Biblical Hebrew Forum

[bhebrew AT shields-online.net]

Hi Rolf,

RF: In the Tanakh, there are more than 6,000 occurrences of YHWH and more 
than 700 of )DNY. In about 300 cases )DNY is immediately followed by YHWH, 
which shows that )DNY is a title. In many instances, )DNY is used alone with 
reference to God, and the same is true with )LHYM. Please give us some 
examples from the Tanakh where )DNY  is not used as a title for God, but 
where it is used as a SUBSTITUTE for YHWH.

MS: Why would this be relevant? In the Tanak there's no clear indication that 
the writers had an aversion to writing יהוה, so why would we expect to 
find anything other than יהוה when that is what they meant. The aversion 
to speaking and writing the divine name appears to become widespread after 
the production of the bulk, if not all, of the Tanak.

RF: And Similarly with the DSS. Please show where in the DSS manuscripts THAT 
you refer to )DNY is used as a SUBSTITUTE for YHWH.

MS: Certainly. I think a case can be made for ××“×•× ×™ is used in place of 
יהוה in the following sectarian texts (there may be more):

1QSb 1:3; 2:22; 3:1, 25; 5:23; 1QM 12:8, 18; 1QHa 5:15; 6:19, 34; 8:26; 10:5, 
22, 33; 11:6, 20, 38; 12:6; 13:7, 22; 15:9, 29, 31, 37; 16:5; 17:38; 18:16; 
19:30, 36; 1Q34bis f2+1:4, 6; 4Q200 f6:9; 4Q269 f16:7; 4Q384 f2:1; 4Q392 
f1:3; 4Q410 f1:7; 4Q428 f9:1, 3; f10:11; f12i:4; 4Q432 f3:1; f12:4; 4Q434 
f1i:1; 4Q435 f5:3–4; 4Q437 f1:1; f2i:13–15; 4Q459 f1:2; 4Q504 f1_2Rii:7; 
f1_2Rvi:3, 10; f3ii:5; f4:14, 16; f5ii:3; f6:20; f8R:1; 4Q506 f124:3; 4Q507 
f2:2; f3:1, 3; 4Q508 f2:2; f13:1; 4Q509 f3:9; f4:4; f10ii_11:7; f18:3; 
f131_132ii:5; f206:1; f285:1; 4Q521 f2ii+4:3–5, 11; f2iii:3; f5i+6:4; 
f7+5ii:2, 4, 7; f8:10, 11; f9:2; 4Q526 f1:1; 4Q527 f1:1; 4Q577 f4:2.

Of these, perhaps the clearest are those which quote or allude to biblical 
passages. A couple of examples:

4Q437 f1:1
[ברכי ]× ×¤×©×™ את ××“×•× ×™
compare Ps 103:1
ברכי × ×¤×©×™ את יהוה

Similarly, 1QSb 3:1
ישא ××“×•× ×™ ×¤× ×™×• אליכה
compare Num 6:26
ישא יהוה ×¤× ×™×• אליך

Regards,

Martin Shields.