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Re: Re: Re: How do hebrew speakers read without the vowels?
Thats easy, and has nothing much to do with the rabbis. The YHWH was, at least by late 2nd temple times, only pronounced by the high priest on Yom Kippur. after the temple was destroyed it wasnt pronounced at all, and so nobody knew anymore how it was pronounced. When it came up in a prayer or bible reading, it was pronounced "adonai" - "lord". When the masoretes in the 9th c vowelized the bible text, they vowelized the YHWH with the vowels for "adonai" as a reminder to pronounce adonai, and NOT to try to pronounce the YHWH. They didnt anticipate that anyone outside their culture would read their hebrew texts, since good christians by this time relied on Greek and Latin translations.
Then along come Protestants, who decide to go back and read the Hebrew bible, using the texts the Jews have. And unaware of the above tradition, pronounce the name Jehovah.
Originally posted by St Leo
Yahweh vs Jehovah: The Cage Match
Two YHWHs enter, one leaves.
Originally posted by lord of the mark
IIUC, in some cases there are arguments among the rabbis about how to read a given word, that would not exist if the text were vowelized.
IIUC, in some cases there are arguments among the rabbis about how to read a given word, that would not exist if the text were vowelized.
Yahweh vs Jehovah: The Cage Match
Two YHWHs enter, one leaves.
Thats easy, and has nothing much to do with the rabbis. The YHWH was, at least by late 2nd temple times, only pronounced by the high priest on Yom Kippur. after the temple was destroyed it wasnt pronounced at all, and so nobody knew anymore how it was pronounced. When it came up in a prayer or bible reading, it was pronounced "adonai" - "lord". When the masoretes in the 9th c vowelized the bible text, they vowelized the YHWH with the vowels for "adonai" as a reminder to pronounce adonai, and NOT to try to pronounce the YHWH. They didnt anticipate that anyone outside their culture would read their hebrew texts, since good christians by this time relied on Greek and Latin translations.
Then along come Protestants, who decide to go back and read the Hebrew bible, using the texts the Jews have. And unaware of the above tradition, pronounce the name Jehovah.
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