(Cont. of Chpt. One, The Holy Scriptures) (or not?).

We left off with an in depth description of how the Hebrew Scriptures were preserved and protected, via the “Massorah,” and also we touched upon how a horrible practice of CHANGING the words of Scripture began.

Sadly, modern day scholars, as well as those of yore, have known for hundreds of years that the Holy Scriptures have been misused and abused. Yet, no one chose to correct this. My own curiosity made me question THE particular version I have been using for years because of it’s Heb. and Gk. parallel versions, with Strong’s numbering system integrated into the text. A very handy thing for word studies. So, I went back to the Preface of my “J. P. Green’s” version and discovered, much to my surprise, even HE was guilty of perpetrating a fraud, but he at least admitted such. In translating YHWH, he elected to continue the lie of using “Jehovah”. Here’s what he wrote as Hus reasoning: “The only personal name of God that belongs to Him alone was rendered either ‘Jehovah’ or, its shortened form, ‘Jah’. We preferred the translation Jehovah over Yahweh because this is established English usage for Bible names beginning with this letter” (i.e., J instead of Y). MY GOD! They knew and didn’t care that they were intentionally perverting the text! And their reasoning was simply because it was “…established English usage…”. WOW!

Before Mr. Green is vilified for HIS choice, keep in mind, it was the Sopherim who first chose to practice this evil. They began removing YHWH, and substituting in its place the Pagan titles of Gods (Elohim), and in some cases, even substituting Satanic names for Yahweh. Because of this grave error, those whom are using these false names, even out of ignorance, they are worshipping other gods (elohim), and Satan himself — for they are not calling upon YAHWEH.

These detrimental facts are not hidden. Over the past few hundred years several Scriptural commentaries, dictionaries, encyclopedias, lexicons, concordances, and technical publications have written extensive articles about it:

Joseph Bryant Rotherham, in the “Emphasized Bible’s” Introduction; (Standard Pub. Co., Cinn., OH, Copyright 1902) writes:

The Name Suppressed: The Fact

The NAME, in its four essential letters YHWH, was reverently transcribed by the Hebrew copyists, and was therefore placed before the eyes of the Hebrew readers. However, they were instructed not to pronounce it but to utter instead less sacred terms — Adonay (-ai) or Elohim. (…) The Septuagint (Greek, LXX) version, made the concealment complete by substituting kurios, as in the Latin Vulgate, in lime manner employs dominus. Both kurios and dominus having at the same time their own proper service to render the Heb. Adonay as “Lord”. The English versions do the same thing rendering YHWH as LORD or occassionally as GOD…so that the tetragrammaton is nearly hidden to the everyday citizen, in all modern day versions.

The Immediate Consequences of the Suppression.

LITERARY, though more than that! Reference is here made to the confusion into which many things are thrown through this abnormal state of things. “Baal” is “lord”, and so is “Axon” (Adonay) — that is distressing; but why add to the embarrassment by rendering YHWH also as “lord”? Worst is the confusion when “YHWH” and “Adonay” occur together, as it is translated many times in the Book of. Ezekiel (Heb. Yechetzqyah). In as much as to say, “Lord, LORD” for “Adonay Y”, was too grotesque and misleading (positively false to the ear), the new device had to be resorted to of rendering this combination by “Lord GOD” — “GOD” in this case, and not Lord at all, standing The Name. Even YH (the shorter form) and YHWH (the full form) of the tetragrammaton, coming together, caused a dilemma; though in these instances, the acuteness of the trouble compelled the ado option of a partial remedy, and the “LORD JEHOVAH” is the result. “Confusion,” then, is a term not a whit too strong to apply to these varying devises. It’s a no wonder that even intelligent scholars are continuously just letting it ride, when dealing with a so involved matter as to feel like, “why waste my time, for John Q. Public doesn’t care.?”

Rotherham then gives reasons WHY the Name of Yahweh must be restored, retained and used.

So grave an error cannot be corrected too soon. An unwarranted liberty has been taken, and so have we! The true path of humility is to retrace our steps…it is too heavily burdened with merited critical condemnation — as modern as a compromise, “mongrel” word, “hybrid”, “fantastic”, “monstrous”. The facts have only to be known to justify this verdict, and to vendicate the propriety of not employing it in a new and independent translation. What ARE the facts? And first as to age. “The pronunciation of “Jehovah” was unknown until 1520 AD, when it was first introduced by Galatinus, but was immediately contested by Left Mercier J. Drusius, a d L. Capellus, as against all grammatical and historical propriety” (Oxford Gesenius, p. 218). Next, as to formation. Erroneously written and pronounced ‘Jehovah’, which is merely a combination of YHWH and the vowels in the Heb. for Lord, substituted by the Jews (Yahdaim) for JHVH, because they shrank from pronouncing THE NAME, owing to an old misconception of Ex. 20:7 and Lev. 24:16…to give the name JHVH the vowels of the word for Lord (Heb. Adonai) and pronounce it ‘Jehovah’ is about as hybrid as it would be to spell the Name ‘Germany’ with the vowels of the Name ‘Portugal’ — viz., ‘Gormuna’.

“The Jerusalem Post,” article, in two parts, dated 6-28-86 and 8-9-86 (Reprint in Readers digest, 6-87) speaks to misuse. We will begin with that in our next part, Part 3, of Chp. One.

Until then, may Yahweh Bless ALL who truly believe and call on His TRUE Name, Amen.

Mark Blain, #1154225
Nottoway Corr. Ctr.
P.O. Box 488
Burkeville, Va 23922 (or)
http://www.jpay.com