Home - Bible Page

Prefixes and Suffixes of the Divine names in Genesis

 

 

 

by: Mark S. Haughwout

 

 

This paper was originally written for a course on Genesis 1-11 by Dr. Tarja Philip at the Hebrew University Rothberg International School - Jerusalem

 

Copyright 2010 Mark S. Haughwout all rights reserved

Please include a link to this page when quoting.

 


Table of Contents

 

Introduction

The name YHWH

The name El/Elohim

Chronicles v Genesis

Suffixes and Prefixes in Genesis and Beyond

Non-Use of ÔyahÕ in all the Names

Use of ÔelÕ as a Suffix or Prefix

Shaddai

Possible Exceptions to Yah suffixes or prefixes:

Moriyah (Mt. Moriah)

Yahudah (Judah)

Yahoshua (Joshua)

Yochebed (Jochebed)

Yah prefixes in the Torah and beyond

Conclusion

Recommended Related Areas of Study

Appendices

Bibliography


Introduction

            Source criticism seeks to account for the seemingly repetitious stories in the Bible, and especially beginning in the book of Genesis. The initial ÔunravelingÕ of the so-called multiple sources/stories, as Herbert Brichto points out, was a result of comparing which names for God were used in these stories (Brichto xi, see also Cassuto p19). The key verses in this discussion are Genesis 4:26 compared to Exodus 3:15ff and particularly Exodus 6:2-3. In the former it appears as though the author is claiming that men began to invoke the name of YHWH even in AdamÕs lifetime after SethÕs son Enosh was born, yet in the later passage it is written that God did not reveal himself to the patriarchs this way but rather Ôin El-ShadaiÕ.

            In this paper I will discuss the use of the divine names, particularly EL and YHWH, when they are used as prefixes and suffixes in the names of individuals, people groups, places, and other proper nouns. This can reveal a significant amount about the use of the name Yahweh from Creation to the time of the Exodus. Genesis chapters 1-11 contain 144 proper names belonging to different people, people groups and places.[1] Chapters 12- 50 contain an additional 340 names. This makes up a significant portion of the names in the Bible, yet as will be shown, ÔYahwisticÕ names are completely lacking.

The name YHWH

            The name of YHWH has its first occurrence in Genesis 2:4: ÒThese [are] the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,Ó (KJV). However before this verse, we only encounter the name Elohim, which is the generic name for God. The lack of the use of the name YHWH in the ÔfirstÕ creation story and the apparent contradiction between Exodus 6:2-3 and certain passages such as Genesis 4:26 led some scholars to conclude that two different authors were responsible for the ÔfirstÕ and ÔsecondÕ creation stories. Eventually, source critical analysis led some to believe that three different authors were responsible for the stories in the book of Genesis. Two of these hypothetical authors held the view that YHWH was not known before Exodus 6 and the other held the view that even in AdamÕs lifetime men called upon the name of YHWH.

            However this type of source critical analysis runs into constant textual difficulties. As Brichto points out, anytime such a DH (Documentary Hypothesis) scholar encounters a text or word that does not fit their schemes, they simply claim it was a later addition or scribal error (Brichto p7). In Genesis this becomes obvious in places such as Gen 20:18 where the appearance of YHWH is found outside of so-called J.[2]

            However, the appearance of the name of YHWH in Genesis does not contradict Exodus 6, simply by its appearance, since an author living at a later time knew the name himself and was free to use it. Nor do verses such as Genesis 13:4 create a contradiction – ÒUnto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.Ó The fact that Abram, by some means, called upon the God whose name a later author knew as YHWH, does not mean that Abram used the actual name YHWH to call upon God who later revealed Himself by that name. In other words, Abram may have called upon YHWH by His name El-Shaddai.

            One must observe Genesis 16:11 ÒAnd the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou [art] with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.Ó Though the text records the angel using the name of YHWH in discourse, the angel tells Hagar to name the child Ishmael, not Ishmayah!

            Also Gen 16:13 – ÒAnd she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?Ó In this verse and the previous, it is almost as though the name YHWH is being used in a generic sense, in the same way Elohim is used, and not as a proper name. Hagar calls YHWH ÔEl RoiÕ. Also the phrasing in this verse, though lacking the prefixed bet to the word ÔnameÕ (שם instead of בשם), helps in understanding how at 13:4 Abram called Ôon the name of YHWHÕ.

            Further evidence to support my explanation is found at Genesis 21:33 – ÒAnd [Abraham] planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.Ó Here the KJV should capitalize ÔeverlastingÕ for that is part of the proper name by which Abraham invoked YHWH. This verse shows clearly that when the ancients Ôcalled on the name of the LORDÕ they did so not by the name YHWH, but by El-Shadai, El-Roi, or in this case El-Olam. Compare also 24:3,7,12, 27, 42, which also support this idea in the same fashion as 21:33 discussed here. (In these verses YHWH is called by a different name).

            However not every instance of the name YHWH in Genesis is so easy to explain. In 15:2 Abram says in direct discourse Òlord YHWH, what will you give me...Ó. Similarly the name is invoked in discourse in 15:8 by Abram and in 16:2,5 by Sarai. One explanation for this use of YHWH is that the author is not directly quoting what Abraham said, but simply relaying the meaning. It is obvious that even by taking the conservative stance that Moses wrote[3] Genesis, one must admit that Abraham who lived about 500 years earlier spoke a very different language or dialect than Moses. Thus a word-for-word quote seems unlikely.

