יְהוָה
Yahweh
The LORD, I AM
There is a name so sacred that for over 2,000 years, Jewish tradition has refused to pronounce it. That name is YHWH (יְהוָה) — the Tetragrammaton — God's personal, covenant name, appearing 6,828 times in the Hebrew Bible. When Moses asked God His name at the burning bush, God answered with the most mysterious statement in all of Scripture: 'Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh' — I AM WHO I AM (Exodus 3:14). From that moment, YHWH became the most sacred word in the Hebrew language. Every time your English Bible prints 'LORD' in all capitals, it's translating YHWH. Understanding this name is understanding the heartbeat of the entire Bible.
“God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And he said, 'Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.'”
Etymology & Root Letters
YHWH (the Tetragrammaton) comes from the root ה-י-ה (he-yod-he), meaning 'to be, to exist.' God's name literally means 'I AM' or 'I Will Be' — He is the self-existent, eternal One.
How Yahweh Is Used in Scripture
YHWH appears 6,828 times in the Hebrew Bible — more than any other name for God. It's God's personal, covenant name, first revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). English Bibles render it as 'LORD' (all capitals).
Cultural & Modern Context
Out of reverence, Jewish tradition does not pronounce YHWH, substituting 'Adonai' (Lord) or 'HaShem' (The Name). The vowels of 'Adonai' were added to YHWH by scribes, which led to the hybrid 'Jehovah' in English.
How to Use Yahweh in Prayer
When you pray to Yahweh, you're using God's personal name — the name He chose to reveal to His covenant people. It reminds you that God is not distant; He is personally present and eternally faithful.
People Also Ask About Yahweh
Why don't Jewish people say God's name YHWH?
Out of deep reverence for the third commandment ('You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain'), Jewish tradition substitutes 'Adonai' (Lord) or 'HaShem' (The Name) when reading YHWH aloud. This practice began during the Second Temple period. The original pronunciation was likely 'Yahweh,' but since it was never spoken, the exact pronunciation became uncertain.
Where does the name 'Jehovah' come from?
Medieval Christian scholars saw the Hebrew consonants YHWH with the vowel marks of 'Adonai' (which scribes added as a pronunciation reminder) and combined them into 'YeHoVaH' — later anglicized to 'Jehovah.' It's a hybrid that doesn't reflect the original pronunciation. Most scholars believe the original was 'Yahweh,' based on ancient Greek transcriptions and the shortened form 'Yah' found in 'Hallelujah.'
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