Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Jack Kilmon" <jkilmon AT historian.net>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary Hedrick" <gary AT cjf.org>
To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 9:53 PM
Subject: [b-hebrew] YHVH Derivation


>          Is there any etymological connection between the Tetragrammaton
> and the idea of "breathing" or "breath"?  The Siddur says, "The breathing 
> of
> all life praises thy Name," and I'm wondering if this might be more than
> merely a platitude.  Could there be an actual connection between YHVH and
> "breath"?

First, Gary,  there is no "V."  There was no vav in Biblical Hebrew.  I 
don't think there is a connection between yhwh and "breath."
Isn't it possible that yhwh is just what it is, the hiph'il of hwh taken
from a TITLE phrase as a hypocoristicon of EL...
HYH is Hebrew but the roots being discussed HWH is NOT...it is Aramaic.  A
Hiph'il form of HYH is, as far as I know, non-attested.  There is an Hafel
of HWH in Daniel 5:12 yhhwh.  It is possible that HWH was "proto-Hebrew"
later assimilated as HYH?  It is the antiquity I am going for here.

El and Yhwh may have been merged as an hypocoristicon. The Qal  of hwh taken 
from a TITLE phrase as a hypocoristicon of EL, ala Albright and Cross?  A 
title like "El causes something to come into
being".

Jack

Jack Kilmon
San Marcos, Texas