חילופים בין האותיות ב' - ו'

מאת: אבנר רמו


In translation the Hebrew letter ב is assumed to sound as the English letter “b.” For example the biblical Hebrew names:אברהם (avraham), ראובן (reuven), and רבלה (rivla), are written in the English version of the Bible as Abraham, Ruben, and Riblah, respectively. However, the Hebrew letter ב actually represent two sounds, one as “b” while the other as “v.” There is another Hebrew letter: ו (o) that can sometimes sound as “v.” The similarity in sound has caused some confusion. Here are several examples:

In the Book of Samuel we read about:
שוע-ויהיו בני שאול, יונתן וישוי ומלכי
“Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchi-shua” (1 Sam 14:49; see also: Gen 46:17; 1 Ch 7:30).

Yet in the same book we also find:
וישבו (וישבי) בנב אשר בילידי הרפה
“And Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant” (2 Sam 21:16).

It is suggested that ישוי (yishvi) is the same as ישבו (ישבי) (yishvi).

In the Book of Samuel we read:
וינחם דוד את בת-שבע אשתו, ויבא אליה וישכב עמה; ותלד בן ויקרא (ותקרא) את-שמו שלמה, ויהוה אהבו.
“And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and called his name Solomon. And YHWH loved him” (2 Sam 12:24).

Yet the Chronicler tells us:
ואלה נולדו-לו בירושלים: שמעא ושובב ונתן ושלמה, ארבעה, לבת-שוע בת-עמיאל.
“And these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel” (1 Ch 3:5).

The Greek translator wrote here: “Bersabee” which is also the name he employs for the Hebrew בת-שבע - “Bath-sheba.” It seems likely that the Greek translator realized that בת-שוע (bath-shua’) is the same as בת-שבע (bath-sheva) - “Bath-sheba.” The Greek translator must have assumed that here a ו (v) - ב (b) exchange had occurred.

In the Book of Samuel we read:
ודוד ברח וימלט, ויבא אל-שמואל הרמתה ויגד-לו את כל-אשר עשה-לו שאול; וילך הוא ושמואל וישבו בנוית (בניות).
ויגד לשאול לאמר: הנה דוד, בנוית (בניות) ברמה.
“Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.
And it was told Saul, saying: Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah” (1 Sam 19:18-19).

וישלח שאול מלאכים לקחת את-דוד, וירא את-להקת הנביאים נבאים, ושמואל עמד נצב עליהם; ותהי על-מלאכי שאול רוח אלהים ויתנבאו גם-המה.
ויגדו לשאול וישלח מלאכים אחרים ויתנבאו גם-המה; ויסף שאול וישלח מלאכים שלשים ויתנבאו גם-המה.
“And Saul sent messengers to take David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied” (1 Sam, 19:20-21).

It is rather odd that many men had יתנבאו (ithnabeu) - “prophesied” in a place named נוית (navioth) which sound similar to נבאות (nevuoth) - “Prophesies.” If these terms are indeed related then we have here an exchange between ב (v) and ו (v).

The Chronicler wrote:
ועשרת אלפים חיים שבו בני יהודה, ויביאום לראש הסלע; וישליכום מראש-הסלע וכלם נבקעו.
“And other ten thousand did the children of Judah carry away alive, and brought them to the top of the Rock, and cast them down from the top of the Rock, that they all were broken in pieces” (2 Ch 25:12; see also: 2 Ki 2:24; 8:12; 15:16; Hos 13:8; 14:1; Am 1:13).

Yet in the Book of Samuel we find:
ויתנם ביד הגבענים, ויקיעם בהר לפני יהוה, ויפלו שבעתים (שבעתם) יחד; - ““And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the mountain before YHWH, and they fell all seven together” (2 Sam 21:9; see also: Num 25:4; 2 Sam 21:6; 2 Sam 21:13).

It is not clear how the Greek (and English) translators determined that ויקיעם (vayoqium) mean “and they hang them.” However the comparison between these verses suggests that ויקיעם (vayoqium) is a misspelled ויבקיעם (vayavqium) - “and they tore them to pieces.”

The Psalmist wrote: הדר כבוד הודך-- ודברי נפלאתיך אשיחה - “The glorious splendor of Your majesty, and Your wondrous works, will I rehearse” (Ps 145:5).

Yet in the Book of Isaiah we find:
נגש והוא נענה, ולא יפתח-פיו, כשה לטבח יובל, וכרחל לפני גזזיה נאלמה; ולא יפתח פיו.
מעצר וממשפט לקח, ואת-דורו מי ישוחח:
“He was oppressed, though he humbled himself and opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before her shearers is dumb; yea, he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away, and with his generation who did reason?” (Is 53:7-8).

