Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>]

Dear Chavoux,

While your answer in itself is fine, as I wrote earlier, this is a topic that 
has been discussed in the past, and always ends up getting theological. So 
unless someone has something NEW to add, let's please not continue.

Todah Rabbah,


Yigal Levin

Co-moderator, B-Hebrew

-----Original Message-----
From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org 
[mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Chavoux Luyt
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 9:52 AM
To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [b-hebrew] Can the six variants of YHWH in Codex L. be discussed 
openly on B-Hebrew?

Shalom Dave

> From: David P Donnelly <davedonnelly1 AT juno.com>
> Can the six variants of YHWH in Codex L. be discussed openly on B-Hebrew?
I think is has been in the past and see little reason why not.

> I would specifically like to ask questions about the Hebrew variant
> [yod-hatef segol-he-defective holem-waw-hireq-he]
> which occurs in Judges 16:28 in Codex L.
>
> Why specifically did the Masoretes point YHWH
> with the precise same vowel points as are found in Elohiym,
> in Judges 16:28?
I am not sure of Codex L. specifically, having never seen the actual
manuscript, but from the Masoretic text in general,
the answer to your question is fairly simple. Because the Jews did not
pronounce the Name of YHWH (for fear of breaking the 3rd commandment
of the 10 words), they normally read "Adonai" (meaning Lord) instead,
and wrote the vocalization of "Adonai" with the
consonants of YHWH. In Judges 16:28 it is so vocalized the first time
the Name occurs. However, the second time (in Shimshon's prayer) he
calls on "Adonai YHWH" (my Lord YHWH) and in these cases they would
pronounce it as "Adonai Elohiym" (my Lord God)
in order not to have "Adonai Adonai". That is why the second YHWH is
vocalized the same as Elohiym.

> Would a question like the one I just proposed  above be considered
> linguistic or theological?
I think the question is linguistic (and perhaps partly text-critical),
but not really theological since it is concerned with pronunciation
of the text rather than the meaning of the text.

Regards
Chavoux Luyt
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