            However Genesis 22:14 creates a real problem – ÒAnd Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said [to] this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.Ó Yet the words Ôto this dayÕ indicate that this verse was affected by a later scribe. Hermann Gunkel points out ÒThe naming surely belongs to the old legend just as every legend which treats a cult site gives the site a name. Very often the naming comes at the conclusion (16:14; 21:31; 28:19; 32:31; etc.)Ó (Gunkel p236) He suggests that YHWH has been substituted for Elohim here and at v. 11.[4]

            Gen 49:18 is also a problem due to the antiquity of this poetry: ÒI have waited for your salvation, O LORD!Ó (NKJV). In the midst of this long blessing/prophecy by Jacob to his twelve sons, he suddenly bursts out in a three-word prayer to YHWH. In the section of the blessing of Joseph (49:22-26) we see several ÔoldÕ names used for God – ÔMighty one of JacobÕ, ÔShepherd, Stone of IsraelÕ, ÔGod of Your FatherÕ, and Ôthe AlmightyÕ. All of these names are consistent with the way the patriarchs called upon God in Genesis. It has been suggested that this small phrase that includes the name of YHWH is a gloss (Hoop p169). Hoop and others have suggested that it is a later insertion used to reference Samson or possibly Gideon.

            Exodus 3:18/5:3 is a problem because YHWH is referred to as the God of the Hebrews. This may indicate that the name of YHWH was known to the larger nomadic group descended from Eber[5]. By contrast Exodus 4:5 seems to indicate the need for an explanation to the people of Israel as to who YHWH is – namely the God of their fathers.

The name El/Elohim

            The name Elohim occurs as the third word of the opening sentence of the Bible and continues to be used throughout, even in books that do not use the name YHWH such as Ecclesiastes. Esther of course is an exception and does not contain any name for God. The earliest names in the Bible containing El as a prefix or suffix are Mehujael followed immediately by Methushael[6] in Gen 4:18 and Mahalalel[7] in 5:12. El continues to be used as a prefix and suffix throughout the bible – see discussion below. The prefix/suffix El is also well attested in West Semitic names outside the Bible – see MurtonenÕs Appendix.

Chronicles v Genesis

            Many of the names in Genesis are repeated in 1st Chronicles in the genealogical lists there. Occasionally there are differences in spelling. The Chronicler was likely using Genesis as a source. The Chronicler repeats the names found in Genesis 10 and 11 – the Table of Nations, followed by the ancestors of Abraham, though he does so in brief. Often the Chronicler uses ÔpleneÕ spellings – typically the addition of a vav. Sometimes he substitutes final aleph for final hey (see notes in the charts in the appendices). The use of additional letters is presumably to help with pronunciation. This points to a reasonably large difference in time between the writing of Genesis and that of Chronicles. This study does not treat the names in Chronicles, but such a study is recommend for comparison to my work here.

Suffixes and Prefixes in Genesis and Beyond

Non Use of ÔyahÕ in All the Names

            None of the names in the Bible up until the time of the generation born after the Exodus include the prefix or suffix יה or יהו (Yah or Yahu). This is consistent with the Biblical account in Exodus 6:2-3, where God reveals the name יהוה to Moses: "And God spoke to Moses and said to him: "I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD I was not known to them."[8][9]   

            Indeed of the 484 proper names in the book of Genesis not one contains any form of the name YHWH as either a suffix or prefix (possible exceptions up to the time of the exodus will be discussed below). This fact is highlighted in several ways:

            The name עדה Adah is the name of one of LamechÕs wives in Gen. 4:19. It is thought to come from עדי – ÔornamentÕ (Dillman p200) or Ôto deck oneself / to ornamentÕ (Job 40:10)[10]. This name occurs in several other places in the bible. In Genesis 36:2, Adah is the wife of Esau[11]. However only later, after the Exodus, is the suffix יה or יהו added, such as in 2nd Kings 22:1 or Ezra 10:29. 1st Chronicles 9:36 has יהועדה who is born well into the monarchal times. By Comparison, in 1st Chronicles 7:20, in the period before the Exodus[12] we have the name of a great-great grandson of Eprhaim named אלעדה and also one named אלעד. The prefix in these names is אל instead of יהו and is consistent with being before the Exodus.

            In Genesis 32:29 Jacob asks the name of the one with whom he struggles yet is refused. Then his name is called Israel, not Israyah! This refusal to give the name of YHWH is completely consistent with the name being revealed to Moses first. Likewise the naming of the place Peniel by Jacob.

            Rendsburg points out that Òthe absence of Yahwistic names in Genesis reflects the antiquity of the traditions. They must antedate the United Kingdom, when they presumably were compiled into their present form more or less.Ó (Rendsburg p115) He also points out that the names used to refer to God are mostly unique to Genesis. Names such as Ôthe fear of IsaacÕ in 31:42,53 and the Ômighty one of JacobÕ in 49:24. Also the ÒGod of my/your/his fatherÓ (Rendsburg p115). He also points to the various EL names of God being largely unique to Genesis – עליון אל 14:18; ראי אל 16:13; עולם אל 21:33 and ישראל אלהי אל 33:20. Also to a lesser extent שדי אל which occurs primarily in Genesis (17:1, 28:3, 35:11, 43:14). Though the name שדי does occur in other books – especially Job and Ruth – it only occurs in Genesis in combination with אל.

Use of ÔelÕ as a Suffix or Prefix

            In Contrast to the non-use of ÔyahÕ/ÕyahuÕ, we do find ÔelÕ (ÔGodÕ) used as a suffix and prefix. In Genesis 1-11 five different names have the ÔelÕ suffix. They are Mehujael and Methushael in 4:18; Mahalalel 5:12; Elishah 10:4; Abimael 10:28. These five all lived before Abraham. Throughout the book of Genesis there are a total of 25 different uses of the El prefix/suffix – See Appendix 5.

