Biblical Hebrew Forum

[David P Donnelly <davedonnelly1 AT juno.com>]

Vadim Cherny VadimCherny at mail.ru Wed Sep 14 07:46:54 EDT 2005 wrote:
>>>
It is usually assumed that the Masoretes intentionally changed the
vocalization 
of YHWH on the model of Adonai.

What is the basis of this opinion? 
Is there any contemporary evidence of such assertion?

Reading YHWH with Masoretic pointing yields more or less the same Iaoa 
as the attested ancient pronunciations.

>>>
The Jewish Encyclopedia of 1901-1906 gives the following explanation,
"NOT" of why the vowels of Adonay "ARE" found in YHWH when it stands
alone,
but of why the vowels of Adonay are not found in YHWH, when YHWH stands
alone.
Their comments may refer to the vowel points found in YHWH 
in the Ben Chayyim Hebrew printed text of 1525.
>>>
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/index.jsp
The online Jewish Encyclopedia, in its article “Jehovah”
gives its explanation concerning why a shewa,
and not the composite shewa [hatef patah]
appears in Y:HOWFH
>>>
The use of the composite "shewa" "hatef segol" in cases where "Elohim" is
to be read 
has led to the opinion that the composite "shewa" "hatef patah" 
ought to have been used to indicate the reading "Adonay." 

It has been argued in reply that the disuse of the "patah"
is in keeping with the Babylonian system, 
in which the composite "shewa" is not usual.

But the reason why the "patah" is dropped 
is plainly the non-guttural character of the "yod"; 
to indicate the reading "Elohim," however, 
the "segol" (and "hireq" under the last syllable )
had to appear in order that a mistake might not be made and "Adonay" be
repeated. 
>>>The Jewish Encyclopedia of 1901-1906 does not seem to be consistant:
They seem to say that a composite shewa [i.e. hatef segol]MUST be placed
under the yod in YHWH [even though the yod is a non-guttural letter]when
YHWH follows adonay.Yet they seem to say that a composite shewa [i.e.
hatef-patah] shouldn't be placed under the yod in YHWH, when YHWH stands
alone.because the yod is a non-guttural letter.Dave Donnelly  
>From stoneyb AT touchwood.net  Wed Sep 14 09:22:04 2005
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>I don't think "I will be who I will be" answers Moses' question.

> Moses ask "What is your name?" paraphrase.
SB: No, he asks "Suppose they ask 'What's his name', what do I tell
them?"

> YHWH answers " I will be who I will be."
> That does not make sense.  
SB: *'ehyeh 'asher 'ehyeh* is just an introduction, not the answer,
which comes in the next clause:" Tell them *'ehyeh* sent you." 

I heartily recommend those interested in this topic to the exhaustive
and occasionally heated exploration on the b-hebrew list in May, 2001,
with a brief recrudescence on July 20-21. Go to
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew and click on
"b-hebrew archives."

Stoney Breyer
Writer/Touchwood, Inc.