We find this term oftentimes subjoined. The Chaldeans, who were particularly possessed of the land of Ur, and were worshippers of fire, had the name of Urchani. Strabo limits this title to one branch of the Chaldeans, who were literati, and observers of the heavens; and even of these to one sect only. Εστι δε και των Χαλδαιων των Αστρονομικων γενη πλειω· και γαρ [[159]]Ορχηνοι τινες προσαγορευονται. But [[160]]Ptolemy speaks of them more truly as a nation; as does Pliny likewise. He mentions their stopping the course of the Euphrates, and diverting the stream into the channel of the Tigris. [[161]]Euphratem præclusere Orcheni, &c. nec nisi Pasitigri defertur in mare. There seem to have been particular colleges appropriated to the astronomers and priests in Chaldea, which were called Conah; as we may infer from [[162]]Ezra. He applies it to societies of his own priests and people; but it was a term borrowed from Chaldea.
The title of Urchan among the Gentile nations was appropriated to the God of fire, and his [[163]]priests; but was assumed by other persons. Some of the priests and princes among the Jews, after the return from captivity, took the name of Hyrcanus. Orchan, and Orchanes among the Persic and Tartar nations is very common at this [[164]]day; among whom the word Chan is ever current for a prince or king. Hence we read of Mangu Chan, Cublai Chan, Cingis Chan. Among some of these nations it is expressed Kon, Kong, and King. Monsieur de Lisle, speaking of the Chinese, says, [[165]]Les noms de King Che, ou Kong-Sse, signifient Cour de Prince en Chine. Can, ou Chan en langue Tartare signifie Roi, ou Empereur.
PETAH.
Of this Amonian term of honour I have taken notice in a treatise before. I have shewn, that it was to be found in many Egyptian [[166]]names, such as Petiphra, Petiphera, Petisonius, Petosiris, Petarbemis, Petubastus the Tanite, and Petesuccus, builder of the Labyrinth. Petes, called Peteos in Homer, the father of Mnestheus, the Athenian, is of the same original: [[167]]Τον γαρ Πετην, τον πατερα Μενεσθεως, του στρατευσαντος εις Τροιαν. φανερως Αιγυπτιον ὑπαρξαντα κτλ. All the great officers of the Babylonians and Persians took their names from some sacred title of the Sun. Herodotus mentions [[168]]Petazithes Magus, and [[169]]Patiramphes: the latter was charioteer to Xerxes in his expedition to Greece: but he was denominated from another office; for he was brother to Smerdis, and a Magus; which was a priest of the Sun. The term is sometimes subjoined, as in Atropatia, a province in [[170]]Media; which was so named, as we learn from Strabo, [[171]]απο του Ατροπατου ἡγεμονος. In the accounts of the Amazons likewise this word occurs. They are said to have been called Aorpata, or, according to the common reading in Herodotus, Oiorpata; which writer places them upon the Cimmerian Bosporus. [[172]]Τας δε Αμαζονας καλεουσι Σκυθαι Οιορπατα· δυναται δε το ουνομα τουτο κατ' Ἑλλαδα γλωσσαν ανδροκτονοι Οιορ γαρ καλεουσι τον ανδρα, το δε πατα κτεινειν. This etymology is founded upon a notion that the Amazons were a community of women, who killed every man, with whom they had any commerce, and yet subsisted as a people for ages. I shall hereafter speak of the nations under this title; for there were more than one: but all of one family; all colonies from Egypt. The title above was given them from their worship: for Oiorpata, or, as some MSS. have it, Aor-pata, is the same as [[173]]Petah Or, the priest of Orus; or, in a more lax sense, the votaries of that God. They were Ανδροκτονοι; for they sacrificed all strangers, whom fortune brought upon their coast: so that the whole Euxine sea, upon which they lived, was rendered infamous from their cruelty: but they did not take their name from this circumstance.
One of the Egyptian Deities was named Neith, and Neit; and analogous to the above her priests were styled [[174]]Pataneit. They were also named Sonchin, which signifies a priest of the Sun: for Son, San, Zan, are of the same signification; and Son-Chin is Ζανος ἱερευς. Proclus says, that it was the title of the priests; and particularly of him, who presided in the college of Neith at Saïs.
BEL and BAAL.
Bel, Bal, or Baal, is a Babylonish title, appropriated to the Sun; and made use of by the Amonians in other countries; particularly in Syria and Canaan. It signified Κυριος, or Lord, and is often compounded with other terms; as in Bel-Adon, Belorus, Bal-hamon, Belochus, Bel-on; (from which last came Bellona of the Romans) and also Baal-shamaim, the great Lord of the Heavens. This was a title given by the Syrians to the Sun: [[175]]Τον Ἡλιον Βεελσαμην καλουσιν, ὁ εστι παρα Φοινιξι Κυριος Ουρανου, Ζευς δε παρ' Ἑλλησι. We may, from hence, decypher the name of the Sun, as mentioned before by Damascius, who styles that Deity Bolathes: [[176]]Φοινικες και Συροι τον Κρονον Ηλ, και Βηλ, και Βολαθην επονομαζουσι. What he terms Bolathes is a compound of Bal-Ath, or Bal-Athis; the same as Atis, and Atish of Lydia, Persis, and other countries. Philo Biblius interprets it Zeus: Damascius supposed it to mean Cronus; as did likewise Theophilus: [[177]]Ενιοι μεν σεβονται τον Κρονον, και τουτον αυτον ονομαζουσι Βηλ, και Βαλ, μαλιστα ὁι οικουντες τα ανατολικα κλιματα. This diversity amounts to little: for I shall hereafter shew, that all the Grecian names of Deities, however appropriated, were originally titles of one God, and related to the Sun.
KEREN.
Keren signifies, in its original sense, a horn: but was always esteemed an emblem of power; and made use of as a title of sovereignty and puissance. Hence, it is common with the sacred writers to say [[178]]My horn shalt thou exalt—[[179]]his horn shall be exalted with honour—[[180]]the horn of Moab is cut off: and the Evangelist[[181]] speaks of Christ as a horn of salvation to the world. The Greeks often changed the nu final into sigma: hence, from keren they formed κερας, κερατος: and from thence they deduced the words κρατος, κρατερος: also κοιρανος, κρεων, and καρηνον; all relating to strength and eminence. Gerenius, Γερηνιος, applied to Nestor, is an Amonian term, and signifies a princely and venerable person. The Egyptian Crane, for its great services, was held in high honour, being sacred to the God of light, Abis (
אב אש