From The Alpha and the Omega - Volume III
by Jim A. Cornwell, Copyright © July 20, 2002, all rights reserved "Volume III - The First Month - Star Names for Eridanus"
In the First Month of Aries

Star Names of Eridanus
a Achernar is an Arabic word for the "river's end."    Also known as "the after part of the river," or "end of the river."    This star is not visible to observers in the northern latitudes because of the extreme celestial latitude covered by the constellation.

• Arabic Akhir an-Nahr, "End of the river."
  • End.
    • Hebrew 'achar, akh-ar', from Heb. 'achar, aw-khar', a primary root to loiter (i.e. be behind), thus properly the hind part, gen. used as an adv. or conj., after (in various senses), after, end.
  • River.
    • Hebrew nahar, naw-hawr', from Heb. nahar, naw-har', a primary root to sparkle, i.e. (fig.) be cheerful, hence (from the sheen of a running stream) to flow, i.e. (fig.) assemble, flow (together), be lightened, thus a stream (including the sea, especially the Nile, Euphrates, etc.), fig. prosperity, flood, river.
• In "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 130 "a Achernar, the after part of the river (mouth of the river)."
  • Achernar "(Ruler) After/of Part of the River (of Fire)."    [Naham 1:5-6 "... his fury is poured out like fire, ..." and 2 Thess. 1:7-8 "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, ..."].
• Other names for Achernar: Ahir al Nahr, Ar'charnar, E'nar, A'carnar, A'chenar.

b Cursa or Cursa', is Arabic for the "footstool of the giant."

• Arabic Al-Kursi, "The chair."
  • Also called "chair/footstool of Orion."
  • Sumerian guzza: throne; chair.
    • Sumerian ^(giš)gu-za: chair (cf., guzza).
  • Seat, Stool, Throne.
    • Hebrew kiççe', kis-say', or kiççeh, kis-say', from Heb. kaçah, kaw-saw', a primary root properly to plump, i.e. fill up hollows, by implication to cover (for clothing or secrecy), thus properly covered, i.e. a throne (as canopied), seat, stool, throne.
  • Footstool.
    • Hebrew hadom, had-ome', from an unused root meaning to stamp upon, a footstool, [foot-]stool.
    • Hebrew kebesh, keh'-besh, from Heb. kabash, kaw-bash', a primary root to tread down, hence negative to disregard, positive to conquer, subjugate, violate, thus a footstool (as trodden upon), footstool.
    • One source claims that the Hebrew keves (kebesh), and the Greek hypopodion, used in Scripture both literally (2 Chronicles 9:18) and figuratively: of the earth (Isa. 66:1, Matt. 5:35); of the Temple (Lam. 2:1), of the ark (Psalm 99:5) and of subjection, of heathen enemies by the messianic king (Psalm 110:1, Luke 20:43, Acts 2:35).
• In "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 130 "b Cursa, bent down (source of the river) at Orion."
• Other names for Cursa: Dhalim', Kursa, Thalim', Al Thalim.
  • In "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 107 "Arabic Ruchba, the enthroned, Chaldee Dat al cursa."
  • In the "Gospel of the Stars," by Joseph Seiss, page 94 "Ruchbah, Dat al Cursa, the Enthroned, the Seated."

g Zurak, Zau'rak or Zau'rac, is a modern name from the Arabic for "boat" as in the river.

• Arabic Az-Zawraq, "The boat."
  • Hebrew 'abarah, ab-aw-raw', from Heb. 'abar, aw-bar', a primary root to cross over, thus a crossing-place, ferry, plain [from the marg.].
• Some sources claim this is "going forth, flowing on (to the lower regions of the south)."
  • In "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 130 "g Zourac (Arabic) flowing, uplifted fast (second bend of the river)."
    • Hebrew zerach, zeh'-rakh, from Heb. zarach, zaw-rakh', a primary root properly to irradiate (or shoot forth beams), i.e. to rise (as the sun), spec. to appear (as a sympton of leprosy), arise, rise (up), as soon as it is up, thus a rising of light, rising.
    • Flowing.
      • Hebrew zuwb, zoob, a primary root to flow freely (as water), i.e. (spec.) to have a (sexual) flux, fig. to waste away, also to overflow, flow, gush out, have a (running) issue, pine away, run.
      • Hebrew nahar, naw-hawr', from Heb. nahar, naw-har', a primary root to sparkle, i.e. (fig.) be cheerful, hence (from the sheen of a running stream) to flow, i.e. (fig.) assemble, flow (together), be lightened, thus a stream (including the sea, especially the Nile, Euphrates, etc.), fig. prosperity, flood, river.
• Other names for Zurak: Zaurack.

d Rana (unnamed).

