Gerard Gertoux

**Gerard Gertoux** (born on March 19, 1955 in Lyon) is a French chronologist, historian and researcher in the field of Near Eastern archaeology and Ancient history, particularly Egyptian, Assyrian, Jewish, and research on the Tetragrammaton YHWH.

Gertoux argued that one of the several ancient vocalizations of the tetragrammaton was Yehowah, like Thomas Römer has proposed 'Yahô' or 'Yahû, F. C. Burkitt for Yaho or Yeho, Max Reisel for YeHūàH or YaHūàH, etc. contra the mainstream consensus that it was only Yahweh. Gertoux's astronomical synchronization into their chronologies of ancient history have offered new conclusions.

## Life

Gérard Gertoux was born on March 19, 1955 in the 7th arrondissement of Lyon.

In 1979 Gertoux earned a degree in Physical Engineering from the École nationale supérieure d'ingénieurs électriciens de Grenoble (I.N.P.G.) in spectrometry at the laboratory affiliated to the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), under the tutelage of Yves Ayant and Élie Belorizky with the thesis: _Études expérimentales et théoriques par spectrométrie RMN de composés magnétiques de terres rares_. In 1982, Gertoux joined the Sacred Name Movement. In 1983, he began teaching at the French Ministry of Education, and in 1985, he got a certificate in Physics (Certificat d'aptitude au professorat de l'enseignement du second degré) to become a qualified secondary school teacher, and he worked in public schools until 2012.

As an independent researcher, Gertoux started studying the Tetragrammaton (the four-letter name of God) and how it was originally pronounced. From 1992 to 1993, and 2001, he studied Hebrew language at the Académie des langues anciennes with Elie Cohen, at the Sessions de langues bibliques with Jean Margain and at the Institut des langues anciennes of the École normale supérieure of Paris with Jean-Claude Haelewyck and Georges Bohas.

In 2005, he obtained a Master of Science of Archaeology and History of Ancient Worlds at the Maison de l'Orient et de la Méditerranée, Lumière University Lyon 2 with the thesis entitled: _L'œil de l'histoire: la chronologie. Les éclipses dans l'antiquité: approche scientifique d'une chronologie_ under the tutelage of Yves Roman and Michel Debidour.

From 2012 he become a member of The International Association for Assyriology.

### The name YHWH

In 1999, Gertoux published his book _Un historique du nom divin: un nom encens_ . In 2002, he translated his book into English entitled _The Name of God Y.eH.oW.aH Which is Pronounced as it is Written I_Eh_oU_Ah. It Story_, published in 2002 by the University Press of America and expanded the appendix and some of the content. Gertoux's book _The Name of God Y.eH.oW.aH Which is Pronounced as it is Written I_Eh_oU_Ah. It Story_, is cited in reference works such as _The Encyclopedia of Christianity_, the _Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity_ and the _Μεγάλη Ορθόδοξη Χριστιανική Εγυκλοπαίδεια_ (ΜΟΧΕ) [Great Orthodox Christian Encyclopedia].

Robert J. Wilkinson says that Gertoux has strong views on the pronunciation and meaning of the Tetragrammaton. George W. Buchanan agrees with Gertoux that the divine name is arbitrarily pronounced as Jehovah on the basis of the data. Aviv Schoenfeld says that he adopts "the (albeit minority) view that one of its ancient vocalizations was yəhōwɔ̄ (Gertoux 2015), contra the mainstream consensus that it was only yahwɛ". Bruce M. Metzger says that Gertoux's website contains "scholarly information on the origins of sacred names". François Bœspflug states that Gertoux's research provided him with valuable information. Daniel Faivre wrote that Gertoux's work is a more comprehensive study. Antonio Macaya Pascual points out that Gertoux provides ample evidence that the name YHWH was actually pronounced until the 2nd century AD. Didier Fontaine says that "Gertoux gives more than twenty 'explanations' (p.64) that make you think". Jean Vernette at the beginning of his book on Cults explained that 'Jehovah' was a barbarism, but already in the sixth and last edition of his book (January 2002) he withdrew the explanations used to defend Yahweh, and wrote that it is clear that some people defend the pronunciation of Jehovah, quoting Gertoux in a footnote. P. D. Vasileiadis also considers the work of G. Gertoux as a source that presents an overview of the long-standing efforts to translate the Tetragrammaton into Greek.

