GR 1212          MEDO

H 0570           ה נ י ד מ

Concept of root : governing

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ה נ י ד מ

medina

administrative district

Related English words

none

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ה נ י ד מ

medina

administra-tive district

m . d

Greek

μέδω

médo

to govern, rule

m . d

 

 

Proto-Semitic *MEDINÀ < MADÀ" --- *MED-EIN Greek

 

 

A simple and clear similarity is seen in this entry and a common origin is rather obvious. In modern language a "medina" is also a State, such as "Medinat Israel" or "The State of Israel".

 

 

Note:
  • Greek. Modern Greek is the natural development of Classic Greek, but this word has simply gone out of use.

 

Note:
  • English uses the name Medina for the important Arab town "Al Madinah", the place where the profet Mohammed lived for many years during his long war with the inhabitants of Mecca. When Mohammed came to the town, it still had the name Yathrib and it is believed that it was named al-Madina, The City (of the Profet) after his arrival. This does not explain why Europeans all call it Medina, which is the Jewish name.

     

    Medina had an important number of Jews and was a prosperous town, in contrast with most of the surrounding Arab country. Mohammed, in conflict with his own tribesmen, especially the Meccans, was strongly attracted to the religion and wealth of the Jews with their exemplary succesful farming activities. Understandibly the Jews did not deviate one step from their religion. Upon their refusal Mohammed turned against them and chased them from their plantations. His anger has led to many strongly anti-Jewish passages in the Koran.

 

Note:
  • Hebrew. Some scholars see "medina" as composed" of the very common prefix "M-" in front of the root "D Y N" that says " to judge". With the same components another noun is indeed formed : "medanim = contention, strife". But a province, region or town is much more than just a place where people are judged. Essential is the political entity, that is administrated. So we rather stick to the similarity with Greek.

     

    There is support for this to be found in the word מ ד ה , "midà = tribute, tax". Imposing taxes is typically an essential factor in the governing of a region or "medinà". And the root of both words is the same.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. The word of this entry is also found in Aramaic " מ ד י נ ת א, medintà = province, region, city" and the somewhat different Syriac " מ ד ת א, medità = city". The Arabic name of the important town "Al Madinah" is considered a loanword from Aramaic, though we do not see why. This Arabic word is not similar to Aramaic, but to Hebrew!

     

    Thus there is a quite different explanation. As already mentioned, there were many Jews in this region of Arabia, due to the various conquests of Israel by Assyrians and Baylonians and the following diaspora of the Jewish people. They prospered very much thanks to their abilities in agriculture. Whem Muhammad the Prophet had elaborated his new religion, the Islam, to an important extent on the basis of the Hebrew Bible, he wanted their support . The Jews did not believe in the new religion and refused to convert. Muhammad expressed his fierce disapproval in the text of the Koran and killed all Jews. Anyhow the name of the town remained, with its Hebrew origin.

     

    Proto-Semitic may have used the same word found in Hebrew, and then with a root "* מ ד ה, M D H(accentuated vowel)".

 

 

 

 
"...the town, to which was given the name Babel, because it was there that the Lord confused the language of all the world on the face of which He dispersed them. GENESIS 11,9"
 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 06/11/2012 at 10.41.45