However, the comparison between these verses suggests that ואת-דורו מי ישוחח (veth-doro mi yesokheakh) is a ב (v) - ו (v) exchange error of ואת-דברו מי ישוחח (veth-dvaro mi yesokheakh) - “and who will iterate his words.”

In the Book of Ezra we read about: נהר אהוא - “the river of Ahava” (Ezr 8:31; see also: Ezr 8:21). Yet, few verses earlier we read:
ואקבצם אל-הנהר הבא אל-אהוא, ונחנה שם ימים שלשה;
“And I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days” (Ezr 8:15).

However, it is possible that the name of this foreign (and unknown) river was originally spelled here as: הבא (hava), and that a later scribe who noticed this variant spelling inserted here a “correction” indicating that the proper spelling of this river’s name is אהוא (ahava) - “Ahava.” This suggestion is based on the similarity in sound between ב (b) and ו (v), and the fact that in the translation of a foreign name one has to transmit the sounds, without regard to a specific spelling.

In the Book of Deuteronomy we read:
ואם-לא תאבה האשה ללכת אחריך--ונקית משבעתי זאת;
“And if the woman be not willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my oath” (Gen 24:8; see also Gen 24:5; Deu 13:9; 1 Ki 20:8).

Yet in the Book of Genesis we find:
ונתתה הכסף בכל אשר-תאוה נפשך בבקר ובצאן וביין ובשכר,
“And you shall bestow the money for whatsoever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink” (Deu 14:26; see also: Deu 12:20; 1 Sam 2:16; 2 Sam 3:21; 1 Ki 11:37).

The words תאוה (teeve) and תאבה (taove) not only sound alike but also have the same meaning.

In the Book of Isaiah we read: כי אני יהוה אהב משפט, שנא גזל בעולה - “For I YHWH love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity” (Is 61:8).

This sounds as an odd statement suggesting that God does not hate robber that is not involved in iniquity. As this does not appear logical we may assume that שנא גזל בעולה (sone gazel beo’lah) is a misspelled שנא גזל ועולה (sone gazel vea’vlah) - “hate robbery and iniquity.” This suggestion assumes that here we have a ו (v) - ב (v) erroneous exchange.

The Psalmist wrote:
על-גבי חרשו חרשים;
“The plowers plowed upon my back” (Ps 129:3).

Yet in the Book of Isaiah we read:
גוי נתתי למכים
“I gave my back to the smiters” (Is 50:6).

In the Book of Micah we read:
על-הרע כפים להיטיב, השר שאל, והשפט בשלום; והגדול דבר הות נפשו הוא-ויעבתוה.
“Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asks, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together” (Mic 7:3).

The Greek translated here: “and I will take their good things.”

In the Book of Samuel we read:
ויאמר דוד אל-יהוה בראתו את-המלאך המכה בעם, ויאמר הנה אנכי חטאתי ואנכי העויתי,
“And David spoke to YHWH when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said: Lo, I have sinned, and I have done iniquitously” (2 Sam 24:17).

The comparison between these verses suggests that יעבתוה (yabtuha) relates to יעותוה (yavtuha) - “did iniquitously.”
In the Book of Job we read: האל יעות משפט; ואם-שדי יעות-צדק - “Does God pervert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?” (Job 8:3; see also Job 34:12).

Yet we find in the Book of Micah: המתעבים משפט, ואת כל-הישרה יעקשו - “that abhor justice, and pervert all equity” (Mic 3:9).

However, the comparison between these verses suggest that here המתעבים משפט (hamathaa’vim mishpat) is a misspelled המעותים משפט (hamea’vthim mishpat) - “that pervert judgment.” If this suggestion is correct then we have here in addition to a ו (v) - ב {b) exchange, a metathesis error.

In the Book of Isaiah we read:
לכן כה-אמר אדני יהוה צבאות, אל-תירא עמי ישב ציון מאשור; בשבט יככה, ומטהו ישא-עליך בדרך מצרים.
“Therefore thus said my Lord, YHWH of hosts: O My people that dwells in Zion, be not afraid of Asshur, though he smite you with the rod, and lift up his staff against you, after the manner of Egypt” (Is 10:24; see also: Is 14:29; 30:31).

Yet two verses later we read:
ועורר עליו יהוה צבאות, שוט כמכת מדין בצור עורב; ומטהו על-הים, ונשאו בדרך מצרים.
“And YHWH of hosts shall stir up against him a scourge, as in the slaughter of Midian at the Rock of Oreb; and as His rod was over the sea, so shall He lift it up after the manner of Egypt” (Is 10:26).

However, the comparison between these verses suggests that: שוט (shot) is the same as שבט (shevet) - “a rod.” A similar comparison between:
רשע והכה-ארץ בשבט פיו, וברוח שפתיו ימית
“And he shall smite the land with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked” (Is 11:4, and: בשוט לשון, תחבא - “You shall hide from the scourge of the tongue” (Job 5:21) supports this suggestion.