- Book Reviews of _Un historique du nom divin : nom encens_

Brigitte Sion says that the Gertoux study makes you think. Philippe Barbey considers Gertoux's research is a complete work. קרית ספר says that it is a suggestion for how to pronounce the Name exactly according to the Hebrew text.

- Book Reviews of _ The Name of God Y.eH.oW.aH Which is Pronounced as it is Written I_Eh_oU_Ah. It Story_

Marlon Winedt says that the book was translated from French and he reports that using the 'coincidentally correct' vowels from Yehuda in the Masoretic text gives the sound Yehua. He also points to Gertoux's website, divinename.net, which has sections from the book. John Gee John Gee believes that Egyptian and Akkadian evidence is ignored and he thinks that the Masoretic vowels were pronounced differently later on, and he believes that the letter method doesn't work. Gertoux replies that Gee's claims have no proof and aren't explained in his criticism. Won W. Lee affirm: "this detailed treatment of the Name is useful for those who are interested in the history of its translation of the centuries".

### Ancient history

Gertoux created Egyptian, Assyrian and biblical chronologies which, according to Hermann Hunger, Gertoux "offers new conclusions or refutes chronologies proposed by other scholars". The Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology mentions that Gertoux's research presents a remarkable body of evidence for the historicity of the book of Esther, and even the historicity of Queen Esther. Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones disagrees: "Esther is not a history book and it does not contain history _per se_ (in spite of the valiant effort by Gérard Gertoux (2015) to fix Esther's narrative precisely in time)." Albertus Pretorius is of the opinion that Gertoux created a reliable chronology of the life of Jesus. Paul Finch believes that Gertoux has provided excellent evidence that Carthage was founded in 870 BC. Kenneth C. Griffith and Darrell K. White considers "Gertoux’s chronology of the Kings of Aram to be the most accurate".

## Works

- Theses

- Books

- Articles

- Video documentaries

- Conferences

## Infobox (academic)

- **name**: Gerard Gertoux
- **caption**: Gerard Gertoux in 2014
- **birth name**: Gérard Marcel Laurent Gertoux
- **birth place**: 7th arrondissement of Lyon
- **nationality**: French
- **education**: PhD student, Master in Archaeology and History of Ancient Worlds.
- **alma mater**: Lumière University Lyon 2
- **thesis title**: Les conjonctions astronomiques dans l'antiquité comme les éclipses ou les levers sothiaques: approches d'une chronologie absolue.
- **thesis url**: https://web.archive.org/web/20130913073912/http://www.archeorient.mom.fr:80/annuaire/ResumeTheses/gertoux.html
- **thesis year**: 2007
- **doctoral advisors**: Pierre Villard, Daniel Bodi
- **academic advisors**: Yves Roman, Michel Debidour
- **discipline**: Old Testament scholar, Ancient Near Eastern chronologist
- **sub discipline**: Biblical Hebrew, Cuneiform script, Astronomy
- **occupation**: Historian and Chronologist
- **main interests**: Ancient Middle East and Tetragrammaton.
- **notable works**: _Un Historique du nom divin: Un Nom Encens_ (in French)
 _The Name of God Y.eH.oW.aH Which is Pronounced as it is Written I_Eh_oU_Ah. It Story_
- **notable ideas**: Pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton Jehovah and timelines of the ancient world.
- **website**: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128090917/http://www.chronosynchro.net:80/wordpress Approche scientifique d'une chronologie absolue]