PRONUNCIATION

OF

SCRIPTURE PROPER NAMES.

A DIVERSITY in the pronunciation of Scripture Names is, from various causes, becoming more and more prevalent much to the annoyance of learned as well as unlearned ears. The chief cause of this evil may be ascribed to there being two guides on the subject, who differ widely in their principles. Dr. Oliver in his 'Scripture Lexicon' follows the authority of the Septuagint * at all hazards, and in consequence adopts some very extraordinary changes in names most familiar to the public ear.

For example; he lengthens the sound of the final vowel in the following instances :-Hó-rēb, Dan'-i-èl, E-zek-i-el, Shëm, Lōt, Jó-seph, Est-her, Já-cōb, Hé-rōd (both vowels long), Si-mon, Ash-ur, &c.: he shortens the sound of the first vowel in Ed-en, En-och, Heb'

"The true pronunciation of the Hebrew language, as Doctor Lowth observes, is lost. To refer us for assistance to the Masoretic points, would be to launch us on a sea without shore or bottom: the only compass by which we can steer on this boundless ocean, is the Septuagint version of the Hebrew Bible; and as it is highly probable the translators transfused the sound of the Hebrew Proper Names into the Greek, it gives us something like a clue to guide us out of this labyrinth."WALKER.

rews, Ner-o, Bel-i-al, &c.; and he changes the usual place of the accent in Gol-i-ah, Pot-iph'-ar, Je-rob-o-am, Tó-bi-as, Deb-ó-rah, Sad-dú-cees, Em-man-ú-ēl, Sam-ú-ēl, Ra-phá-el, Cher-ú-bims, Ca-í-a-phas, I-sa-i-ah, A-cha-í-a, &c. Mr. Walker, on the contrary, in his "Key to the Pronunciation of Scripture Proper Names," admits the Septuagint as his general guide, but makes a compromise in certain cases where common usage has positively decided in opposition to the general rule. That the public opinion inclines in favour of the latter work, may be reasonably inferred from its having attained the eighth edition. With the hope of producing more uniformity in the pronunciation of the Clergy, the student is presented, first, with an Abridgment of the most important of Walker's Rules; and, secondly, with a Selection of such Proper Names, occurring in the Lessons on Sundays and Holy days, as are most subject to diversity of pronunciation, either from mistake, or from adopting the authority of one or the other of the above-mentioned writers.

RULES

FOR

PRONOUNCING SCRIPTURE PROPER

NAMES,

Selected and abridged from Walker's " Key, &c."

In the pronunciation of the letters of the Hebrew Proper Names, nearly the same rules prevail as in pronouncing those of Greek and Latin.

1. Where the vowels end a syllable with the accent on it, they have their long open sound: thus, Ná-bal, [E-den], Si-rach, Gó-shen, and Tú-bal, have the accented vowels sounded exactly as in the English words páper, métre, spider, nóble, tútor.

2. When a consonant ends the syllable, the preceding vowel is short, as Sam'-u-el, Lem'-u-el, Sim'-e-on, Sol-omon, Suc-coth, Syn'-a-gogue.

3. Every final i forming a distinct syllable, though unaccented, has the long open sound, as A-i, [Shim'-e-i.]

4. Every unaccented i, ending a syllable not final, is pronounced like e, as A-ri-el, Ab'-di-el; pronounced A-re-el, Ab-de-el.

5. The vowels ai are sometimes pronounced in one syllable, and sometimes in two. As the Septuagint version is our chief guide in the pronunciation of Hebrew proper names, it may be observed, that when these letters are pronounced as a diphthong in one syllable, like our English diphthong in the word daily, they are either a diphthong in the Greek word, or expressed by the Greek ε or ì, as Ben-ai-ah, Bavaía; Hu-shai, Xovoì; Hu-rai, Ovpi, &c.; and that when they are pronounced in two syllables, as Sham-ma-i, Shash-a-i, Ber-a-í-ah, it is because the Greek words by which they are translated, as Σαμαΐ, Σεσεΐ, Βαραΐα, make two syllables of these vowels.

Isaiah and Caiaphas, Græcised by 'Hoatas and Kaïápaç, are exceptions.

When ai is final in a word, it is sounded exactly like the English ay without the accent, as in holiday, roundelay, gulloway; but when it is in the middle of a word and followed by a vowel, the i is pronounced as if it were y, and as if this y articulated the succeeding vowel: thus Ben-ai-ah is pronounced as if written Ben-á-yah *.

6. Ch is pronounced like k; as Chebar, Chemosh,

* Modern fashion gives to the diphthong ai, in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew proper names, a broad sound, like that heard in the affirmation ay. Those who adopt this pronunciation in Isaiah and Esaias, and who are likewise advocates for adhering to the guidance of the Septuagint, seem to overlook the fact, that the letters ai are separated in the Greek name; and that, therefore, it should be pronounced as if written I-za-e-ah and E-za-e-as. This would very nearly accord with the sound which Walker assigns to it. But the more rigid followers of the Greek are required, in obedience to the accentuation, to agree with Dr. Oliver in converting the name into I-sa-i'-ah and E-sa-i-as. Similar remarks are applicable to the manner of pronouncing Caiaphas.]

S

Enoch, &c. pronounced Kebar, Kemosh, Enok. Cherubim and Rachel seem to be perfectly anglicised, as the ch in these words is always heard as in the English words, cheer, child, riches, &c.

7. Almost the only difference in the pronunciation of the Hebrew, and of the Greek and Latin Proper Names is, that

G is hard before e and i in Hebrew Proper Names: as Gé-ra, Ger'-i-zim, Gid-e-on, Gil-gal, Me-gid-do,

&c.

(a) Some names, however, by passing through the Greek of the New Testament, have acquired the softened sound of j: such as Gen-nes'-aret, Beth-pha-ge, &c. pronounced Jen-nes'-aret, Beth-pha-je, &c.

8. * C is soft before e and i, according to the English analogy in pronouncing Greek and Latin names: thus Cé-dron, A-cel'-da-ma, † [Cin'-ne-roth, Ciť'-tim,] &c. are sounded as if written Sé-dron, A-sel'-da-ma, [Sin'-ne-roth, Sittim,] &c.

9. The unaccented termination ah ought to be pronounced like the a in father. The a in this termination, however, frequently falls into the indistinct sound in the final a in Africa, Etna, &c. nor can we easily perceive any distinction in this respect between Elijah and Elisha. But if the accent be on the ah, then the a ought to be pronounced like the a in father; as Tah-e-ra, Tah-penes, &c.

*This Rule is combined with Rule 7 in Walker's 'Key.'

† Among the examples, Walker gives Cedrom, Cisai, and Cittern. first and last of these words do not occur in Scripture; nor is Cisai found in the English version, Kish being substituted for it in Esther, ii. 5.]

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