Hebrew word Ir) meaning city (of), thus the name originally being city of Shalim or city of peace^[2]

Attempts have been made to link the name to the Ugaritic god of dusk: Shalim ^[3]; however this deity has not been found in archaeological remains beyond Ugarit. Nevertheless, non-existence of evidence is not proof of non-existence, and archaeological evidence in general suggests that Canaanite religion shared several similarities with the Ugaritic pantheon (the Baal cycle in particular), so the possibility remains. The Egyptians referred to Shalim (the deity) as Sharamana, and the Phoenicians referred to Shalim as Salaman (Σαλαμαν); the temptation is great among minimalist scholars to suggest this is the basis for Solomon, whose empire and works seem to be non-historic^[4].

A Midrashic explanation of the name relates it to the Yir'eh from the name Adonai-Yir'eh ("The Lord sees", Vulgate Latin Dominus videt) given to the location by Abraham following the Binding of Isaac on Mount Moriah and the name Salem given to the city by Shem (in the Book of Genesis, during the time of Abraham the city is described as being named Salem/Shalem)^[5]. The result is a portmanteau of Yir'eh and Shalem: Yerushalayim.

The Greek forms Hierousalēm and Hierosolyma, and the Latin form Hierusalem indicate an interpretation of the first syllables as the Greek word hieros meaning "holy". The Old Norse form Jorsala indicates an interpretation of the last syllables as the Old Norse toponym ending -sala denoting a hall (sometimes a temple hall).

The Arabic counterpart of Jerusalem, Ūršalīm, is the term used by the government of Israel for texts written in Arabic, and by Arabs in certain historic or Biblical contexts.

[edit] Moriah

• Biblical Hebrew מוריה m-w-r-y-h "chosen of/is the LORD"
• Biblical Greek Μώριας Mōrias
• Biblical Latin Moria
• Arabic مريّا Muriyyā or Murayyā (?)
• Tiberian Hebrew מוֹרִיָּה Môriyyāh
• Standard Hebrew מוֹרִיָּה Moriyya

In the Book of Genesis, Moriah is the name of the Temple Mount at a time when it is uninhabited. It is the place where, in the Jewish and Christian traditions, Abraham attempts the sacrifice of his son Isaac.

[edit] Jebus

• Hebrew יְבוּס Yevus "trodden down"
• Biblical Greek Ιεβούς Iebous
• Biblical Latin Iebus
• Arabic يبوس Yabūs

In the Old Testament, Jebus is the name of the Canaanite fortress on the Temple Mount during the time of King David. The name refers to the large threshing floor on the Temple Mount around which the fortress was built. David conquers Jebus and establishes Jerusalem on its place as the new Israelite capital. The threshing floor was subsequently purchased by David as the site of the Temple.

[edit] Zion

• Biblical Hebrew ציון ṣ-y-w-n "height"
• Biblical Greek Σιών Siōn
• Biblical Latin Sion
• Syriac ܨܗܝܘܢ Ṣehyôn
• Arabic صهيون Ṣuhyūn
• Tiberian Hebrew צִיּוֹן Ṣiyyôn
• Standard Hebrew צִיּוֹן Ẓiyyon

Zion or Sion is a traditional name for the Temple Mount and the city surrounding its slopes.

[edit] Ariel

• Biblical Hebrew אריאל ʼ-r-y-ʼ-l "Lion of God."
• Greek Αριήλ Ariēl
• Arabic اريئيل Arīʼīl
• Tiberian Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל ʼĂrîʼēl
• Standard Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל Ariʼel

Ariel is a poetic name for Jerusalem.

In modern times however, the name is more often used for the Israeli settlement of Ari'el in the West Bank, miles away from Jerusalem.

[edit] City of David

• Hebrew Ir David

[edit] Adonai-jireh

"The Lord sees", in Vulgate Latin Dominus videt. The original Hebrew has the future tense "shall see" and the tetragrammaton instead of Adonai. Name given by Abraham after God provided a goat to be sacrificed in place of Isaac. It is conventionally pronounced as "Adonai-yir'eh" because of Jewish religious rules against pronouncing the name tetragrammaton. In the opinion of some Rabbinic commentators the combination of Yir'eh (יראה) with Shalem (שלם) is the origin of the name Jerusalem (ירושלם).

[edit] Neveh Tzedek

"Oasis of Justice". As in the Book of Jeremiah 31:22.

[edit] Roman

[edit] Aelia Capitolina

• Latin Aelia Capitolina "Capitoline Hill of (the House of) Aelius"
• Arabic إيلياء, ʼĪlyāʼ
• Tiberian Hebrew אֵילִיָּה קַפִּיטוֹלִינָה ʼÊliyyāh Qappîṭôlînāh
• Standard Hebrew אֵילִיָּה קַפִּיטוֹלִינָה Eliyya Qappitolina

Aelia Capitolina was the Roman name given to Jerusalem after all Jews were expelled from the area. The name refers to Hadrian's family Aelius and the hill temple of Jupiter built on the remains of the Jewish Temple. Its Arabic counterpart, ʼĪlyāʼ was sometimes used in early times Middle Ages, as in some Hadith (Bukhari 1:6, 4:191; Muwatta 20:26), like Bayt ul-Maqdis (see below.)

[edit] Islamic

[edit] Al-Quds

• Arabic القدس al-Quds "The Holy Place", القدس الشريف al-Quds aš-Šarīf "The Noble Holy Place"
• Turkish Kudüs
• Azeri Qüds
• Tiberian Hebrew הַקֹּדֶשׁ HaKodesh "The Holy"
• Standard Hebrew הַקֹּדֶשׁ HaKodesh

Al-Quds is now the most common Arabic name for Jerusalem (used also by many cultures influenced by Islam), though it is not attested in the Arabic language until the Buyid-Fatimid period, over 300 years after the first Arab conquest of Jerusalem. The variant al-Quds aš-Šarīf has also been used, notably by the Ottomans. This name for the city is derived ultimately from the Hebrew title Ir Ha-Kodesh ("The City of Holiness") probably via an Aramaic form kudsha.

[edit] Bayt al-Maqdis

• Arabic بيت المقدس Bayt al-Maqdis, Bayt al-Muqaddas "House of the Holiness"

Bayt al-Maqdis or Bayt al-Muqaddas is a (nowadays less common) Arabic name for Jerusalem, a variant of the previous. It is the base from which nisbas (names based on the origin of the person named) are formed - hence the famous medieval geographer called both al-Maqdisi and al-Muqaddasi (born 946.) It is used in some Hadith (Sahih Muslim 234, 251). This name is derived from the Hebrew Beit Ha-Mikdash בית המקדש ("The Temple" literally "House of the Holiness") which denotes the Temple in Jerusalem not the city itself. "Al-Quds" is an abbreviation for this original name, which means that the Arabic name for Jerusalem makes no reference to Mohammed's trip to Heaven, but rather refers to the Jewish Temple.

[edit] al-Balat

• Arabic البلاط al-Balāṭ, a rare poetic name for Jerusalem, from Latin palatium "palace".

[edit] Ir Ha-Kodesh

Hebrew: "City of the Holy Place/Holiness"

[edit] Ir Ha-Kedoshah

Hebrew: "The Holy City"

[edit] Airport codes

JRS and LLJR were the IATA and ICAO airport codes for the Jerusalem International Airport.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The Name Jerusalem and its HistoryPDF

[edit] See also

• Names of the Levant