NAMES AND THEIR MEANINGS

What passes for a word we call a child at birth goes to bear ramifications that propel the fate of that child within the discretionary limits of destiny. What may seem a careless ‘fault’ or sheer ‘lucky break’ might in actual fact be mere destiny fulfilled. Fulfillment by way of extension transcends centuries through congenital ascendancy as well as an accompaniment of fate that attends one to accomplish feats beyond human discernment.

There is more to a name than meets the eye. A simple, nice word such as ‘Joseph’ (add one), added one unlikely child to the family, at the expense of the hitherto barren asker. The name Joseph was dropped from the tribes of Israel: two offshoot names ‘Ephraim’ and ‘Manasseh’ were added in extended fulfilled.

The wise father changed the accursed name ‘Ben-noa’ (son of my sorrow), bestowed by the dying mum, to ‘Benjamin’(son of the south/son of my right hand).This name proved too true within a few generations when all eleven tribes of Israel ganged up against this single tribe in judgment for its evil. Despite its wrongful stance in a war of blame, the Benjamites single-handedly defeated the combined tribes with prolific skills as the ‘right hand’ of that race. Each warrior was an unusually skilled ambidexter that could take a hair’s breath from point blank range.

The reflexive name ‘Moses’ (I took him out of the water) came with introspective qualities that distinguished the bearer from the sea of people. His orientation was of the finest standards the then world knew. The wisest philosophers as teachers, conducive environment for child upbringing afforded vantage opportunity to cultivate the finest gentlemanly manners and a balanced disposition, irrespective of the corrupting influences of the surrounding perverse society. Fate accomplished the essence of that name, raising the child in its mother’s humble hands early and then passing on the beneficiary unto her the benefactor to be refined in grandeur and to be taught to fare naturally in splendor.

‘There was not a man as humble as Moses on the face of the earth.’

Striking was the fulfillment of the name ‘Issachar’ (hire). Because an unloved wife lacked access to her husband who had been usurped by a prettier sister as second wife, an herb believed to be invaluable for fertility which her son brought home was to be the price for a one-night stand with her husband. Noteworthy of mention is the lot of ‘Issachar’ when Israel blessed his sons on his deathbed. An early generation acquired the status of serfs due to their delight in the dignity of labor, regardless of the price that ought to be paid.

‘Issachar is an ass’s colt couched between two burdens. He saw that the land was good and bowed his back unto forced labor’

The name Kunta Kinte (the only thing greater than yourself), in the movie, ‘Roots’ challenged his ‘manhood teacher’ who was supposed to be the greatest thing in a child’s life until then. The child grew into an overachiever despite impossible conditions that took him through slave trade, chopped leg, sale of an only child: his descendant was to return in his place, to the place of his capture, in fulfillment of the chicken-sacrifice of a loving father for his return. His was the only returnee story traced back through medieval generations to Africa. He was the only thing that defied the four century long macabre debacle—slave trade.

The Good Book, though, abounds with names attached to high destiny. Top among these include:
MALE FEMALE

1. BENAIAH ESTHER
2. DANIEL MARY
3. DAVID RUTH
4. JOSIAH DORCAS
5. THEOPHILUS RAHAB
6. JOHN ABIGAIL
7. PAUL ELIZABETH
8. PETER DEBORAH
9. STEPHEN NAOMI
10. MICHAEL/JOSHUA MATHA