Do Jews Misread Scripture?

[Bismarck]

According to the Encyclopedia Judaica, sometime after the Babylonian sack of Jerusalem (587 BCE) and the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament (c. 220 BCE), Jewish religious leaders began substituting the word "Adonai" for the Tetragrammaton YHWH whenever they read Scripture. "Adonai" does appear in the Old Testament as a reference to God, and means "Lord" in English.

During the Middle Ages, Rabbis went even further, inventing the word "haShem" for YHWH. "haShem" does not appear (to my knowledge) in the Old Testament as a reference to God.


Let me give an example. Image you were to show a Rabbi the Hebrew text of Genesis 11:5. That verse reads (translated):

And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built.

​

If you now asked the Rabbi to read that verse aloud, he was say (translated):

And haShem came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built.

​

Now, even if the Rabbi (or anyone else) were to read, say, "hamlet" for "city", or "cubs" for "children", said Rabbi (or anyone else) would legitimately be guilty of misreading the verse.

My point is, technically speaking, aren't Rabbis guilty of misreading Scripture? Moreover, isn't YHWH the most important word in the Old Testament? If you had to summarize the whole Old Testament in a single word, wouldn't you say YHWH? So, technically speaking, aren't Rabbis guilty of misreading the most important word of Scripture?

AfterWrit:

I am not aiming to be mean, or rude, or divisive, or otherwise evil. I am not advocating violence towards anyone, I have read Genesis 12:1-3, and I am deeply grateful to the Patriarch Abraham for making the whole entire world so much of a better place that his efforts improve my life today, 3000 years after he lived! For example, the Patriarch Abraham lived right around the time that hieroglyphs were simplified down into the first Aleph-Beth (alphabet). This brought literacy to the common man! I therefore wonder if that wasn't the work of Abraham himself, peace be upon him!

What I do want to do is call things as they are, to "tell it like it is".

Technically speaking or no, splitting hairs or no, at the end of the day, don't Jews misread (the most important word of) Scripture? Don't they take liberties with the text? If the OT is God-Breathed, didn't YHWH Himself put His name, YHWH, into those verses where it appears? And so shouldn't we conclude YHWH commands us to read His name in those places? And, so, aren't Jews putting the traditions of mortal men (Rabbis, who say "haShem") over the clear and obvious commandments of YHWH Himself, who wrote in "YHWH" in the first place?

God tells us to read "YHWH"...
Rabbis tell us to read "haShem"...
what more needs be said??

If my logic is wrong, please explain how.

The point is, if someone, anyone, is willing to take liberties with Scripture in one place...
er, actually 5900 places (!!)...
why should you or I trust them not to take liberties with Scripture in other places??

I claim I am not trying to be evil, just truthful. Rabbinical "interpretation of Scripture does lead them, afterall, to reject the Messiah. If Yeshua of Galilee really is the Messiah, wouldn't the world be a better place if his own people accepted him?

 

[Bismarck]

The Priestly Blessing (or "Benediction") of Numbers 6:27 commands us to put YHWH's name upon our children.

The ancient Jews clearly followed this practice -- that's why Prophets and Kings had names like Isai-yah (Isaiah), Jeremi-yah (Jeremiah), Hezeki-yah (Hezekiah), and Yah-shua (Joshua).

Some modern Jews still keep that commandment. For example, Benjamin Netanyahu.

If the Rabbis are really right that we should never pronounce the Tetragrammaton (YHWH)...

aren't all the major Prophets and Kings woeful sinners??

Shouldn't we say, "out of respect", Isai-haShem for Isaiah, Jeremi-haShem for Jeremiah, Hezeki-haShem for Hezekiah, and haShem-shua for Joshua?? Given that the Messiah's name was also Joshua (Yah-shua), we'd have to rename Jesus as "haShem-shus" or something. And Benjamin Netanyahu should have been scolded by his Rabbi and forced to change his name, "out of respect" you see, to Benjamin Netan-haShem.

If my logic is invalid, please explain how.

 

[GordonSlocum]

According to the Encyclopedia Judaica, sometime after the Babylonian sack of Jerusalem (587 BCE) and the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament (c. 220 BCE), Jewish religious leaders began substituting the word "Adonai" for the Tetragrammaton YHWH whenever they read Scripture. "Adonai" does appear in the Old Testament as a reference to God, and means "Lord" in English.

During the Middle Ages, Rabbis went even further, inventing the word "haShem" for YHWH. "haShem" does not appear (to my knowledge) in the Old Testament as a reference to God.


Let me give an example. Image you were to show a Rabbi the Hebrew text of Genesis 11:5. That verse reads (translated):

And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built.

​

If you now asked the Rabbi to read that verse aloud, he was say (translated):

And haShem came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built.

​

Now, even if the Rabbi (or anyone else) were to read, say, "hamlet" for "city", or "cubs" for "children", said Rabbi (or anyone else) would legitimately be guilty of misreading the verse.

My point is, technically speaking, aren't Rabbis guilty of misreading Scripture? Moreover, isn't YHWH the most important word in the Old Testament? If you had to summarize the whole Old Testament in a single word, wouldn't you say YHWH? So, technically speaking, aren't Rabbis guilty of misreading the most important word of Scripture?