            Later, the generation born before the Exodus is still using the EL suffix and prefix. Notice the names of AaronÕs cousins in Leviticus 10:4 – Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Uzziel AaronÕs uncle. Still later in Numbers 34:18ff we see this prefix/suffix continues in its popular use. Indeed this appendage is used throughout Israelite history, even to the present day. However the prefix/suffix YAH only is used with the generations born after the Exodus and, as will be shown below, is hardly used before the Monarchal times.

Shaddai

            GodÕs name ÔShaddaiÕ is first revealed to Abraham in Genesis 17:1 as El Shaddai. It is use in the generations born before the Exodus – See Numbers 1:5ff. One name has this as a prefix – שדיאור Shedeur (Num 1:5); and two names have this name as a suffix – Zurishaddai of the tribe of Simeon (Num. 1:6/2:12 ÔShaddai is my rockÕ) and Ammishaddai of the tribe of Dan (Num 1:12/2:25 – ÔPeople of ShaddaiÕ). Interestingly these are the only three people with this prefix/suffix in the entire bible. It is also important to note that they are from three different tribes – Reuben, Simeon and Dan. – Tribes that lived on the three remote edges of Israel. Thereby providing evidence of a strong and early ethical and religious tie between the tribes of Israel. In the old poetry of Genesis 49, Jacob uses the name Shaddai to refer to God (49:25). After Exodus 6, the name Shaddai occurs in the Bible primarily in the book of Job[13]. All of this lends support to Exodus 6:3 – ÔI appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob in El-Shaddai and my name YHWH I was not known to them.Õ

Possible Exceptions to Yah suffixes or prefixes:

Moriah

            Genesis 22:2 "...and go to the land of Moriah..." המריה –at first glance this appears to be the first example of the suffix יה being attached to a name. This is significantly connected with the place of the future temple of YHWH. Notice 22:14 "And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, 'In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided." ( יראה יהוה ). GeseniusÕ Lexicon supports the view that the name Moriah is a contraction with the suffix YAH. However other suggestions have been advanced which indicate that the last two letters are not part of the name YHWH.[14]

            Gunkel points out the suggestion that is should read האמרי (the Amorite), which is consistent with that found in the Syriac and Targum Jonathan and is similar to that found in the Samaritan Pentateuch. Indeed Abraham does not name the place in response to what happens, rather at the beginning of the story God tells him to go to the land of Moriah. This indicates Abraham already knew the area by this name. All of this provides reasonable evidence that this is not a Yahwistic name, but rather is consistent with the view discussed below that Ôy-a-hÕ suffixes at this time were simply very common in Semitic languages and are unrelated to the divine name.

            The mention of "to this day" could be understood in several ways. One of which is to say that this verse was written after the construction of the temple, but was inserted into an older text. The only other occurrence of this word is in 2nd Chron. 3:1: ÒNow Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.Ó But it must be remembered that the temple is not actually mentioned in Genesis and the question remains as to who 'will be seen' in the Mount of the LORD.

            It is also possible that the author who lived long after Abraham simply used the name of the place that was familiar to him.

Judah

            The name of Jacob's son Judah is of special interest - see Gen. 29:35 – ÒAnd she conceived again and bore a son, and said, ÔNow I will praise the LORD.Õ Therefore she called his name Judah...Ó(NKJV). The etymology of the name Judah has been suggested to be Yah + the first person future of Òto praiseÓ or Òto thankÓ[15]. But more likely it is simply the 3rd masculine prefix form of the word Òto praiseÓ, (see GeseniusÕ Lexicon, see also Gen. 49:8 for the use of the root there) The explanation for Leah referring to YHWH in her speech, which name wasnÕt known to her, gets the same explanation as that given at the beginning of this paper – namely that a much later author is not directly quoting her, but is giving an updated translation of what she said.

            Comparison must also be made with יהודית the wife of Esau in Gen. 26:34.

            Interestingly, as the rabbis have pointed out, Judah יהודה is spelt as the Tetragrammaton with a Dalet inserted. Dalet is the 4th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is inserted in the 4th position in the name and Judah is the fourth son born to Jacob. However, this must be a coincidence since, as shown above, the name comes from the word Ôto praiseÕ.

Joshua

            The name Joshua does not occur in the book of Genesis, but he was alive before the exodus and therefore his name is significant in this study.

            As Gesenius points out in his Lexicon, Joshua (יהושוע - Yahoshua) means ÔJehovah is SalvationÕ. However, it is important to note that JoshuaÕs original name is Hoshea (Num. 13:8,16 and Deut 32:44), but Moses, the man to whom the name of YHWH was revealed, changed HosheaÕs name to Joshua (Yahoshua) as recorded in Numbers 13:16. This changing of a personÕs name from one which does not contain the prefix ÔYahuÕ to one that does only reinforces the fact that the name Yahweh was not known to people before the Exodus. JoshuaÕs name is significant for another reason:

            Exodus 23:20-23 – ÒBehold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name [is] in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.Ó (KJV)

            As will be shown below, Joshua is the only person recorded in the bible that had the prefix יהו in his name before the time of the Monarchy.[16] There is another person named Joshua (spelt יהושע) in 1st Sam. 6:14,18: ÒAnd the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there, where [there was] a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD. And the golden mice, [according to] the number of all the cities of the Philistines [belonging] to the five lords, [both] of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great [stone of] Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: [which stone remaineth] unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.Ó (KJV). Apparently this Joshua is one who lived in the time of the later scribe who inserted the words Ôunto this day in the field of Joshua...Õ. Therefore this is not a person who was alive at the time of the events.

Jochebed

            Like Joshua, MosesÕ mother Jochebed was clearly born before the exodus, yet seems to have a name with a prefix related to the name YHWH.

            Gary Rendsburg points to Jochebed יוכבד as a possible Yahwistic name (Rendsburg p114). Jochebed is the mother of Moses and Aaron, and is found as such in Exodus 6:20 and Numbers 26:59. GeseniusÕ Lexicon gives the definition: Òwhose glory is JehovahÓ.

