ch occurs very often in composition, as in Ad-Or, Ad-On;
from whence was formed Adorus, Adon, and Adonis. It is sometimes found
compounded with itself; and was thus made use of for a supreme title, with
which both Deities and kings were honoured. We read of Hadad, king of
[86]Edom: and there was another of the same name at Damascus, whose son and
successor was styled [87]Benhadad. According to Nicolaus Damascenus, the
kings of Syria, for nine generations, had the name of [88]Adad. There-was a
prince Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of [89]Zobah: and Hadoram, son of the
king of [90]Hamath. The God Rimmon was styled Adad: and mention is made by
the Prophet of the mourning of Adad Rimmon in the valley of [91]Megiddo.
The feminine of it was Ada; of which title mention is made by Plutarch in
speaking of a [92]queen of Caria. It was a sacred title, and appropriated
by the Babylonians to their chief [93]Goddess. Among all the eastern
nations Ad was a peculiar title, and was originally conferred upon the Sun:
and, if we may credit Macrobius, it signified _One_, and was so interpreted
by the Assyrians: [94]Deo, quem summum maximumque venerantur, Adad nomen
dederunt. Ejus nominis interpretatio significat unus. Hunc ergo ut
potissimum adorant Deum.--Simulacrum Adad insigne cernitur radiis
inclinatis. I suspect that Macrobius, in his representation, has mistaken
the cardinal number for the ordinal; and that what he renders _one_ should
be _first_, or _chief_. We find that it was a sacred title; and, when
single, it was conferred upon a Babylonish Deity: but, when repeated, it
must denote greater excellence: for the Amonians generally formed their
superlative by doubling the positive: thus Rab was great; Rabrab signified
very great. It is, indeed, plain from the account, that it must have been a
superlative; for he says it was designed to represent what was esteemed
summum maximumque, the most eminent and great. I should, therefore, think
that Adad, in its primitive sense, signified [Greek: protos], and [Greek:
proteuon]: and, in a secondary meaning, it denoted a chief, or prince. We
may by these means rectify a mistake in Philo, who makes Sanchoniathon say,
that Adodus of Phenicia was king of the country. He renders the name,
Adodus: but we know, for certain, that it was expressed Adad, or Adadus, in
Edom, Syria, and Canaan. He, moreover, makes him [Greek: basileus Theon],
King of the Gods: but, it is plain, that the word Adad is a compou