Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 27/06/2004 14:48, Uri Hurwitz wrote:

>    Other interresting extra-biblical evidence bearing direrctly on this can 
> be found in   the many seal impressions (bullae) from the time of the Persian 
> rule. Judea was then a province or satrapy  whose name was written in Hebrew 
> letters as either YHD, without the Waw or YHWD,with the Waw!
>    An earlier inscriptional mention occurs in Arad ostracon no.40, where the name 
> appears with a Waw: "....MLK YHWD[H]...". This is dated to shortly before the 
> end of the Judean kingdom.
>   Uri
>    
>
>  
Also the place name Yehud is found in the Hebrew Bible in Joshua 19:45 
(only), and without the Vav! Interesting, although its relation to the 
name Yehuda is uncertain.

Part of the distinction could be phonological. In later times (and even 
in modern Hebrew I think), although apparently not in the time of 
Hezekiah, a long U was almost always written with a Vav and a short U 
almost always without. Yehuda must be pronounced with a long U in an 
open syllable. Yehud may be pronounced with either short or long U in a 
stressed closed syllable. So Yehud without Vav is a valid spelling, but, 
with that convention, Yehuda without a Vav is an anomalous one.

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