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The words יערי ארגים in 2 Samuel 21:19 are sometimes claimed to be a two-word name. (For example the KJV translates them that way.) Are there any other names in the Tanakh like this, which consist of two words with a space (or dash) between them?

There are lots of theophoric names like אלימלך composed of a few words fused together, but these are not what I am looking for.

There are also several names like בת שבע or בן הדד which start with "ben-" or "bat-". I am excluding these as well.

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    Yesss I was wondering this myself like 2 days ago...
    – Chani
    Commented Nov 13 at 10:02

1 Answer 1

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Disclaimer: This list is not comprehensive. I'll update with more names suggested in the comments or that I have come across.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions!


1 But see here for a different interpretation.

2 Cf. Hoshea 2:3.

3 The cuneiform name is also composed of multiple words.

4 Assuming Tzophnat Pa'aneach is a name rather than an official title of sorts.

5 Some propose that this was a title for various individuals. As a side-note, I recall once seeing a suggestion somewhere that this is where Rabbi Chiya's nickname for Rav, בר פחתי (Bar Pachti), comes from.

6 It's not clear in context whether this is a toponym or a personal name.

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    @c0d3rman yes, Rashi doesn't interpret this part of the verse in the plain sense. He viewed the words as a phrase referring to the people of Israel, or at least a part of them. Most of the other commentators, however, understand that Sha'ar Yeshuv was the name of Yeshuayahu's son (e.g. Malbim, Radak, Ibn Ezra).
    – Harel13
    Commented Nov 13 at 10:52
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    עבד-אדום הגתי, עבד-מלך הכושי
    – Yø-c Ro
    Commented Nov 13 at 11:09
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    sefaria.org.il/Isaiah.9.5?lang=he?
    – Joel K
    Commented Nov 13 at 11:19
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    Also אִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת
    – b a
    Commented Nov 13 at 11:45
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    פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֛רַע and צָֽפְנַ֣ת פַּעְנֵ֒חַ֒ Genesis 41:45 Commented Nov 13 at 21:01

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