            This is a serious problem for my thesis that the personal names before the Exodus do not contain a YAH prefix or suffix and thereby demonstrating that the name was indeed unknown to the patriarchs.

            I would like to argue that the yud and vav are just a verbal prefix, but unfortunately the three root letters are all strong (caf-bet-dalet). The fact that the yud would make it a masculine verb is not a problem. A woman can take a masculine verbal form for a name as shown in יהודית the wife of Esau in Gen. 26:34. Her name is plainly a derivative of Judah, which has been shown to be a 3rd person masculine prefix form. Thus we have an example of a woman with a name that uses the yud prefix.

            We also have two examples of names in Genesis with yud-vav as the first two letters, which are not divine prefixes. They are Jobab and Jubal, and they are discussed further below. Andersen claims that the name Jochebed is best analyzed as verbal, in accordance with many Amorite names from patriarchal times (Andersen p9 note22) and is a conjugation and not a Yahwistic name.

            The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia states ÒThe theory has been advanced that the Jochebed is of Egyptian originÓ (UJE Vol. 6 p159). Cornelis Houtman points out that this theory has been put forward, at least in part, in order to deal with this prefix occurring in a passage that DH scholars attribute to P (Houtman p90 -6.2)

Yah prefixes in the Torah and beyond

            The use of the first and third letters out of the name YHWH (yud-vav) as a prefix to personal names is curious. One idea pointed out to me by Dr. Hess is that yud-vav is representative of a shorter form of YHWH that was known before the revelation to Moses and that in Exodus 6 a longer, full version is revealed. This of course lacks hard evidence[17]. We do see SaulÕs son Jonathan being spelt two different ways – יונתן and יהונתן (1st Sam 13:2-14:4 and 1st Sam 14:6,8; 18:1ff respectively), and the shorter version may just be a abbreviation – a nickname of sorts[18]. The shorter spelling of Jonathan is used consistently in 1st Samuel up until chapter 18, except in 14:6,8. But those are also the only verses in that section where Jonathan is speaking to someone else. In 14:29, he does speak, but to no one in particular and thus the shorter spelling occurs[19]. The idea of discourse affecting the spelling here does not seem logical since later in 1st Samuel, it does not affect it. It may be that a scribe accidentally added the letter Hey at two spots by accident, but such cannot be proved.

            The longer spelling of the name Jonathan does occur back in Judges 18:30, but this verse is a much later gloss: ÒThen the children of Dan set up for themselves the carved image; and Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.Ó (NKJV). In fact this Levite is never mentioned by name in the long two-chapter story. Further complicating the matter is that his short genealogy in this passage seems unconnected to anything. However the NUN in Manasseh is suspended. If the nun is removed completely then the name becomes Moses![20] Thus he becomes a descendent of Moses through Gershom. Further complicating the matter is that 17:7 specifically says he is of the family of Judah (therefore not technically a Levite[21]) and the Hebrew of Ôhe was staying thereÕ (17:7 NKJV) could be read as Ôhe was GershomÕ.

            Regardless, the statement Ôuntil the day of the captivity of the landÕ could only refer to the Assyrian captivity of the Northern tribes, thus showing a late addition, at least of the latter part of the verse. The fact that the author makes the Levite deliberately anonymous even though he is a central figure in the story makes it seem very suspicious that this verse was part of the original text. This is not to say that Jonathan the Levite was not a historical character, but simply to point out that the spelling of his name with a Hey is a late spelling by a late scribe.[22]

            Actually, with the exception of Joshua, we donÕt see a single original use of the prefix יהו ÔyahuÕ throughout the entire first 7 books of the bible[23]. Not until the occurrence mentioned above at 1st Sam 14:6,8.

            Additionally we do not see the suffix יה ÔyahÕ used until 1st Sam. 8:2 (אחיה) and that instance may not be a Yahwistic name at all. Andersen shows that the yud-hey ending was in popular use in several Semitic languages. The oldest instances are 4000 years old from Old Babylonian and early Akkadian, supplemented by texts from Elba and have no connection to the name YHWH (Andersen p10). In fact both inscriptions and biblical texts show that the ending yud-hey was not popular in Israel until the time of the Babylonian Exile. Before that the longer yud-hey-vav was popular from the monarchal period to the Exile (Andersen p10-11).[24]

            With the exception of Jochebed, we only encounter the prefix יו (yo) starting in Judges 6:11 with יואש which later in the bible is spelt often as יהואש. The two letters (yud-vav) do occur together in names such as יובב and יובל (Jobab and Jubal[25], Gen 36:33 and 4:21), but those are clearly not derived from the divine name. Jobab means ÔdesertÕ according to Gesenius lexicon and Jubal is given the meaning Ôriver, moist countryÕ.

            To summarize, we see that starting around 1st Samuel 18 there is an explosion of the use of the letters of the divine name as suffixes and prefixes. This is the time of the rise of David. Before that we only see the occasional use of the yud-vav prefix, except in the significant case of Joshua.

            And even the yud-vav prefix is not used at all in the Torah except in the one case of the name of MosesÕ mother discussed above.

 

יו (yud-vav) as a prefix before 1st Samuel 18 (unattested as a suffix)

יוכבד

Jochebad

Exodus 6:20 and Numbers 26:59

יואש

Joash

Judges 6:11 ff

יותם

Jotham

Judges 9:5,7,21,57

יואל

Joel

1st Sam 8:2

יונתן

Jonathan

1st Sam 13:2 ff

 

יהו (yud-hey-vav) as a prefix before 1st Samuel 18 (unattested as a suffix)

יהושע

Joshua

Exodus 17:9 ff (but originally called Hoshea – see above)

יהונתן

Jonathan

Judges 18:30 (post 722BC gloss ), 1st Sam 14:6,8

 

יה (yud-hey) as a suffix before 1st Samuel 18

אביה

Abijah

1st Sam 8:2 (JoelÕs brother)

 

After 1st Samuel 18 Jonathan is always spelt the longer way except at 19:1, before that it is always spelt the shorter way except 14:6,8. (Chronicles not included.)

