Nov 1211 min read

Widely Held False Belief That There Was No “J” In Biblical Hebrew

The belief that there was no “J” sound in ancient Hebrew has led to misconceptions about the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton and other Hebrew words. This article delves into the linguistic and historical evidence supporting the existence of the “J” sound in ancient Hebrew, particularly in the context of the Tetragrammaton.

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The Sephardic and Ashkenazi Pronunciations of Hebrew

Differences in Phonetics: The Sephardic Jews, unlike their Ashkenazi counterparts, have retained pronunciations closer to ancient Hebrew. This includes the “J” sound for the Hebrew letter י (Yod).
Impact on Modern Hebrew: The State of Israel and modern Hebrew linguistics have largely adopted the Sephardic pronunciation, which is believed to be more reflective of ancient Hebrew phonetics.

The Jod in Ancient Hebrew

Jod’s Historical Pronunciation: Ancient Hebrew’s י (Jod or Yod) has been represented with a “J” sound, as evidenced in the Sephardic tradition. This contradicts the common belief of its absence in ancient Hebrew. We prefer the use of ‘Jod,’ but for convenience’s sake, we will mainly use ‘Yod’ in this article.
Classification as a Palatal: The Hebrew letter י is classified as a palatal, capable of producing the “J” sound, among others. This classification is supported by Sephardic grammarians and historical linguistics.

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Tyndale’s Transliteration and the Tetragrammaton

Tyndale’s Hebrew Sources: When William Tyndale transliterated the Tetragrammaton as “Jehovah,” he followed the Sephardic phonetic system. His translation reflects the then-accepted scholarly understanding of Hebrew pronunciation.
Jehovah in Historical Context: The use of “Jehovah” dates back to at least the 8th century CE. This pronunciation has been preserved in significant biblical translations, including the American Standard Version.

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The Ashkenazic Influence and Modern Misconceptions

Shift in Pronunciation: The Ashkenazic tradition, which emerged in European contexts, altered the pronunciation of י (Jod) to a “Y” sound. This change has influenced modern perceptions of Hebrew pronunciation.
Linguistic Evolution: The evolution of languages and the divergence in Jewish communities have contributed to the widespread belief in the non-existence of the “J” sound in ancient Hebrew.

The Authenticity of the Sephardic Pronunciation

Endorsement by Scholars: Historical linguists and scholars, including Gesenius, have acknowledged the Sephardic pronunciation as more closely aligned with ancient Hebrew.
Reuchlin’s Influence: Reuchlin, a leading authority in Hebrew studies during the Renaissance, affirmed the Sephardic pronunciation, influencing subsequent scholars and translators like Tyndale.

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Debunking the Myth: Was There a ‘J’ Sound in Ancient Hebrew?

Comparative Semitic Linguistics

Research in the field of comparative Semitic linguistics can offer insights into the evolution of sounds in related languages. Ancient Hebrew, being part of the Semitic language family, shares characteristics with languages like Aramaic, Arabic, and Akkadian. Investigating how the ‘J’ sound is represented in these languages could provide clues about its presence or absence in ancient Hebrew.

In comparative Semitic linguistics, concrete evidence from related languages such as Aramaic, Arabic, and Akkadian can provide insights into the presence of the ‘J’ sound in ancient Hebrew:

Aramaic: Aramaic, closely related to Hebrew, historically used the letter Daleth (ד) to represent a sound similar to the modern ‘J’ in some dialects. This indicates that a ‘J’-like sound was not unfamiliar in the linguistic environment close to ancient Hebrew. However, the direct correspondence of this sound to the Hebrew Yod (י) is not evident in Aramaic.
Arabic: Classical Arabic has the letter Jim (ج), which is pronounced as a ‘J’ sound in most dialects. This sound has been consistent in Arabic, a language known for preserving many archaic Semitic phonetic features. The presence of this sound in Arabic, a Semitic language, suggests the possibility of its existence in related languages, including ancient Hebrew.
Akkadian: Akkadian, one of the earliest Semitic languages, utilized cuneiform script which did not directly correspond to the Hebrew alphabet. The representation of a ‘J’ sound in Akkadian is not as straightforward, but the language did have a diversity of phonetic sounds. However, there is no direct evidence of a ‘J’ sound similar to that in modern English.
Phonetic Shifts: Historical linguistics shows that phonetic shifts are common in language evolution. For instance, the Hebrew Yod (י) initially may have had a broader range of sounds that narrowed over time. While the exact nature of this sound in ancient Hebrew is still debated, the variation in its pronunciation in related Semitic languages suggests that a ‘J’-like sound could have been plausible in certain linguistic contexts.
Transliteration Practices: Ancient transliterations of Hebrew names into Greek and Latin do not consistently support the presence of a ‘J’ sound. For example, in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible), Hebrew names with Yod (י) are often transliterated with an ‘I’ sound (as in Iesous for Yeshua). This indicates that the Greek speakers perceived the Yod more like an ‘I’ than a ‘J.’
Linguistic Reconstruction: Linguistic reconstruction of Proto-Semitic, the common ancestor of Semitic languages, suggests that the sound represented by Yod (י) in Hebrew could have had different realizations in different branches of the Semitic family. While a ‘J’ sound is plausible, it is not definitively evidenced in the earliest reconstructable stages of the language.

