Lukasz Tobola, «The Divine Name Chemosh: A New Etymological Proposal», Vol. 94 (2013) 573-575
This short note discusses the possible etymology of the divine name Chemosh. It seems to be derived from the same root as the rare adjective kummusu, synonymous with the Akkadian divine epithet rašbu, 'awesome'. Consequently, the name of the god Chemosh can be interpreted as 'Redoubtable'.
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574 ÅUKASZ TOBOÅA
H. P. Müller 8 derives the name Chemosh from the root kanÄÅ¡u, kamÄÅ¡u,
“to subdue†and interprets it as a substantive participle (qaá¹á¹il) or verbal ad-
jective (qaá¹á¹ul), both meaning “conquerorâ€. Unfortunately, the variant
kamÄÅ¡u for kanÄÅ¡u, “to subdue†is not attested in Semitic lexicography.
Müller probably confused it with kanÄÅ¡u being a variant of kamÄÅ¡u, “to
gather†9. His interpretation should therefore be abandoned 10.
In view of all these etymological uncertainties, it is not surprising that
E. Lipiński assumes that the precise meaning of the name Chemosh remains
unknown. To be sure, he cites the Neo-Assyrian equation GUD, “bull†=
Ka-mu-uš = dKa-mu-uš, but adds a proviso to the effect that the bull figure
was a very popular divine symbol in the Ancient Near East 11. However,
one ought to pay closer attention to one of the Neo-Assyrian lexical lists of
synonyms (K. 52 = K. 2032 + 8490 = K. 14 789) 12, containing the well-
known divine epithet ra-aš-bu, “redoubtable, awesome†13, being equated
with an enigmatic ku-um-mu-su 14, which is mentioned only in this list. It
can be read as kummusu or kummušu 15 and reflects an intensive adjectival
formation 16. Its precise meaning is difficult to determine. In the same lexical
list the epithet rašubbu (derived from the same root as rašbu) is linked with
šarḫu, “proud, splendid†17, used frequently in the context of the divine
8
H.P. MÃœLLER, “Chemoshâ€, Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible
(eds. K. VAN DER TOORN – B. BECKING – P.W. HORST) (Leiden 1999) 186-188.
9
Compare, CAD 148, where the separate variant kanÄÅ¡u referring to ka-
mašu A “to gather†is placed directly below the ending of the entry concern-
ing kanÄÅ¡u “to submit to an overlord, a deityâ€. See also, AhW 1, 436; CDA,
145. For a slightly different lexicographic identification see AhW 1, 435,
where the root kanÄÅ¡u, “sich beugen, sich unterwerfenâ€, is linked with
kamÄÅ¡u B, “sich beugen, knien†(AhW 1 431).
10
He cites also the Old South Arabian root kms1 meaning “humiliate,
crushâ€, apparently ignoring the chronological, geographical and linguistic
distance between Moabite and ancient South Arabian languages.
11
LIPIŃSKI, On the Skirts of Canaan in the Iron Age, 322.
12
B. MEISSNER, “Beiträge zum assyrischen Wörterbuch, Iâ€, AJSLL 47
(1931) 145-236 (especially 213-215).
13
Compare, AhW 2, 961; CAD R, 191-192; CDA, 300.
14
See also CAD K, 534. The identically written form ku-um-mu-su is at-
tested in Gilgamesh epic tablet vii l. 194. However, this example seems to be
the passive form of kamÄÅ¡u “to gather†and describes the crowns being “stowed
awayâ€. See A.R. GEORGE, The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic. Introduction, Crit-
ical Edition and Cuneiform Texts (Oxford 2003) I, 644-645; II, 850.
15
West Semitic š is regularly rendered by s in Neo-Assyrian. See, LIPIŃSKI,
Semitic Languages, 123, 126-127, 130.
16
LIPIŃSKI, Semitic Languages, 213-214.
17
B. MEISSNER, “Beiträge zum assyrischen Wörterbuch, Iâ€, 215.