> > > > > > > > Minamoon pointed this out to me in Biblical Religion class to day.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Genesis 49:14
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Issachar is a stong a.s.s,
> > > > > > > > crouching between the sheep folds
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > And another Rinkworks mystery is laid to rest.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Speed'itfitshimsowelltoo'ball
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Ahem.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > "I shall accept no bull from thy house." Ps. 50:9
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Iss "Next!" achar
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Okay, well, I can accept that the translations say, "Issachar is a strong-boned [loyal beast=donkey] hunkered between the campfires," but the part that seems troublesome for him is the next phrase: "When he sees how good is his resting place, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor."
> > > > > >
> > > > > > And I say, O woe art thou, Issachar! I weep for thee; always the suffering servant?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Wolfspirit
> > > > >
> > > > > My Bible, The Revised Standard Version which is
> > > > > "Translated from the original tongues being the version set forth A.D. 1611, Revised A.D. 1881-1885 and A.D. 1901 Compared with the Most Ancient Authorities and Revised A.D. 1946-1952" has the strong a.s.s translation.
> > > > >
> > > > > Gen 49:14-15
> > > > > Issachar is a strong a.s.s,
> > > > > crouching between the sheepfolds;
> > > > > He saw that a resting place was good,
> > > > > and that the land was pleasant;
> > > > > So he bowed his shoulder to bear,
> > > > > and became a slave at forced labor
> > > > >
> > > > > Issachar is one of the sons of Jacob, and a brother to Joseph (the one that was sold to slaver by his brother and became right hand man to Pharaoh). This bit of scripture is from a point when Jacob is predicting his sons futures. Looks like what goes around comes around for the Biblical Issachar. He delivered his brother into bondage and into bondage he shall be delivered.
> > > > >
> > > > > Another Issachar passage.
> > > > >
> > > > > Gen 46: 13
> > > > >
> > > > > The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron.
> > > > >
> > > > > Speed'Joseph'ball
> > > >
> > > > I see. Thank you for the Biblical rehash. As you seem to have taken the yoke of explanation uponst thineself, Speedy, wouldst care to explicate why Issachar, fully cognizant oft the implications of that name thereto -- yea, the ass allusion; the burdening; and the juicy slavery bit -- nonetheless, he chose to retain "Issachar" as his nom-de-plume? Canst thou fathom the heart of true and patient expectation? Verily he will say it not, but this I do: dost recognize that mayhap those who taketh aspect of humble servitude toward their fellow-man, bringeth greater glory to Him in heaven; ere naught the vain posturings of all the false prophets of doom...
> > > >
> > > > Wolf "Well that sure woke me up!" spirit
> > >
> > > Now, just think up about 700 more pages like that and you would have your own scriptures!!! The Gospel According to Wolfspirit...hmmm, intersesting possibilities.
> > >
> > > Ti'in the Big Inning'cia
> >
> > The next thing you know, Bibical will be on the dialectizer. Come to think of it, that's not a bad idea. Hey! Did you hear that! I had an idea!
> > Howard
>
> Just relax, I'm sure it will pass...
>
> Ticia

In answere to Wolfspirit, the stuff about being a slave getting you closer to Heaven is part of the Bible. (The first shall be last, and the last shall be first) But I think Issachar may have chossen his name because it is also the name of one of the Twelve Tribes of Isreal (the tribes are named after the 12 children of Jacob). I do not know is Iss knew of the 'strong a.s.s' passage or not, but the Twelve Tribes of Isreal are a very important bit of Jewish faith, and by extention Christian faith, though not as important. Jewish faith is much more, how to put this, er, encloused. It is much more difficult for a non-Jewish person to join the faith than it is for a non-Catholic or a non-Christian to join most of the denomonations. This really began when St. Paul said that it was not a necessity for a Christian to first be a Jew.
Christians belive faith in God makes them one of the Choosen People. For Jews the bloodline is also an important aspect. Ofcourse they can not say that any one has no Hebrew blood in them due to the 'Lost Tribes of Isreal', 11 of the 12 dissapered and no one knows what happened to them. Most likely they were assimilated into other cultures, so that anyone on earth may be a decendant of one of the lost tribes. The tribe of Issachar is on of the Lost Tribes, so perhappes Issachar was attracted to the name for that reason.

Also it is one of the cooler sounding names. Some of the other Tribes' names are regular common names today, like Benjamin, and just wouldn't be as cool.

Whatever reason Issachar chose his name, I like it.

Speed'didthatmakesense?'ball