In summary, while the presence of a ‘J’ sound in related Semitic languages like Arabic suggests its possibility in ancient Hebrew, direct evidence from historical linguistic sources, such as transliterations and phonetic reconstructions, does not conclusively confirm its presence in ancient Hebrew. The evolution of Semitic phonetics and the variety of realizations of similar sounds in related languages provide a complex and multifaceted picture of ancient Hebrew phonology.

ARCHAEOLOGY & THE OLD TESTAMENT

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Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions

Archaeological findings, including inscriptions and ancient manuscripts, can provide direct evidence of pronunciation. For instance, the Moabite Stone (Mesha Stele) and the Siloam Inscription, which date back to the first millennium BCE, might offer clues about the phonetics of the period.

In exploring the existence of a ‘J’ sound in Biblical Hebrew and Paleo-Hebrew, particularly in supporting “Jehovah” as the correct pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton, we can look at specific archaeological findings and ancient manuscripts:

Moabite Stone (Mesha Stele): Dating back to the 9th century BCE, the Moabite Stone features the Moabite language, which is closely related to Hebrew. The Moabite language, like early Hebrew, used the letter י (Yod). However, the stele does not provide direct evidence for the pronunciation of י as ‘J’. The Moabite language is believed to have similarities with Hebrew, but direct transliterations indicating a ‘J’ sound in the Moabite language have not been conclusively identified in the stone’s inscriptions.
Siloam Inscription: The Siloam Inscription, dating from the 8th century BCE, is written in ancient Hebrew. It provides valuable insights into the language’s phonetics during this period. The inscription includes the letter י (Yod), but similar to the Moabite Stone, it does not offer explicit evidence of the ‘J’ sound. The script is consonantal, and without vowels, it’s challenging to determine the exact pronunciation of י in this context.
Lachish Letters: The Lachish Letters, a set of ostraca (pottery shards) written in ancient Hebrew and dating to the 6th century BCE, include the use of י (Yod). However, these inscriptions also lack vowel markings, making it difficult to determine if the ‘J’ sound was used.
Gezer Calendar: The Gezer Calendar, dated to the 10th century BCE, is one of the earliest examples of Hebrew script. It is an agricultural calendar that includes the letter י (Yod). Like other ancient inscriptions, it does not provide vowel indications, leaving the exact pronunciation of י ambiguous.
Comparative Analysis with Other Semitic Languages: Inscriptions in related Semitic languages, such as Phoenician and Ugaritic, which share the alphabetic script with ancient Hebrew, include characters similar to י (Yod). However, these inscriptions also do not give a definitive indication of a ‘J’ sound as they are primarily consonantal scripts without explicit vowel notations.

In conclusion, while these ancient Hebrew inscriptions are crucial for understanding the script and language of the period, they do not provide concrete evidence of the ‘J’ sound for the pronunciation of י (Yod) in the context of the Tetragrammaton or other Hebrew words. The absence of vowel indicators in these inscriptions means that the exact pronunciation, particularly whether it included a ‘J’ sound, remains a topic of scholarly debate and interpretation based on indirect linguistic and historical evidence.

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Etymology of Biblical Names

The etymology and pronunciation of biblical names that include the letter י (Yod) in Hebrew can provide evidence. For example, examining how these names were transliterated into other ancient languages like Greek and Latin could indicate how the sound was perceived and pronounced.

To explore the presence of a ‘J’ sound in Biblical Hebrew and Paleo-Hebrew, particularly in relation to the pronunciation of “Jehovah,” we can analyze the etymology and pronunciation of biblical names containing the letter י (Yod) and how these names were transliterated into other ancient languages like Greek and Latin:

Transliteration into Greek: In the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, Hebrew names containing י (Yod) were often transliterated with an initial ‘I’ sound (represented by the Greek iota, Ι). For instance, the Hebrew name יהושע (Yehoshua) was transliterated as Ἰησοῦς (Iesous). This suggests that the Greek translators perceived the י (Yod) as having a sound closer to ‘I’ than to ‘J.’
Transliteration into Latin: Similarly, when these Hebrew names were transliterated into Latin, the initial י (Yod) was often represented by ‘I,’ as in the case of Iesus (Jesus) from Ἰησοῦς (Iesous). This again points to an ‘I’ sound rather than a ‘J’ sound.
Evolution of the ‘J’ Sound in Latin: It is important to note that the ‘J’ sound as we know it today in English and some other modern languages did not exist in classical Latin. The letter ‘J’ was originally a variant of ‘I,’ and its pronunciation as ‘J’ developed in later Latin during the medieval period. This indicates that the ‘J’ sound was not used in the transliteration of Hebrew names into early Latin.
Names in the Dead Sea Scrolls: The Dead Sea Scrolls, which include texts in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, provide additional sources for examining transliteration practices. However, these texts predominantly use the Hebrew script and thus do not offer direct evidence for the ‘J’ sound in transliterations.
Phonetic Shifts Over Time: The way that י (Yod) was transliterated into Greek and Latin suggests that its pronunciation in Biblical and Paleo-Hebrew was closer to an ‘I’ sound. The shift to a ‘J’ sound in the pronunciation of Hebrew names and words like “Jehovah” seems to be a later development, influenced by changes in the phonetics of European languages, rather than a reflection of ancient Hebrew pronunciation

