Letter 85

To the same person. You long to know the interpretations of the patriarchs' names. And so I shall tell them to you. Reuben is interpreted "a seeing son"; Simeon, "obedience to God"; Levi, "a joining," that is, one cleaving to God and drawing near to him; Judah, "confession" [also "thanksgiving"]; Issachar, "the reward of the holy ones"; Zebulun, "the setting of the night" [the west]; Joseph, "the Lord's addition"; Benjamin, "son of the right hand"; Dan, "judgment"; Naphtali, "an outstretched stock," that is, prayer; Gad, "easily attaining," that is, one who obtains; Asher, "wealth," or "blessedness."

Ποθεῖς γνῶναι τὰς τῶν πατριαρχικῶν ὀνομάτων ἑρμηνείας. Καὶ δὴ λέξω σοι ταύτας. Ῥουβὴν ἑρμηνεύεται, ὁρῶν υἱός· Συμεὼν δὲ, ὑπακοὴ Θεοῦ· Λευΐ, πολλῆθς, τουτέστι Θεῷ προσκολλώμενος, καὶ προσχωρίζων· Ἰούδας, ἐξομολόγησις· Ἰσσάχαρ, μισθὸς ἁγίων· Ζαβουλών, δύσις νυκτερίας· Ἰωσήφ, Κυρίου προσθήκη· Βενιαμίν, υἱὸς δεξιᾶς· Δάν, κρίσις· Νεφθαλίμ, ἀτειμένον στέλεχος, ἤτοι προσευχή· Γάδ, εὐεπίτευκτος, ἤγουν τυγχάνων· Ἀσήρ, πλοῦτος, ἢ μακαρισμός.