Explorations in Bible lands during the 19th century - H. V. Hilprecht

736 EXPLORATIONS IN BIBLE LANDS
and of 'Athtar." 1
We have everv reason to believe that here
II is only the true name of Motab-Natiyan,'-' as the special
gods of Harim were rather Wadd and Yada'a-sumhu. And
in a Qatabanian inscription 3 are named in succession ' Athtar
— the Riser,
lAmm^ Niswar (or Ndsawir, comp. Nasr
above), and // Fakhr (or Fukhr), the last
named to be translated
perhaps as " God of the Universe," or else (according
to North Arabian meaning of fakhr) " God of Fame."
Since, moreover, the language and religion of the inhabitants
of Sam'al (Senjirli) show remarkable points of contact
with those of Midian, the worship of El, as whose priest
appears Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, was probably
brought from there to both Sam'al and Harim. Also the
designation of God as " the Rock " [Zilr) is found among
the Midianites as well as in the proper names of the inscriptions
from Sam'al and Harim, 4
its
a fact of deep significance in
bearing upon the history of Old Testament religion and
the fidelity of Old Testament tradition.
But before we turn from the South Arabian inscriptions
to the Israelites and the Old Testament, let us mention
three other sources for
the geography and ethnology of ancient
Arabia.
i. The statements of the ancient classic writers (Strabo,
Pliny, the author of Periplus Maris Erythr