2006-08-31 08:14:13 · 4 answers · asked by butnozzle 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Though the biblical reference is brief it contains some negative clues
1) Nimrod is credited with establishing empires in Mesopotamia - in Babylon, Assyria, etc. As begins to become clear in the story of the tower of "Babel" (Hebrew word for "Babylon") these kingdoms were viewed negatively, as trying to establish human rule in rebellion against God.
2) Nimrod is listed in the line of Ham, in the midst of a whole group of people and nations portrayed as rebellious and under a curse.
3) The name Nimrod appears to be related to a Hebrew word meaning "rebel"
4) The description as "mighty hunter" here seems to parallel the description of the story of the 'sons of men' and the Nephilim (giants) in Genesis 6, which it is clear in context is not just a portrayal of human might, but of REBELLIOUS human might (people going their own way instead of serving God)... a theme that begins with the story of Cain and his descendants in Genesis 5 (who likewise begin by building a CITY and society, impressive but rebellious and filled with violence).
Based on all this, later tradition portrays Nimrod as not only 'mighty', but as a WICKED, rebellious ruler and tyrant. (Thus in 16th century English "nimrod" came to be used as a word for "tyrant".)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimrod_(king)#Traditions_and_legends
2006-09-01 07:18:11 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Main Entry: Nim·rod
Pronunciation: 'nim-"räd
Function: noun
Etymology: Hebrew NimrOdh
1 : a descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty hunter and a king of Shinar
2 not capitalized : HUNTER
3 not capitalized, slang : IDIOT, JERK
I would say the latter part of the definitioniswhy it is not good to call someone a nimrod
2006-08-31 08:18:07 · answer #2 · answered by girlluvspule 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
* Nimrod (king) or Nemrod, a Syrian/Babylonian (Mesopotamian) king mentioned several times in the Bible
* Pseudonym of Charles James Apperley (1777-1843), English sportsman and author
* Nimrod Kamer, an Israeli filmmaker and journalist.
* Nimrod Fortress, in Golan Heights
* Nimrod, Minnesota
* Nimrod, Oregon
* Mount Nimrod, in Maungati, New Zealand
* Hawker Nimrod, a 1930s British fighter aircraft
* Hawker-Siddeley Nimrod, Royal Air Force maritime patrol aircraft now supported by BAE Systems
* Nimrod - A Hunter
* Nimrod (ship), the ship used by Ernest Shackleton during his 1908 Antarctic expedition
* The 9th variation in the composition Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar
* Nimrod (album), an album by Green Day
* Nimrod (Doctor Who), a villain in Doctor Who audio plays
* Nimrod (comics), a fictional robot mutant hunter originating from Marvel Comics Uncanny X-Men
* Nimrod (dracula), a vampire from the black-and-white Marvel Comics Dracula Lives! series
* Nimrod (computing), early computer to play Nim
* Nimrod (distributed computing), tools for distributed parametric modelling
* Nimrod (font), a serif typeface and font designed for early laser printing
* A song by Pixies called Nimrod's Son
* Nimrod Gaunt, a character from Philip Kerr's Children of the Lamp
* Nimrod (slang), a silly or foolish person
2006-08-31 08:22:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I neve heard it as a bad thing. It means foreman or boss.
2006-08-31 08:29:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