The use of “I” in Latin to represent what evolved into the “J” sound in later languages, including English, is similar to Tyndale’s usage in his English translation.

In classical Latin, the letter “I” was used both as a vowel (like the English ‘i’ in “machine”) and as a consonant (similar to the English ‘y’ in “yes”). Over time, especially during the Middle Ages, the consonantal “I” (also called “I” consonant or “jot”) started being pronounced more like the modern English ‘j’ sound in certain positions, particularly at the beginning of words. This phonetic shift was part of the evolution of the Romance languages from Latin.

When Raymundus Martini used the spelling “Yohoua” in the 13th century, it reflected the pronunciation norms of his time and linguistic background. Similarly, when Tyndale transliterated the Tetragrammaton as “Jehovah” in the 16th century, the “I” in his sources was understood as having a consonantal sound, aligning with the evolving pronunciation of “J” in Early Modern English. This development in English paralleled the evolution of the “I” consonant into a distinct “J” sound in other European languages, including the transition in Latin.

Therefore, the use of “I” in these historical Latin sources and in Tyndale’s English was indeed indicative of a sound that was shifting towards or had become similar to the modern “J” sound. This linguistic transition reflects the broader evolution of European languages in the post-classical and medieval periods.

In summary, the etymology and transliteration of biblical names containing י (Yod) into Greek and Latin suggest that this letter was originally pronounced more like an ‘I’ than a ‘J’ in Biblical and Paleo-Hebrew. The pronunciation of “Jehovah” with a ‘J’ sound appears to be a later development, not grounded in the original pronunciation of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton.

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Early Greek and Latin Transcriptions of Hebrew Texts

The way Hebrew words, especially the Tetragrammaton, were transcribed in early Greek and Latin texts could shed light on their original pronunciation. This includes works by early Church Fathers and translations like the Septuagint.

In examining the early Greek and Latin transcriptions of Hebrew texts, particularly the Tetragrammaton, we find evidence that can provide insights into the original pronunciation of the Hebrew name of God, often rendered as “Jehovah”:

Septuagint Translations: The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, completed by the 2nd century BCE, does not directly transcribe the Tetragrammaton (JHVH) into Greek letters. Instead, it consistently substitutes it with “Κύριος” (Kyrios), meaning “Lord.” This practice indicates the reverence for the name but does not shed light on its phonetic pronunciation in Hebrew. (See LXXP. Fouad Inv. 266 Excursion below)
Early Greek Transcriptions: Some of the earliest Greek transcriptions of Hebrew texts, including fragments of the Septuagint and other manuscripts, avoid representing the Tetragrammaton with Greek characters, again typically using “Κύριος.” This lack of direct transcription makes it challenging to ascertain the original pronunciation from these Greek sources.
Latin Transcriptions: In Latin translations of the Hebrew Scriptures, such as the Vulgate (completed in the 4th century CE), the Tetragrammaton is often transcribed as “Dominus” (Lord), similar to the Greek practice. However, Jerome, the translator of the Vulgate, was aware of the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton, which he transliterated as “Iehova” in his other writings. This reflects the Latin usage of ‘I’ for the ‘J’ sound.
Writings of Early Church Fathers: Some early Church Fathers, including Jerome, mention the Tetragrammaton in their writings. Jerome, who had access to Jewish scholars and texts, used “Iehova” in Latin, indicating the ‘J’ sound as used in the Latin of his time.
No Direct Greek Equivalents: The Greek language, at the time of the Septuagint’s translation, did not have a direct equivalent for the ‘J’ sound. The Greek alphabet and phonetics did not include this sound, which explains why the Tetragrammaton was not transliterated phonetically into Greek.

In conclusion, while the early Greek transcriptions do not provide direct evidence of the ‘J’ sound due to the phonetic limitations of Greek, the Latin transcriptions, particularly by scholars like Jerome who had a deep understanding of Hebrew, suggest that a ‘J’-like sound (represented by ‘I’ in Latin) was recognized in the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton during the early centuries CE. This aligns with the later English pronunciation “Jehovah” that emerged with the development of modern English phonetics.

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220 books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).