God's Name: What is it?
Q: Help me understand why so many people say "YHWH or Yahweh" is the name of God in the Holy Bible?
I hear the argument that God told Moses that was His name by saying "I AM THAT I AM" but isnt I AM translated from hāyâ, & in Ex 3:14 Moses says Yehovah is His name? Thx.
A: This is a good question in light of various cult members (from JW's to Hebrew Roots and others) in recent years trying to get people to use Yeshua and other names in English speaking countries. Avoid/ignore those people. They usually out themselves by writing one of those other names, so it's easy to identify them.
The pronunciation of God's Name has been lost in history as Jews at some point stopped saying His name out of reverence. And from AD 70 thru Holocaust, they fled to various countries, only recently some have gone back to their home land.
Understanding God's written name. It is written differently in the language of Hebrew or Greek. In English it is romanized as “YHWH” or “Yahweh”. But God is called by other names and or titles in Scripture.
1. The Tetragrammaton (YHWH): The name “YHWH” (Yahweh) is known as the Tetragrammaton, which consists of four Hebrew letters: Yod, Heh, Waw, and Heh (יהוה). This name is considered the most sacred name of God in the Hebrew Bible and is used over 6,800 times.
2. The Revelation to Moses: In Exodus 3:13-15, God reveals His name to Moses during the encounter at the burning bush. Moses asks God what he should say to the Israelites when they ask for the name of the God who sent him. God responds:
“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.’ God also said to Moses, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.’” (Exodus 3:14-15, ESV)
Here, “I AM WHO I AM” (Hebrew: אהיה אשר אהיה, Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh) is a declaration of God’s eternal and self-existent nature. The phrase “I AM” (אהיה, Ehyeh) is related to the verb “to be” (היה, hāyâ), indicating God’s eternal presence and existence.
3. The Name “Yahweh”: The name “Yahweh” is derived from the same root as “I AM” and is often translated as “LORD” in English Bibles. This name emphasizes God’s eternal, self-existent nature and His covenant relationship with Israel. In Exodus 6:2-3, God further clarifies His name to Moses:
“God spoke to Moses and said to him, ‘I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them.’” (Exodus 6:2-3, ESV)
Here, “the LORD” is a translation of “YHWH” (Yahweh), indicating that this is the personal name by which God chose to be known to His people.
4. The Use of “Jehovah”: The name “Jehovah” is a later hybrid form that combines the consonants of YHWH with the vowels of “Adonai” (another name for God meaning “Lord”). This form emerged in the Middle Ages and is used in some English translations of the Bible. However, ✨️“Yahweh” is considered a more accurate representation of the original Hebrew name.
Scriptural References to “YHWH” or “Yahweh”
Genesis 2:4: “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.”
Exodus 3:14-15: As discussed above, where God reveals His name to Moses.
Exodus 6:2-3: God clarifies His name to Moses.
Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
Psalm 83:18: “That they may know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.”
Conclusion
The name “YHWH” or “Yahweh” is deeply significant in the Bible, representing God’s eternal, self-existent nature and His covenant relationship with His people. While “I AM” (Ehyeh) and “Yahweh” are closely related, “Yahweh” is the specific name God uses to reveal Himself to Israel. Understanding these names helps us appreciate the depth of God’s character and His relationship with humanity.
You can find YHWH or Yahweh translated properly in this Bible Version so you know where God and his name is to be properly rendered, it is also one of the more accurate versions of Scripture besides that.
You can Read it online here free
If you read that Bible you can join the LSB FB group to read what others have already asked regarding it (in the search feature).
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