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  • From: Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Variants of YHWH in the BHS Text
  • Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 03:23:34 -0700

On 28/09/2003 17:22, Trevor Peterson wrote:

Jason wrote:


What if, rather than taking the VAV as a vowel, we take it consonantally and make the -u- vowel proceed from a kibbutz?

YaHuWeH


That still leaves open the question of whether the Greek transliteration
fits. I'm not convinced that we can account for /uw/ with Greek OU.

Then, the VAV doesn't lose its consonantal nature (as all seem to see it
need) if this is the case. I have read before a suggestion that I had thought was in the Artscroll Siddur--consequently, I cannot now find the statement! What is said, however, is that YaHaWeH was a possible pronunciation. In this the first vowel is a full patach, the second is a chatef-patach and the third is a segol. Thus:

YAHA:WEH

What do you think?


I would be surprised if you saw that in Artscroll, but I suppose it's
possible. I don't see why the usual scholarly reconstruction couldn't be
adjusted for a half-vowel under the he.


If I remember rightly, there are quite a number of words where Hebrew texts vary between sheva and a hataf vowel under a word medial "guttural" consonant including he. So YAH:WEH and YAH:AWEH could be considered variant pointings and perhaps pronunciations of the same word. On the other hand, )AH:AROWN becomes AARWN in Greek (and hence the Englis Aaron), but we don't get a double alpha in Greek versions of the divine name, which suggests a sheva rather than a hataf patah in the Hebrew pronunciation.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/






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