Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Theophoric Name: Y:HOWYFQIYM

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Jack Kilmon" <jkilmon AT historian.net>
  • To: "Harold Holmyard" <hholmyard AT ont.com>, <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Theophoric Name: Y:HOWYFQIYM
  • Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 14:45:32 -0600


----- Original Message ----- From: "Harold Holmyard" <hholmyard AT ont.com>
To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2006 2:18 PM
Subject: [b-hebrew] Theophoric Name: Y:HOWYFQIYM


God's personal name--YHVH--can be "defined" etymologically or
grammatically. Hebrew linguists believe yhvh is a form of the verb
havah, meaning to be or become. Specifically, many linguists say yhvh
is a Qal imperfect third masculine singular. Following normal Hebrew
grammar patterns, the vowels "a" and "e" would be added to these
consonants, giving us the word "YaHVeH." This pronunciation is supported
by early Greek biblical texts that spell the name "Iaoue" (Ya-oo-eh) and
"Iabe" (Yabe; there is no "v" sound in Greek).
What does "Yahveh" mean?


The problem here is that there was no VAV in Biblical Hebrew, only a WAW. VAV was a medieval construct from Ashkenaz and Yiddish. The "v" sound in both ancient Hebrew and Greek was supplied by a soft Beyt and Beta. In short, YHWH was not YHVH. The verb "to be" was hawah and not "havah." The imperfect would have been YeHAWAH.

Jack Kilmon
San Marcos, Texas




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page