The Divine Name - Tetragrammaton

[Origen]

For those who do not know, the word tetragrammaton means "four letters" and refers to the four Hebrew letters of the divine name (i.e. yodh, he, waw, he = YHVH). The divine name has an interesting history within the Old Testament manuscript tradition, both Hebrew and Greek.

During their time in exile, the Jews moved from the Paleo-Hebrew script to what is call the Aramaic Square script and continued to use it afterwards. This script is known as Ktav Ashuri. The phrase mean "Assyrian script\writing." Most of you, I am sure, have seen this script.

First occurrence of the tetragrammaton is in Genesis 2:4.
אלה תולדות השמים והארץ בהבראם ביום עשות יהוה אלהים ארץ ושמים

Here is an example of the square script from the Great Isaiah Scroll.


The above is normal and is expected. However, not all square script texts used the square text form of the tetragrammaton. As you can see from the fragment below, other manuscripts use the Paleo-Hebrew script form for the divine name.



Now this where it really gets interesting to me. Below is a fragment of the Septuagint which is a Greek translation of the Old Testament. Yet the divine name is written in the Paleo-Hebrew script in a Greek text.



It is interesting to me that the Jews would continue to written the divine name in the ancient Paleo-Hebrew script long after they had adopted the Aramaic Square script for their manuscripts. And what is even more interesting is they would used the Paleo-Hebrew script in the LXX a Greek text. It makes one wonder if the Paleo-Hebrew script form of the name itself held a special significance for some scribes.

I hope this was not too boring for you. I find the study of scribal practices and papyrology thought-provoking.

 

[LearningToLetGo]

That is fascinating. It's as if the letters themselves had significance beyond simply what they pointed to.

 

[Origen]

That is fascinating. It's as if the letters themselves had significance beyond simply what they pointed to.

I had that in the back of my mind as well. It is sad that they left no written records as to why some scripts used the ancient Paleo-Hebrew script and others did not.

 

[bobinfaith]

I had that in the back of my mind as well. It is sad that they left no written records as to why some scripts used the ancient Paleo-Hebrew script and others did not.

Hello Origen;

I'm throwing out my thought to the topic and have a question. Noone has ever brought this up so I'm wondering if the 4 letter tetragrammaton before and during the Old Testament was complete? Or did the tetragrammaton add as time went on?

For example, when the modern English alphabet was invented the 26 letters were complete.

Does this make sense?

God bless you, Origen.

Bob

 

[Origen]

Hello Origen;

I'm throwing out my thought to the topic and have a question. Noone has ever brought this up so I'm wondering if the 4 letter tetragrammaton before and during the Old Testament was complete? Or did the tetragrammaton add as time went on?

For example, when the modern English alphabet was invented the 26 letters were complete.

Does this make sense?

God bless you, Origen.

Bob

To be honest I am not sure I understand your question, but let me take a swing at it.

At present there are no Paleo-Hebrew script manuscripts of the Old Testament. However there are ancient inscriptions with the divine name. Check out my post on the Moabite Stone for an example.

Moabite Stone - Extra Biblical Sources

I thought I might go through some of the extra Biblical sources which corroborates the Biblical record. The first is Omri. He was the sixth king of Northern Israel and father of Ahab. The Bible records his ascent to the throne in 1 King 16:21-28, after that little else is recorded about him...

christianforumsite.com

There is also the Lachish Letters. These are inscriptions on clay ostraca (i.e. piece of pottery).

 

[BibleLover]

For those who do not know, the word tetragrammaton means "four letters" and refers to the four Hebrew letters of the divine name (i.e. yodh, he, waw, he = YHVH). The divine name has an interesting history within the Old Testament manuscript tradition, both Hebrew and Greek.

During their time in exile, the Jews moved from the Paleo-Hebrew script to what is call the Aramaic Square script and continued to use it afterwards. This script is known as Ktav Ashuri. The phrase mean "Assyrian script\writing." Most of you, I am sure, have seen this script.

First occurrence of the tetragrammaton is in Genesis 2:4.
אלה תולדות השמים והארץ בהבראם ביום עשות יהוה אלהים ארץ ושמים

Here is an example of the square script from the Great Isaiah Scroll.
View attachment 10782

The above is normal and is expected. However, not all square script texts used the square text form of the tetragrammaton. As you can see from the fragment below, other manuscripts use the Paleo-Hebrew script form for the divine name.

View attachment 10783

Now this where it really gets interesting to me. Below is a fragment of the Septuagint which is a Greek translation of the Old Testament. Yet the divine name is written in the Paleo-Hebrew script in a Greek text.

View attachment 10790

It is interesting to me that the Jews would continue to written the divine name in the ancient Paleo-Hebrew script long after they had adopted the Aramaic Square script for their manuscripts. And what is even more interesting is they would used the Paleo-Hebrew script in the LXX a Greek text. It makes one wonder if the Paleo-Hebrew script form of the name itself held a special significance for some scribes.

I hope this was not too boring for you. I find the study of scribal practices and papyrology thought-provoking.

That's quite interesting. I know the Hebrews held the divine name in special significance, but I wouldn't have thought they'd mix it in with Greek. Thanks for the information; it does raise an interesting question as you observed.

God bless you and thanks

 

[bobinfaith]

To be honest I am not sure I understand your question, but let me take a swing at it. At present there are no Paleo-Hebrew script manuscripts of the Old Testament. However there are ancient inscriptions with the divine name. Check out my post on the Moabite Stone for an example. URL unfurl="true"]https://christianforumsite.com/threads/moabite-stone-extra-biblical-sources.64327/[/URL] There is also the Lachish Letters. These are inscriptions on clay ostraca (i.e. piece of pottery).

Good morning, Origen;

In my question for example, when the modern English alphabet was invented around the 15th century. It was a complete alphabet, not partial with letters added later.

When I view the images of the scripts, did the characters (each letter) originate as a complete alphabet?

God bless you, Origen.

 

[Origen]

Good morning, Origen;

In my question for example, when the modern English alphabet was invented around the 15th century. It was a complete alphabet, not partial with letters added later.

When I view the images of the scripts, did the characters (each letter) originate as a complete alphabet?

God bless you, Origen.

That is a tough question. At the time we know the Phoenician alphabet there was a already a complete writing system in place that used that alphabet. I am not sure anyone could definitively answer exactly how those 22 letters came to be grouped together.

 

[bobinfaith]

Hello Origen;

Thank you. I appreciate what you could provide. I would agree the Phoenician alphabet (Greek) would have been complete.

God bless you, Origen.