From: Gerry Folbre <gerry AT wetmountainvalley.us>
To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [b-hebrew] Definite articles and proper names in B-Hebrew
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:59:05 -0600
James Christian, Petr Tomasek, Karl W. Randolph.:
( I attempted to send this post earlier, but must have done something
wrong. I hope I am doing it right this time. If I need to do something
differently will someone please let me know. Thanks.)
To the best of my knowledge nowhere in the Hebrew Tanakh is a "personal
name" ever prefixed with the definite article. In The Anchor
Bible-Genesis, Professor E.A. Speiser states, "A personal name cannot
take the definite article" (pg. 18). Even though the definite article
prefix is not employed with the plural (or dual) masculine noun, 'LHYM,
in the Genesis 1 thru 2:3 Creation Account, this in no definitive way
suggest that 'LHYM is being employed here as a "personal name" of the Deity.
In regard to the plural (or dual) masculine noun, 'LHYM, employed in the
Genesis 1 thru 2:3 Creation Account, nowhere in the rest of the Hebrew
Tanakh have I ever found a "personal name" to be composed with a plural
or dual suffix. Even the singular form, 'LWH (or 'LH), does not appear
to be employed as a "personal name" e.g. Deut. 32:15, 17. Here the
singular form is presented as a common noun referring to Deity, but not
being presented as the Deity's personal name.