Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Rolf Furuli <furuli AT online.no>]

Bryan Rocine wrote,


>B-Haverim,
>
>Speaking of Esther  ;-)  I have heard that the
>tetragrammaton (YHVH) appears in acrostics in some texts.  I
>don't see it in my BHS, nor do I see how it could be, except
>for perhaps 5:4 Yabo' Hammelek Vehaman Hayyom.   Is the Name
>there or not?
>


Dear Bryan,


There are four verses in the book of Esther which *may* show YHWH in
acrostic. According to a certain Bullinger (if I remember correctly) of the
19th century, three old Hebrew manuscripts mark the four letters in these
verses with majuscules. If the intention of the author of Esther was to
indicate the divine name in these verses, I do not know. But here are the
verses:

1:20 H) Wkl-Hn$ym Ytnw  (backwards)
5:4 as you yourself note
5:13 wkl-zH )ynnW $wH lY (backwards)
7:7 kY kltH )lyW hr(H


Regards

Rolf


Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo