Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Trevor Peterson <06PETERSON AT cua.edu>]

>===== Original Message From "Harold R. Holmyard III" <hholmyard AT ont.com> 
=====
>Dear Sergio,
>
>The very first appearance of the name "Miriam" in the OT is pronounced
>Miryam, and it is pronounced that way through the OT. In the NT the Greek
>"Mary" is pronounced "Maria." "Samuel" seems to be pronounced "Semuel"
>throughout the OT.

What you cite here is the vocalization used by the Masoretes. I don't think 
the point was to say that the Masoretic text shows change in various books; 
rather, it was to suggest a reconstructed pronunciation from a period earlier 
than what the Masoretes knew.

Trevor Peterson
CUA/Semitics