AfterWrit:

I am not aiming to be mean, or rude, or divisive, or otherwise evil. I am not advocating violence towards anyone, I have read Genesis 12:1-3, and I am deeply grateful to the Patriarch Abraham for making the whole entire world so much of a better place that his efforts improve my life today, 3000 years after he lived! For example, the Patriarch Abraham lived right around the time that hieroglyphs were simplified down into the first Aleph-Beth (alphabet). This brought literacy to the common man! I therefore wonder if that wasn't the work of Abraham himself, peace be upon him!

What I do want to do is call things as they are, to "tell it like it is".

Technically speaking or no, splitting hairs or no, at the end of the day, don't Jews misread (the most important word of) Scripture? Don't they take liberties with the text? If the OT is God-Breathed, didn't YHWH Himself put His name, YHWH, into those verses where it appears? And so shouldn't we conclude YHWH commands us to read His name in those places? And, so, aren't Jews putting the traditions of mortal men (Rabbis, who say "haShem") over the clear and obvious commandments of YHWH Himself, who wrote in "YHWH" in the first place?

God tells us to read "YHWH"...
Rabbis tell us to read "haShem"...
what more needs be said??

If my logic is wrong, please explain how.

The point is, if someone, anyone, is willing to take liberties with Scripture in one place...
er, actually 5900 places (!!)...
why should you or I trust them not to take liberties with Scripture in other places??

I claim I am not trying to be evil, just truthful. Rabbinical "interpretation of Scripture does lead them, afterall, to reject the Messiah. If Yeshua of Galilee really is the Messiah, wouldn't the world be a better place if his own people accepted him?

I hope all Calvinist and Arminians are listening.

You know when a Jewish Person gets saved they really do, much of the time, demonstrate a great zeal don't they.

 

[Pastor Larry]

The issue you speak of stems from the reverence with which a Jew holds the name of YHWH. They do not believe that the word does not exist in the text. They believe it would be disrespectful and irreverent to say it aloud lest they be guilty of violating the third commandment. Would to God that all people had such a respect for the name of God.

The problem with the Jews is not that they won't say YHWH out loud. The problem is that they will not submit to YHWH in Christ.

 

[DQuixote]

These intellectual exploitations of scripture serve no identifiable purpose. What place do they have in anyone's understanding of salvation by grace through faith, THE gift of God? A Christian is a Christian is a Christian. This is the Baptist Board! Hello? We look to God the Father, God the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit.

One can spend one's life buried in the depths of Judaism and when the last trump sounds not hear it. If, while down there in the pit of knowledge, you suddenly determine that Rabbis et al are indeed guilty of misreading scripture, as supposed in your argument, what will you do? Write a book? What purpose will it serve? If you indict them, will earth rush to sing your praises, while rounding them up?

Far better to know that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Far better to look to Jesus. Far better to be born again. Far better to know where one will spend eternity. Let the Rabbi, the Jews, announce, pronounce, pounce, deliberate, commiserate, pontificate, build a better soap box, while you sing "Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow" within their hearing. Far better to tell them that Jesus saves than to pontificate here.

 

[Bismarck]

The issue you speak of stems from the reverence with which a Jew holds the name of YHWH. They do not believe that the word does not exist in the text. They believe it would be disrespectful and irreverent to say it aloud lest they be guilty of violating the third commandment. Would to God that all people had such a respect for the name of God.

The problem with the Jews is not that they won't say YHWH out loud. The problem is that they will not submit to YHWH in Christ.

Notice that the two do, in fact, go together. You cannot deny that the same people who refuse to utter God's Name also refuse to accept Yeshua of Galilee as the Messiah.

You can say it is no more than coincidence.

But you cannot claim it is less...

It is at least an interesting coincidence that the same people who refuse to utter God's Name also refuse to accept the Messiah.

 

[Bismarck]

The Patriarch Abraham (peace be upon him) spoke God's Name:

Genesis 24:
1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 2And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh, 3that I may make you swear by YHWH, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac."​

Rebekah's brother Laban spoke God's Name:

Genesis 24:
29Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. 30As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, "Thus the man spoke to me," he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31He said, "Come in, O blessed of YHWH. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels."​

Abraham's servent spoke God's Name:

Genesis 24:
34So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. 35YHWH has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys.​

The Patriarch Isaac (peace be upon him) spoke God's Name:

Genesis 26:
22And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth,[d] saying, "For now YHWH has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land."​

Leah spoke God's Name:

Genesis 29:
32And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Because YHWH has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me." 33She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because YHWH has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon.​

Rachel and Leah's father Laban spoke God's Name:

Genesis 31:
48Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." Therefore he named it Galeed, 49and Mizpah, for he said, "YHWH watch between you and me, when we are out of one another's sight. 50If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me."​

The Patriarch Jacob (peace be upon him) spoke God's Name when he blessed his 12 sons:

Genesis 49:
16"Dan shall judge his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.
17Dan shall be a serpent in the way,
a viper by the path,
that bites the horse's heels
so that his rider falls backward.
18I wait for your salvation, O YHWH.​

And, of course, YHWH explicitly ordered Moses to speak His Name to the Israelites in bondage in Egypt (!):

Exodus 3:
13Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" 14God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" 15God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'YHWH, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.'​

The "piousness" of the Jews, in their refusal to pronounce God's Name, has resulted in them forgetting how to pronounce the Tetragrammaton YHWH (!!!).

YHWH commanded the Hebrews to remember His Name YHWH for ever more...

and the Jews have forgotten how to say His Name...

because of what has been called in this thread their "piousness".

It is "pious" to disobey YHWH??

I have won this argument. That is, Scripture has won this argument, and I have merely quoted the Winning Team.