• This is the technical term for "frog," see notes in the Pisces section under Cetus star names b Diphda.
  • Sometimes called Diphda, which means "second frog" in Arabic, possibly representing a second group of demonic false Christs.
  • Arabic Ad-Difdi, "The frog."
  • Frogs.
    • Hebrew tsephardea', tsef-ar-day'-ah, from Heb. tsephar, tsaw-far', to skip, thus a swamp, a marsh-leaper, frog.
    • Greek batrachos, bat'-rakh-os.

z Zibal an Arabic term for "ostriches," was literally "the crying bird," for it means song.

• Ostriches.
  • Hebrew ya'en, yaw-ane', from the same as Heb. ya'an, yah'-an, from an unused root meaning to pay attention, properly to heed, thus the ostrich (probably from its answering cry), ostrich.
• Lamentations of Jeremiah 4:3 "Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness."    As to night cries of "owls" Job 30:29 thought ostriches were heartless, as did Micah 1:8 linked the ostrich with desolation.
• Job 39:13 "Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich (rather "the wing of the ostrich hen")?"    39:14 Which leaveth her eggs in the earth (guided by instinct from God), and warmeth them in dust,    39:15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.    39:16 She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not her's: her labour is in vain without fear;    39:17 Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding (Arab proverb "foolish as an ostrich").    39:18 What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.
• Bes was the worshipped Egyptian guardian god of music and revelry.    A plump, bandy-legged, hairy, rude dwarf.    He was a foreign god from the land of Punt (Libya).    A buffoon, who had a leopard skin tied around his shoulders and an ostrich feather in his hair.    In the Middle East he was worshipped in Canaan and Carthage and was a professional buffoon and a grotesque little creature; an obese dwarf, bearded with a leopard-skin cloak.

h Azha or Azha', and means "ostrich nest."

• Arabic Al-Udhi, "hatching place."
  • Nest.
    • Hebrew qen, kane, contr. from Heb. qanan, kaw-nan', a primary root to erect, to nestle, i.e. build or occupy as a nest, make a nest, thus a nest (as fixed), sometimes includes the nestlings, fig. a chamber or dwelling, nest, room.
• Note for the word Al Azha.
  • In "The Witness of the Stars," by E.W. Bullinger, page 130 "Other names: Ozha, the going forth."

J or q Acamar or A'camar, is a modern transliteration of the Arabic term for "river's end."    This star is a triple system with the brightest member visible as a yellow dwarf to the naked eye and two extremely faint companions, one of which is a red dwarf and the other a white dwarf.

• It once was at the rivers end or "end of the river," before Achernar was added.
• Other names for Acamar: Anchat, Ainayat al Nahr, Al Anchat' al Nahr.

o1 Beid', means "eggs" as in ostrich.

• Arabic Al-Baid, or Baid'.
• Egg, Eggs.
  • Hebrew beytsah, bay-tsaw', from the same Heb. buwts, boots, from an unused root (of the same form) meaning to bleach, be white, thus an egg (from its whiteness), egg.
  • Hebrew challamuwth, khal-law-mooth', from Heb. chalam, khaw-lam', a primary root properly to bind firmly, i.e. (by implication) to be (causat. to make) plump, thus (in the sense of insipidity), probably purslain, egg.

o2 Keid', means "broken egg shell."

• Arabic Al-Qaid, meaning "The broken egg shells."
• Other names Ki'ed, ka'id.
• Hebrew 'ephroach, ef-ro'-akh, from the Heb. parach, paw-rakh', in the sense of bursting the shell, the brood of a bird - young (one).

t2 Eri (no name).

• One source calls this Anget'enar, means "curve of the river."
• Arabic 'Arjat an-Nahr.
• Included in this group are the following stars: t1, t3, t4, t5, t6, t7, t8, and t9, which continue after the curve.

e Theemim'.

n (nu), and n2 may be called Beemin.

u1-4 (upsilon) may also be called Bee'min, or Bee'mun.

53 Sceptrum, which is west of the boundaries of the modern constellation along with 54.

Other stars not shown here are l, w, m, p, d, 41, g, e, i, s, k, f, and c to round out the 32 stars of Eridanus.


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    This file updated on December 31, 2006.
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