            As the above tables show, there are no uses of the divine name as a suffix or prefix in Genesis. (see the Appendices for complete tables of all the proper names in Genesis). In the first six books of the Bible we see only Joshua with the divine name clearly as a prefix. We do see the mother of Moses with the prefix yud-vav, which thing is discussed above.

            Is yud-vav really a divine prefix before 1st Samuel 14/18?

We know that the letters yud-vav occuring at the beginning of a name do not automatically equal a divine prefix. As shown above, Jobab and Jubal do not contain divine prefixes. They are from the roots יבב and יבל respectively. In 2nd Samuel 8:10 we read of יורם Joram who is not an Israelite and is the son of the foreign king Toi. This is evidence that either the yud-vav prefix was not Yahwistic or that YHWH was worshipped by that name outside the borders of Israel. If the former is the correct[26] understanding, then we have no Yahwistic names from the historical context preceding the Monarchy – with the exception of Joshua.

Conclusion

            The names in Genesis rarely contain a divine prefix or suffix – only about 25[27] names out of about 484 total names in the book contain an El suffix or prefix and none contain a YHWH suffix or Prefix. This is amazing since Genesis contains such a large portion of the names in the Bible[28]. Thus the author or authors do not seem to have invented names to strengthen the worship of YHWH even though the text of Genesis clearly promotes the worship of YHWH. These two facts combined point to the authenticity and antiquity of the personal names in Genesis[29]. This in turn points to the validity of the name YHWH truly not being revealed to the patriarchs in Genesis. When the author speaks or YHWH in Genesis and even records the words of the patriarchs using the name, he does so as one who already knew the divine name and inserts it retroactively into the story.

            The suffix Yah and Yahu are nowhere to be found, with the possible exceptions noted above, anywhere before the generation born after the Exodus, and only barely before the time of King David. This is a great difficulty to explain in the Documentary Hypothesis, which would claim that the J author was promoting the use of the name YHWH from the time of Enosh onward. If DH scholars want to follow the majority and assume that the name Jochebed contains a YHWH prefix, then they are stuck with the problem of such a prefix occurring in a supposed P passage!

            While it does appear the author of Genesis was willing to change the original name used for God by the patriarchs to YHWH – even in direct discourse occasionally, he seems to be completely unwilling to add that name as a suffix or prefix to any of the names in Genesis. This indicates that the names are original and authentic.

            The person Joshua becomes something special in this study – the only person before the time of the anointing of King David to have the full divine prefix of yud-hey-vav in his name.

Recommended Related Areas of Study

            The Poetry sections of Genesis should be considered in the study of the divine name YHWH, since the poetry sections of the narrative books often contain an much older form of Hebrew and are likely closer to the original words of the characters. For example we have Genesis 28:3-4: the second blessing of Jacob - notice the lack of the definite article in this old poetry, which uses the name El-Shaddai. Compare this to the first blessing in 27:27b-29, which has the definite article and contains the name YHWH. Though it does lack the definite direct object marker ÔetÕ. Here, 27b may not be part of the blessing and therefore YHWH is not used in this blessing either. Notice the use of HaElohim within the blessing. Cassuto (p25) likewise points to the lack of the use of YHWH in the poetry sections of Job – again showing the antiquity of that book[30].            Possible early Extra biblical references to YHWH should be considered – including the Egyptian reference to the "Yhw in the land of the Shasu" coming from the 15th century. The ABD VI p1012 shows that the name YHWH appears as early as 1400 BC in Egyptian texts. However it does not appear in cuniform texts and is debated and unlikely at Ebla.

            Likewise, divine prefixes in the Armana letters from the 14th century should not be outside the realm of consideration. Also from the excavations at Tell Ta'annuk, the occurrence of the name Ahi-Yawi (probably Hebrew ÔAhijahÕ) should be considered.

            As Andersen and Hess both point out, the study of names in the Bible can tell us much about the origin and antiquity of the stories for later authors lacked the scientific knowledge to make up names that fit precisely into the historical context of the stories. Likewise it is unlikely that these names could have been handed down accurately through centuries of oral transmission, which thing points to an early written record underlying our current Bibles.

 

 

Appendices

The tables following are my own construction and are provided as a simple reference for the names found in Genesis.

Appendix 1

Personal names in Genesis 1-11:[31]

1.      

יהוה

YHWH[32]

2:4

 

2.      

אדם

Adam

3:17

First mention of Adam[33]

3.      

חוה

Eve

3:20

 

4.      

קין

Cain

4:1

 

5.      

הבל

Abel

4:2

 

6.      

חנוך

Enoch

4:17

also in Seth's line 5:18

7.      

עירד

Irad

4:18

 

8.      

מחויאל (מחייאל)

Mehujael

4:18

note the ÔelÕ suffix

9.      

מתושאל

Methushael

4:18

note the ÔelÕ suffix

10.   

למך

Lamech

4:18

also in Seth's line 5:25

11.   

עדה

Adah

4:19

 

12.   

צלה

Zillah

4:19

 

13.   

יבל

Jabal

4:20

 

14.   

יובל

Jubal

4:21

 

15.   

קין תובל

Tubal-Cain

4:22

 

16.   

נעמה

Naamah

4:22

sister of Tubal-Cain

17.   