We read in the Book of Joshua:
וירד הגבול אל-קצה ההר, אשר על-פני גי בן-הנם,
“And the border went down to the uttermost part of the mountain that lies before the Valley of the son of Hinnom” (Jos 18:16; see also: Is 42:10).

One of the plural forms of קצה (qetseh) - “edge” is קצוי (qattsvei) as in:
יספת לגוי יהוה, יספת לגוי נכבדת; רחקת, כל-קצוי-ארץ.
“You hast gotten Your honor with the nations, YHWH, yea, exceeding great honor with the nations; You are honored to the farthest ends of the earth” (Is 26:15; see also: Ps 48:11).

Yet in the Book of Jonah we find:
לקצבי הרים ירדתי,
“I went down to the bottoms of the mountains” (Jon 2:7).

It is not clear how the English (but not the Greek) translators determined that קצבי (qatsvey) means “bottoms.” It is more likely that קצבי (qatsvey) is a misspelled קצוי (qatsvey) meaning; “the edges.”

In the Book of Proverbs we read:
לב שמח ייטב פנים; ובעצבת-לב רוח נכאה
“A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken” (Pro 15:13; see also: Gen 6:6; Is 54:6; 63:10; Ps 16:4; 147:3; Pro 10:10).

Yet the Psalmist writes:
עד-אנה אשית עצות בנפשי-- יגון בלבבי יומם;
“How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart by day?” (Ps 13:3).

However, the comparison between these verses suggests that עצות (e’tsot) is a misspelled עצבת (a’tsvut) - “sorrow.” If this interpretation is correct then we have here another example of ו (v) - ב (b) exchange.

In the Book of Job we read: מי-הוא יריב עמדי: כי-עתה אחריש ואגוע - “Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and die” (job 13:19).

Yet in the Book of Proverbs we find: כי-יהוה יריב ריבם; וקבע את-קבעיהם נפש - “For YHWH will contend their cause, and despoil of life those that despoil them” (Pro 22:23).

However, the comparison between these verses suggests that here the unusual word קבע (qava’) is a misspelled גוע (giva’) - “caused the death.” If this assumption is correct than in addition to ג (g) - ק (q) velar substitution we have also ו (v) - ב (b) exchange.

In the Book of Kings we read:
וישבת את-הסוסים אשר נתנו מלכי יהודה לשמש מבא בית-יהוה, אל-לשכת נתן-מלך הסריס, אשר בפרורים; ואת-מרכבות השמש שרף באש.
“And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of YHWH, by the chamber of Nethan-melech the officer, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire” (2 Ki 23:11).

Yet the Chronicler wrote:
לפרבר למערב--ארבעה, למסלה, שנים לפרבר.
“For the Precinct westward, four at the causeway, and two at the Precinct” (1 Ch 26:18).

The English translation indicates that the translators assumed that פרבר (parvar) is the same as פרור (parvar). The Greek translator apparently did not know the meaning of this word, and in the Book of Kings he wrote: “pharourim” while ignoring its presence in the Book of Chronicles.

The Chronicler wrote:
כי מרבית העם רבת מאפרים ומנשה יששכר וזבלון, לא הטהרו--כי-אכלו את-הפסח בלא ככתוב:
“For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it is written” (2 Ch 30:18).

The understanding of the Greek (and English) translators of בלא (beloa) here as “in contravention” indicate that they believed that בלא (beloa) is the same as ולא (veloa). If the translators understanding is correct then we have here a ו (v) - ב (b) exchange.

In the Book of Genesis we read:
ויאמר אליו, קחה לי עגלה משלשת, ועז משלשת, ואיל משלש; ותר וגוזל.
ויקח-לו את-כל-אלה, ויבתר אתם בתוך, ויתן איש-בתרו לקראת רעהו; ואת-הצפר, לא בתר.
“And He said to him: Take Me a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.
And he took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each half over against the other; but the bird(s) divided he not” (Gen 15:9-10).

As translated to Greek and English it seems that in these verses God does not instruct Abram what to do with these animals. We may therefore wonder how Abram knew that he should divide them in the middle. However, if ותר וגוזל (vetor vegozal) is a misspelled בתר וגזר (bater ugzar) that mean “cut and divide” then we have here the divine instructions to Abram how to deal with these animals. Indeed we hear that Abram בתר (biter) - “divided” these animals in the middle and that:
ולפיד אש אשר עבר בין הגזרים האלה.
“And a flaming torch that passed between these pieces” (Gen 15:17).

This interpretation is based on the presence of ל (l) - ר (r) exchange that was demonstrated in the previous chapter and the ו (v) - ב (b) transformation, discussed in this chapter.



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