I. Name
Earth (ארץ) is one of the most common words in the OT with more than 2500 occurrences. The word—and its etymological cognates—is widely attested in other Semitic languages, e. g. arṣ in Ugaritic and Phoenician, ʾr in Arabic, ʾrq or ʾrʿ in Aramaic and erṣetu in Akkadian. The Sumerian equivalent is ki or uraš; a corresponding Hittite word can be seen in daganzipa, while in Greek we find γή or γαῖα.
II. Identity
As is also the case with Heaven, references to Earth as a separate goddess receivi…