YHBYH, Incantation Bowls and the Tetragrammaton

Abstract

This article examines a Hebrew divine name, YHBYH, which has divided scholars’ opinions since appearing in the earliest editions of the Babylonian incantation bowls in the 1850s. Hundreds of bowls have been discovered since then and a greater number of editions have become available, making these texts more accessible. We consider whether YHBYH ought to be regarded a reflection of the Tetragrammaton, we reassess consensus and offer new perspectives on the origins of this name. Our analysis decouples the Semitic YHBYH from prior traditions linking it to Greek vocalisations of the Tetragrammaton, highlighting examples where it is used as an independent divine name. A system of magic knowledge emerges from our study, where clients had contact with scribes of multiple linguistic and religious backgrounds. This was a world in which magic defied religious and cultural boundaries, bringing together clients and scribes in pluri-confessional contexts.