שת

Seth

4:25

 

18.   

אנוש

Enosh

4:26

Seth's son

19.   

קינן

Cainan

5:9

 

20.   

מהללאל

Mahalalel

5:12

note the ÔelÕ suffix

21.   

ירד

Jared

5:15

 

22.   

חנוך

Enoch

5:18

also in Cain's line 4:17

23.   

מתושלח

Methuselah

5:21

 

24.   

למך

Lamech

5:25

also in Cain's line 4:18

25.   

נח

Noah

5:29

name explained here

26.   

שם

Shem

5:32

 

27.   

חם

Ham

5:32

 

28.   

יפת

Japheth

5:32

Last name before the flood story

29.   

כנען

Canaan

9:18

Also a place name[34]

30.   

גמר

Gomer

10:2

 

31.   

מגוג

Magog

10:2

Place/people name in Ezekiel

32.   

מדי

Madai

10:2

 

33.   

יון

Javan

10:2

Also the name of Greece

34.   

תבל

Tubal

10:2

 

35.   

משך

Meshech

10:2

 

36.   

תירס

Tiras

10:2

 

37.   

אשכנז

Ashkenaz

10:3

 

38.   

ריפת

Riphath

10:3

 

39.   

תגרמה

Togarmah

10:3

spelt תוגרמה in 1st Chron. 1:6

40.   

אלישה

Elishah

10:4

 

41.   

תרשיש

Tarshish

10:4

תרשישה in 1st Chron. 1:7

42.   

כתים

Kittim

10:4

notice the plural endings

43.   

דדנים

Dodanim

10:4

[35] see דדן below. 1st Chr 1:7 = רודנים

44.   

כוש

Cush

10:6

Ethiopia

45.   

מצרים

Mizraim

10:6

Egypt

46.   

פוט

Put

10:6

 

47.   

סבא

Seba

10:7

 

48.   

חוילה

Havilah

10:7

same name below 10:29

49.   

סבתה

Sabtah

10:7

סבתא in 1st Chr. 1:9[36]

50.   

רעמה

Raamah

10:7

רעמא in 1st Chr. 1:9

51.   

סבתכא

Sabtechah

10:7

 

52.   

שבא

Sheba

10:7

10:28

53.   

דדן

Dedan

10:7

see דדנים above

54.   

נמרד

Nimrod

10:8

נמרוד in 1st Chr. 1:10

55.   

צידן

Sidon

10:15

also a place צידון in 1st Chr. 1:13

56.   

חת

Heth

10:15

Possibly a people group - Hittites?

57.   

עילם

Elam

10:22

Also a people group

58.   

אשור

Asshur

10:22

Also a people group/place

59.   

ארפכשד

Arphaxad

10:22

Possibly also a place name

60.   

לוד

Lud

10:22

 

61.   

ארם

Aram

10:22

Also a people group

62.   

עוץ

Uz

10:23

Place name in Job 1:1

63.   

חול

Hul

10:23

 

64.   

גתר

Gether

10:23

 

65.   

מש

Mash

10:23

משך in 1st Chr. 1:17

66.   

שלח

Salah

10:24

 

67.   

עבר

Eber

10:24

 

68.   

פלג

Peleg

10:25

 

69.   

יקטן

Joktan

10:25

 

70.   

אלמודד

Almodad

10:26

 

71.   

שלף

Sheleph

10:26

 

72.   

חצרמות

Hazarmaveth

10:26

 

73.   

ירח

Jerah

10:26

 

74.   

הדורם

Hadoram

10:27

 

75.   

אוזל

Uzal

10:27

 

76.   

דקלה

Diklah

10:27

 

77.   

עובל

Obal (Ebal)

10:28

עיבל in 1st Chr. 1:22

78.   

בימאלא

Abimael

10:28

note the ÔelÕ suffix

79.   

שבא

Sheba

10:28

also above 10:7

80.   

אופר

Ophir

10:29

 

81.   

חוילה

Havilah

10:29

same name diff. person than 10:7

82.   

יובב

Jobab

10:29

 

83.   

רעו

Reu

11:18

 

84.   

שרוג

Serug

11:20

 

85.   

נחור

Nahor

11:22

see 11:26

86.   

תרח

Terah

11:24

 

87.   

אברם

Abram

11:26

 

88.   

נחור

Nahor

11:26

also 11:22, two different people

89.   

הרן

Haran

11:26

 

90.   

לוט

Lot

11:27

 

91.   

שרי

Sarai

11:29

 

92.   

מלכה

Milcah

11:29

 

93.   

יסכה

Iscah

11:29

 

Apendix 2

Race/Nation names in Genesis 1-11:

 

94.   

הנפלים

giants

6:4

The Nephilim

 

 

95.   

לודים

Ludim

10:13

children of Mitzraim

 

 

96.   

ענמים

Anamim

10:13

children of Mitzraim

 

 

97.   

להבים

Lehabim

10:13

children of Mitzraim

 

 

98.   

נפתחים

Naphtuhim

10:13

children of Mitzraim

 

 

99.   

פתרסים

Pathrusim

10:14

children of Mitzraim

 

 

100.                  

כסלחים

Casluhim

10:14

children of Mitzraim

 

 

101.                  

לשתיםפ

Philistines

10:14

from the Casluhim

 

 

102.                  

כפתרים

Caphtorim

10:14

from the Casluhim

 

 

103.                  

היבוסי

Jebusite

10:14

 

 

 

104.                  

האמרי

Amorite

10:16

 

 

 

105.                  

הגרגשי

Girgashite

10:16

 

 

 

106.                  

החוי

Hivite

10:17

 

 

 

107.                  

הערקי

Arkite

10:17

 

 

 

108.                  

הסיני

Sinite

10:17

 

 

 

109.                  

