"I can't pronounce the names, so I'm just going to skip over them, that's all."
Not to be rude, but that's pretty rude!
As I noted in the Bible in 90 Days FAQs, those lists of names in the Bible are there for a very important reason.
First and foremost, God the Holy Spirit put them there. That should be reason enough to read them. Second of all, we can learn a lot about someone by their name; at least that's what we used to do. Third, how would you feel if God had your name written in His book and people simply decided to skip over it because it was difficult to pronounce?
Many people become frustrated when reading the Bible because of the seemingly "unnecessary" long lists of names or genealogies found throughout both Testaments. This is especially so in the Old Testament.
Do I like words and languages? You bet I do! I especially enjoy learning how to correctly (most of the time) pronounce a foreign name. And if it's a "difficult" one, even more so. Why do I like this exercise? Well, it's my own personal sense of accomplishment but almost more importantly, when you see the look of joy on the other person's face that I took the time to learn that word or name, that's special.
What's my favorite foreign word of all time that I've learned to pronounce? I learned it when I lived in Mexico as an exchange student. My Mexican family laughed and was very happy. That was over 35 years ago and I can still pronounce it. Here it is: Parangaricutirmicuaro. It is Mexico's version of Pompeii. It is a town forever swallowed in lava from the Paracutin volcano. So, now you know!
What I've learned about difficult words or names is that when it comes to pronouncing them you attack it the same way you would eat an elephant: one bit at a time. Using the simplicity of phonics to learn names is fun and easy. And believe it or not, all names, no matter where they are from in the world can be difficult. Our English names aren't difficult to us because... we speak English. If your native tongue is Spanish or mandarin, even a relatively simple name like the English William or Elizabeth may be very difficult. The "th" sound is very difficult for many of the world's population as well as R's and L's. It's all a matter of perspective and what your ear is accustomed to hearing and speaking.
Let me help you by providing you with some hints and "tricks" to pronunciation that I've picked up over the years. At the end of this post you'll find several audio links to Bible passages that I've read. Open your Bible and read along. With a little practice, you'll get the hang of it. Before you know it, you'll be saying "Zaphenath-Paneah" like an Egyptian!
A couple of things to keep in mind first. One: remember that this reading of the Bible is for your own edification. Unless you're being paid to record these lists of names for mass distribution or publication, don't worry about how you sound - you're the only one listening. Two: take your time. The more you practice saying the names, the easier it will become. Three: Remember that people living in different regions pronounce the same words in "different" ways depending on their accent. A "quart" in Boston is not a "quart" in Atlanta or Los Angeles.
Now let's look at some basic rules. There really aren't that many.
1. Break up the difficult into basic syllables. Don't worry yourself about where the accent may fall. It can vary. For example (the accent falls on the italicized syllable): Jeremiah = Jer - e - mi - ah. Johanan = Jo - han - an. Jehoahaz = Je - ho - a - haz. Aholibamah - A - hol - i - ba - mah. Mephibosheth = Me - phib - o - sheth. Shealtiel = She - al - ti - el. Zaphenath-Paneah = Zaph - en - ath Pan - e - ah.
2. Most vowels are pronounced in their "short" sound. The only exception is when the vowel is the first letter of the word (E as in Ezekiel, I as in Isaiah, U as in Uzziah, etc). Use some common sense and what sounds "correct" to your ears.
3. The consonants are typically pronounced just as they look and how you've always pronounced them in English. A "B" is a "B"; a "J" is a "J"; a "D" is a "D". "Sh" is sh. A notable exception is "CH" which is, more often than not, pronounced with a "K" sound as in Chaldea or Baruch or Sennacharib.
Now that isn't so bad is it? Actually, English has many more pronunciation rules than most languages.
Following are 5 audio clips featuring lists of Biblical names as found in Genesis, 1 Chronicles, Ezra and Luke that you can listen to. Scripture passages are directly from the Bible in 90 Days Bible, New International Version published by Zondervan Publishing. Open your Bible to theses passages and read along with me. I'll read slowly and normally (MP3 format), just click on the bar.
Genesis 41:44 - 45:
Genesis 10:1, 21 - 32:
1 Chronicles 6:1 - 15:
Ezra 7:1 - 10:
Luke 3:23 - 38:
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Music Video: Lincoln Brewster - "The Power of Your Name"
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