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  • From: "Jack Kilmon" <jkilmon AT historian.net>
  • To: "Gary Hedrick" <gary AT cjf.org>, <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc:
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] YHVH Derivation
  • Date: Tue, 3 May 2005 22:58:14 -0500


----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary Hedrick" <gary AT cjf.org>
To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 9:53 PM
Subject: [b-hebrew] YHVH Derivation


Is there any etymological connection between the Tetragrammaton
and the idea of "breathing" or "breath"? The Siddur says, "The breathing of
all life praises thy Name," and I'm wondering if this might be more than
merely a platitude. Could there be an actual connection between YHVH and
"breath"?

First, Gary, there is no "V." There was no vav in Biblical Hebrew. I don't think there is a connection between yhwh and "breath."
Isn't it possible that yhwh is just what it is, the hiph'il of hwh taken
from a TITLE phrase as a hypocoristicon of EL...
HYH is Hebrew but the roots being discussed HWH is NOT...it is Aramaic. A
Hiph'il form of HYH is, as far as I know, non-attested. There is an Hafel
of HWH in Daniel 5:12 yhhwh. It is possible that HWH was "proto-Hebrew"
later assimilated as HYH? It is the antiquity I am going for here.

El and Yhwh may have been merged as an hypocoristicon. The Qal of hwh taken from a TITLE phrase as a hypocoristicon of EL, ala Albright and Cross? A title like "El causes something to come into
being".

Jack

Jack Kilmon
San Marcos, Texas




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