הארודי

Arvadite

10:18

 

 

 

110.                  

הצמרי

Zemarite

10:18

 

 

 

111.                  

החמתי

Hamathite

10:18

 

 

112.                  

עבר בני

sons of Eber

10:21

cf. Gen 10:24, 11:11, 14

113.                  

כשדים

Chaldeans

11:28

 


Apendix 3

Place Names (cities, lands, rivers, etc...) in Genesis 1-11

114.                  

עדן

Eden

2:8

 

115.                  

פישון

Pishon

2:11

 

116.                  

החוילה

Havilah

2:11

 

117.                  

גיחון

Gihon

2:13

also the name of a spring in Jer.

118.                  

כוש

Cush

2:13

 

119.                  

חדקל

Hiddekel

2:14

 

120.                  

אשור

Assyria

2:14

 

121.                  

פרת

Euphrates

2:14

 

122.                  

נוד

Nod

4:16

 

123.                  

חנוך

Enoch

4:17

a city named after Cain's son[37]

124.                  

אררט

Ararat

8:4

mountains of Ararat

125.                  

בבל

Babel

10:10

 

126.                  

ארך

Erech

10:10

 

127.                  

אכד

Accad

10:10

 

128.                  

כלנה

Calneh

10:10

 

129.                  

שנער

Shinar

10:10

 

130.                  

נינוה

Nineveh

10:11

 

131.                  

עיר רחבת

Rehoboth Ir

10:11

maybe two names

132.                  

כלח

Calah

10:11

 

133.                  

רסן

Resen

10:12

 

134.                  

צידן

Sidon

10:19

 

135.                  

גררה

Gerar

10:19

(towards Gerar)

136.                  

עזה

Gaza

10:19

 

137.                  

סדמה

Sodom

10:19

(towards Sodom)

138.                  

עמרה

Gomorrah

10:19

 

139.                  

אדמה

Admah

10:19

 

140.                  

צבים

Zeboiim

10:19

 

141.                  

לשע

Lasha

10:19

 

142.                  

משא

Mesha

10:30

 

143.                  

ספרה

Sephar

10:30

 

144.                  

אור

Ur

11:28

 

 

 

Appendix 4

Table of names in Genesis 12-50

This table is a combination of people, places and things – all proper names – a total of approximately 341 different names. Several different people have similar or the same names, though often generations apart or from different genealogies.

 

1.      

shechem

12:6

a place

2.      

Moreh

12:6

maybe a diety

3.      

Bethel

12:8

a place – El suffix

4.      

Ai

12:8

a place

5.      

pharaoh

12:15

a title

6.      

Canaanites

13:7

a people

7.      

Perizzites

13:7

a people

8.      

Jordan

13:10

place

9.      

Sodom

13:10

place

10.   

Gomorrah

13:10

place

11.   

Zoar

13:10

place

12.   

Mamre

13:18

person see 14:24

13.   

Hebron

13:18

place

14.   

Amraphel

14:1

person

15.   

Shinar

14:1

place

16.   

Arioch

14:1

person

17.   

Ellasar

14:1

place

18.   

Chedorlaomer

14:1

person

19.   

Elam

14:1

place

20.   

Tidal

14:1

person

21.   

nations(goyim)

14:1

people

22.   

Bera

14:2

person

23.   

Birsha

14:2

peson

24.   

Shinab

14:2

person

25.   

Admah

14:2

place (possibly Adam in Joshua)

26.   

Shemeber

14:2

person

27.   

Zeboiim

14:2

place/people

28.   

Bela

14:2

place – also called Zoar

29.   

Siddim

14:3

place (salt sea)

30.   

Rephaim

14:5

people

31.   

Ashteroth

14:5

place

32.   

Karnaim

14:5

place (possibly compound name with above)

33.   

Zuzim

14:5

people

34.   

Ham

14:5

place in this context

35.   

Emim

14:5

people - more giants

36.   

Shaveh Kiriathaim

14:5

place

37.   

Horites

14:6

people – cf singular at 36:20

38.   

Seir

14:6

place – cf place 36:20

39.   

El(Eil) Paran

14:6

place (not an El name)

40.   

En Mishpat

14:7

place

41.   

Kadesh

14:7

place

42.   

Amalekites

14:7

people

43.   

Hazezon Tamar

14:7

place

44.   

Eshcol

14:13

person

45.   

Aner

14:13

person

46.   

Dan

14:14

place – cf person 30:6

47.   

Hobah

14:15

place

48.   

Damascus

14:15

place

49.   

Shaveh

14:17

place (explained as kings valley, indicating this source predates monarchal times)

50.   

Melchizedek

14:18

person

51.   

Salem

14:18

place

52.   

El Elyon

14:18

God

53.   

Eliezer

15:2

person – El prefix

54.   

Kenites

15:19

people

55.   

Kenezzites

15:19

people

56.   

Kadmonites

15:19

people

57.   

Hittites

15:20

people

58.   

Girgashites

15:21

people

59.   

Jebusites

15:21

people

60.   

Hagar

16:1

person

61.   

Shur

16:7

place

62.   

Ishmael

16:11

person – El Suffix

63.   

God-who-sees

16:13

God

64.   

Beer Lahai Roi

16:14

place

65.   

Bered

16:14

place

66.   

Abraham

17:5

person

67.   

Sarah

17:15

person

68.   

Isaac

17:19

person

69.   

Moab

19:37

person

70.   

Moabites

19:37

people

71.   

Ben-Ammi

19:38

person

72.   

Ammon

19:38

people

73.   

Shur

20:1

place

74.   

Gerar

20:1

place

75.   

Abimelech

20:2

person

76.   

Beersheba

21:14

place

77.   

Paran

21:21

place

78.   

