the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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Bible Encyclopedias
Rahab (2)
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia
Originally a mythical name designating the abyss or the sea; subsequently applied to Egypt. Job 9:13 and 26:12 indicate that it is an alternative for "Tiamat," the Babylonian name of the dragon of darkness and chaos; Psalms 89:9 also indicates that "Rahab" is a name applied to the sea-monster, the dragon. According to a sentence preserved in the Talmud, "Rahab" is the name of the demon, the ruler of the sea ("Sar shel Yam"; B. B. 74b). It is used as a designation for Egypt in Psalms 87:4 and Isaiah 30:7. Similarly, in Isaiah 51:9, which alludes to the exodus from Egypt, the destruction of Pharaoh is described as a smiting of the great sea-monster Rahab or the dragon Tannin. The juxtaposition of "Rahab" and "Tannin" in this passageexplains why "Rahab" was used as a designation for Egypt, which was otherwise called "Tannin" (see Ezekiel 29:3, Hebr.). It must be noted that the Jewish exegetes deprived the word "Rahab" of its mythological character, and explained it as merely an equivalent for "arrogance," "noise," or "tumult"�applied both to the roaring of the sea and to the arrogant noisiness and proud boasting of the Egyptians (comp. Abraham ibn Ezra on Psalms 87:4 and 89:9).
- Cheyne and Black, Encyc. Bibl.;
- Smith, Dict. Bible;
- Gunkel, Sch�pfung und Chaos, pp. 30-40, G�ttingen, 1895.
These files are public domain.
Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Rahab (2)'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​tje/​r/rahab-2.html. 1901.