A rule of Shva which modern Hebrew speakers [unfortunately] have forgotten is the following:
Resource — Yemini Hebrew article.
So for instance in Genesis 1:3 it would be wrong to read יְהִ֣י as yə-hî ( check Bible Hub). The Shva here takes the sound of the Chireq .
So same in Genesis 1:14, וְהָי֤וּ should be read wau (as in caught) - hau- yū , not as wə-hā-yū (yikes) :
The Shva in this case borrows the sound of the Qamats from the very next letter.
etc..
However, if it is joined with one of four [guttural] letters, א ח ה ע, its manner [of pronunciation] will be like the manner of the vowel of the second letter in that word, such as: בְּֽהֹנוֹת ידיהם ורגליהם (Jud. 1:7) = bohonoth; מתי פתים תְּֽאֵהֲבוּ פתי (Prov. 1:22) = tei’eihavu; עיניו לְֽחֵלְכָה יצפנו (Ps. 10:8) = leiḥeiləkhah; שריה רְֽעֵלָיָה מרדכי (Ezra 2:2) = reiʻeiloyoh.
Resource — Yemini Hebrew article.
So for instance in Genesis 1:3 it would be wrong to read יְהִ֣י as yə-hî ( check Bible Hub). The Shva here takes the sound of the Chireq .
So same in Genesis 1:14, וְהָי֤וּ should be read wau (as in caught) - hau- yū , not as wə-hā-yū (yikes) :
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים יְהִ֤י מְאֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהַבְדִּ֕יל בֵּ֥ין הַיֹּ֖ום וּבֵ֣ין הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְהָי֤וּ לְאֹתֹת֙ וּלְמֹ֣ועֲדִ֔ים וּלְיָמִ֖ים וְשָׁנִֽים
etc..
Comment