Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Raymond de Hoop <rdehoop AT keyaccess.nl>]

At 08-02-2003 15:24 furuli AT online.no <furuli AT online.no> wrote:

> 
> I teach my students of Hebrew that they should read adonay or elohim
> when they meet YHWH in the text, as you probably do as well. When
> they translate the text, they are free to use "the Lord", "Yahweh",
> or "Jehovah", or "Yahu".  Why would it be "a very unwelcome
> situation" if people said Yahweh? I would view it as a very welcome
> situation. With all respect of those who view the name as ineffable,
> we must admit that this view goes contrary to linguistic and
> translational rules just as much as the trinity doctrine. There is
> absolutely nothing in the text of the Tanach itself that say that a
> substitute should be used instead of the pronunciation of YHWH. To
> the contrary, the use of it is encouraged.
> 

Shalom Rolf,

>From a linguistical point of view you are absolutely correct, and in such a
(scholarly) context, I do not have any problem using the name -though in
that case we have to admit the exact pronunciation is unknown. But in
classroom I do use the Name sometimes too.
 
In Bible translations you transmit the Bible text to those who are not aware
of these problems. Since the use of this HEBREW name is for an important
group of readers of the Hebrew Bible an offence, why should we use the name
instead of the wellknown substitute? Moreover, this Name was received along
the way of this group, why should we not respect their tradition - at least
in the context of the religious communities who share this Book with them.

Regards,
Raymond