Approaching the question of Purim historically, Haupt notes that the book of Esther was composed during the reign of Judas Maccabeus, and he correlates the festival to the Babylonian New Year. He discusses the origin of the title “purim” from various languages, ultimately deciding on the Old Persian explanation. Moving forward, Haupt brings the festival into the more modern period, showing how the ancient tradition continues to exist. A useful resource for anyone interested in turn-of-the-century thought on the origins of an enigmatic biblical festival, this contribution is both readable to the layperson and scholarly as well.
The cuneiform terms for sport introduce these studies on a variety of topics dealing with Akkadian and Sumerian lexicography. Other essays include an exploration of a cuneiform description of a volcanic eruption, the Assyrian words pâtu (blowy), pâţu (brim), miţpânu (longbow), talîmu (full brother), budulxu (bdellium), zâzu (halve), marçu (sick and arduous), xamâdu (to help), napšu (lust), and kamâsu, kanâšu, and qamâçu. Semitic and Classical descriptions of naphtha and asphalt, and a study of the cuneiform name of the home of ‘Omar Khayyâm are included. Sumerian lexicography is not neglected, with explorations of nimur (salt, smoke, salt-swamp), and azalak (fuller).
Paul Haupt argues for the existence of an e-vowel in Ugaritic, a vowel whose existence is difficult to prove in the consonant-free script of Semitic language.
Presenting an original translation with introduction and commentary as well as an edited Hebrew text along with critical notes, this is an excellent resource for the study of the book of Nahum, both for the layperson and the scholar.
This work is a compilation of two articles by Professor Haupt on the book of Micah. Together, these articles provide an excellent resource for the study of the book of Micah, both for the layperson and the scholar.
This work is a compilation of three articles by Professor Haupt on the Book of Canticles, also known as the Song of Songs. It is an excellent resource for study, both for the layperson and the scholar.