Phichol

21:22

place

79.   

Philistines

21:32

people

80.   

El-Olam

21:33

God

81.   

Moriah

22:2

place – Yah suffix??

82.   

Jehovah-Jireh

22:14

rare instance

83.   

Huz

22:21

person

84.   

Buz

22:21

person

85.   

Kemuel

22:21

person – El suffix

86.   

Aram

22:21

person

87.   

Chesed

22:22

person

88.   

Hazo

22:22

person

89.   

Pildash

22:22

person

90.   

Jidlaph

22:22

person

91.   

Bethuel

22:22

person – El suffix

92.   

Rebekah

22:23

person

93.   

Reumah

22:24

person

94.   

Tebah

22:24

person

95.   

Gaham

22:24

person

96.   

Thahash

22:24

person

97.   

Maachah

22:24

person

98.   

Kirjath Arba

23:2

place

99.   

Heth

23:3

person cf 10:15

100.                  

Ephron

23:8

person

101.                  

Zohar

23:8

person

102.                  

Machpelah

23:9

cave

103.                  

Laban

24:29

person

104.                  

Keturah

25:1

person

105.                  

Zimran

25:2

person

106.                  

Jokshan

25:2

person

107.                  

Medan

25:2

person

108.                  

Midian

25:2

person – cf people 36:35

109.                  

Ishbak

25:2

person

110.                  

Shuah

25:2

person

111.                  

Sheba

25:3

person – see note below

112.                  

Dedan

25:3

person – see note below

113.                  

Asshurim

25:3

people

114.                  

Letushim

25:3

people

115.                  

Leummim

25:3

people

116.                  

Ephah

25:4

person

117.                  

Epher

25:4

person

118.                  

Hanoch

25:4

person

119.                  

Abidah

25:4

person

120.                  

Eldaah

25:4

person – El prefix

121.                  

Nebajoth

25:13

person IshmaelÕs firstborn

122.                  

Kedar

25:13

person

123.                  

Adbeel

25:13

person – El suffix

124.                  

Mibsam

25:13

person

125.                  

Mishma

25:14

person

126.                  

Dumah

25:14

person

127.                  

Massa

25:14

person

128.                  

Hadar

25:15

person – cf 36:39 diff. person?

129.                  

Tema

25:15

person

130.                  

Jetur

25:15

person

131.                  

Naphish

25:15

person

132.                  

Kedemah

25:15

person

133.                  

Syrian

25:20

people

134.                  

Esau

25:25

person

135.                  

Jacob

25:26

person

136.                  

Edom

25:30

person

137.                  

Esek

26:20

a well

138.                  

Sitnah

26:21

a well

139.                  

Rehoboth

26:22

a well

140.                  

Ahuzzath

26:26

person

141.                  

Shebah

26:33

a well

142.                  

Judith

26:34

wife of Esau

143.                  

Beeri

26:34

person

144.                  

Basemath

26:34

person

145.                  

Elon

26:34

person – cf 46:14 diff. person

146.                  

Padan(ah)

28:2

place

147.                  

Mahalath

28:9

person

148.                  

Luz

28:19

place

149.                  

Rachel

29:6

person

150.                  

Leah

29:16

person

151.                  

Zilpah

29:24

person

152.                  

Bilhah

29:29

person

153.                  

Reuben

29:32

person

154.                  

Simeon

29:33

person

155.                  

Levi

29:34

person

156.                  

Judah

29:35

person

157.                  

Dan

30:6

person – cf place 14:14

158.                  

Naphtali

30:8

person

159.                  

Gad

30:11

person

160.                  

Asher

30:13

person

161.                  

Issachar

30:18

person

162.                  

Zebulun

30:20

person

163.                  

Joseph

30:24

person

164.                  

Gilead

31:21

place

165.                  

Jegar Sahadutha

31:47

thing – heap of stones

166.                  

Galeed

31:47

thing – heap of stones

167.                  

Mizpah

31:49

thing – heap of stone

168.                  

Mahanaim

32:2

place

169.                  

Jabbok

32:22

river

170.                  

Israel

32:28

person – El suffix

171.                  

Peniel

32:30

place –El suffix

172.                  

Penuel

32:31

place – El Suffix

173.                  

Succoth

33:17

place

174.                  

Shechem

33:18

place

175.                  

Hamor

33:19

place

176.                  

El Elohe Israel

33:20

thing – altar

177.                  

Dinah

34:1

person

178.                  

Hivite

34:2

people

179.                  

El Bethel

35:7

place – el suffix

180.                  

Deborah

35:8

person

181.                  

Allon Bachuth

35:8

thing – tree

182.                  

Ephrath

35:16

place

183.                  

Ben-Oni

35:18

person

184.                  

Benjamin

35:18

person

185.                  

Tower of Eder

35:21

place – possibly not a proper name

186.                  

Adah

36:2

person cf 4:19 –diff person

187.                  

Aholibamah

36:2

person

188.                  

Anah

36:2

person – cf 36:24 – gender problem her a woman their a man

189.                  

Zibeon

36:2

person

190.                  

Eliphaz

36:4

person – El prefix

191.                

Reuel

36:4

person – El suffix

192.                  

Jeush

36:5

person

193.                  

Jaalam

36:5

person

194.                  

Korah

36:5

person

195.                  

Teman

36:11

person – cf 36:40 maybe same

196.                  

Omar

36:11

person

197.                  

Zepho

36:11

person

198.                  

Gatam

36:11

person

199.                  

Kenaz

36:11

person

200.                  

Timna

36:12

person

201.                  

Amalek

36:12

person

202.                  

Nahath

36:13

person

203.                  

Zerah

36:13

person – probably same as 36:34

204.                  

Shammah

36:13

person

205.                  

Mizzah

36:13