Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, September 26th, 2023
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
Bible Dictionaries
Yhwh
Holman Bible Dictionary
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In the course of the centuries the actual pronunciation of YHWH was lost. In the Middle Ages Jewish scholars developed a system of symbols placed under and beside the onsonants to indicate the vowels. YHWH appeared with the vowels from “Adonai” as a device to remind them to say “Adonai” in their reading of the text. A latinized form of this was pronounced “Jehovah,” but it was actually not a real word at all. From the study of the structure of the Hebrew language most scholars today believe that YHWH was probably pronounced Yahweh (Yah' weh ).
Mark Fountain
Copyright Statement
These dictionary topics are from the Holman Bible Dictionary, published by Broadman & Holman, 1991. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Broadman & Holman.
These dictionary topics are from the Holman Bible Dictionary, published by Broadman & Holman, 1991. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Broadman & Holman.
Bibliography Information
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Yhwh'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​hbd/​y/yhwh.html. 1991.
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Yhwh'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​hbd/​y/yhwh.html. 1991.