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Meaning of יְהֹוָה (yehovâh) The Hebrew word יְהֹוָה (generally transliterated as "yehovâh" or "YHWH"), From H1961; (the) self Existent or eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God: - Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050, H3069. corresponds to Strong's H3068, is the proper name of God in the Hebrew Bible:
- Approximate meaning: "He who is" or "He who exists by Himself"
- Origin: Related to the Hebrew verb היה (hayah), meaning "to be" or "to exist"
- Theological importance: It is the personal name of God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14-15
Explanation of the name: When Moses asked God for His name at the burning bush, God responded with אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh), meaning "I AM WHO I AM" or "I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE," and then told him that His name is יְהֹוָה (YHWH), a form related to this declaration of self-sufficient existence. Some important appearances in the Bible: It is the most common name for God in the Old Testament, appearing approximately 6,828 times. Here are some significant citations:
- First revelation of the name:
- Exodus 3:15 - "Moreover God said to Moses, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: "The LORD (יְהֹוָה), 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 this is My memorial to all generations."'"
- Declaration of uniqueness:
- Deuteronomy 6:4 - "Hear, O Israel: The LORD (יְהֹוָה) our God, the LORD (יְהֹוָה) is one!"
- As covenant God:
- Genesis 15:7 - "Then He said to him, 'I am the LORD (יְהֹוָה), who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.'"
- As Savior:
- Isaiah 43:11 - "I, even I, am the LORD (יְהֹוָה), and besides Me there is no savior."
- As Creator:
- Genesis 2:4 - "This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD (יְהֹוָה) God made the earth and the heavens."
- As Judge:
- Psalm 7:8 - "The LORD (יְהֹוָה) shall judge the peoples; judge me, O LORD (יְהֹוָה), according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me."
- As King:
- Psalm 10:16 - "The LORD (יְהֹוָה) is King forever and ever; the nations have perished out of His land."
Cultural and religious importance:
- Out of respect, many Jewish people do not pronounce this name, replacing it with "Adonai" (Lord) or "HaShem" (The Name)
- In many older Christian translations, it appears as "Jehovah" or is replaced by "LORD" (in all capitals)
- Modern translations often use "Yahweh" or maintain "LORD"
- This name distinguishes the God of Israel from the gods of other nations, emphasizing His eternal, unchanging, and self-existent nature
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