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b-hebrew - Re[2]: IAOUE = YHWH / IAW = YH?

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  • From: peter_kirk AT SIL.ORG
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu, GregStffrd AT aol.com
  • Subject: Re[2]: IAOUE = YHWH / IAW = YH?
  • Date: Wed, 05 May 1999 23:46:00 -0400


Greg Stafford wrote:

"Actually, I checked Migne's copy of Clement's work, and IAOUE does
not even appear there. It is actually the Greek form IAOU, which,
similar to IAW, may well represent an abbreviated form of the divine
name, which AGAIN maintains the middle vowel: IAOU = Yahu- ; IAW =
Yaho-."

Can anyone else confirm this, that the basic datum is not what we
thought? Where did the datum come from that Clement wrote IAOUE? Is
there another source which Greg has not found, is there a textual
variant, or was this just an old error? If so, potentially a very
serious one as generations have been taught the pronunciation "Yahweh"
on the basis of Clement's spelling. (However, I note that BDB supports
the pronunciation YAHWEH without referring to Clement).

Beyond this, I have little to add to Greg's post except to agree that
the matter cannot be decisively solved either way by Clement's form
IAOUE, even if it does exist. But then the form IAOU might open up
other possibilities...

Peter Kirk






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