Ever since 2nd grade when most of us began learning Chumash, just about everybody has asked why Yehoshua is called Yehoshua bin Nun, and not Yehoshua ben Nun. Of course I have never heard an answer to this.....until now. My brother informed me that the Chatam Sofer gives the following explanation.
Where did Yehoshua get the "י" that was added to "הושע"? It came from Sara's former name; Sarai. However, what vowalization was under that yud in Sarai's name? None. When Yehoshua recieved that yud, it needed the shva to go under it. So where did that shva come from? It was taken from the segol under the "ב" in "בן"! Therefore, the word ben was left with a vowalization of chirik instead of segol. That is why it is pronounced "bin" instead of ben. So there you go, the answer to that timeless question.
Where did Yehoshua get the "י" that was added to "הושע"? It came from Sara's former name; Sarai. However, what vowalization was under that yud in Sarai's name? None. When Yehoshua recieved that yud, it needed the shva to go under it. So where did that shva come from? It was taken from the segol under the "ב" in "בן"! Therefore, the word ben was left with a vowalization of chirik instead of segol. That is why it is pronounced "bin" instead of ben. So there you go, the answer to that timeless question.
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