Quick Answer: What is Yahweh?
The sacred name of God in Hebrew is:
Meaning: "I AM" or "He causes to be"
Note: This name is considered too sacred to pronounce, so it's typically read as "Adonai" (Lord) or "Hashem" (The Name).
The Tetragrammaton: יְהוָה
The name יְהוָה (YHWH) is called the "Tetragrammaton," which means "four letters" in Greek. These four Hebrew letters are:
The Four Letters
- י (Yod) - The first letter
- ה (He) - The second letter
- ו (Vav) - The third letter
- ה (He) - The fourth letter
Together: These four letters form the personal name of God, appearing over 6,800 times in the Hebrew Bible.
Why It's Called Yahweh
Scholars believe the name was originally pronounced "Yahweh" based on:
- Ancient transliterations in Greek texts
- The shortened form "Yah" (יָהּ) that appears in names and psalms
- Linguistic analysis of Hebrew verb forms
However, the exact pronunciation has been lost because the name was considered too sacred to speak aloud.
What Does Yahweh Mean?
The name Yahweh comes from the Hebrew verb הָיָה (hayah), which means "to be." The name reveals God's eternal, self-existent nature:
✨ I AM
God's self-identification as the eternal, self-existent one
🌊 He Causes to Be
God as the creator and sustainer of all existence
💫 The Eternal One
God who exists outside of time and space
🤝 Personal Relationship
The name that reveals God's desire for personal relationship with his people
Key Insight: When God revealed his name to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14), he said אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה (ehyeh asher ehyeh), which means "I AM WHO I AM" or "I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE." This reveals that Yahweh is not just a name, but a declaration of God's eternal, unchanging nature. He is the one who exists, who causes all things to exist, and who will always be.
Why Yahweh Is Not Pronounced
For thousands of years, Jews have avoided pronouncing the name Yahweh out of reverence and respect. Here's why:
1. Sacredness of the Name
The Third Commandment says: "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain" (Exodus 20:7). To avoid any possibility of misusing God's name, Jewish tradition developed the practice of not pronouncing it at all.
2. Substitutions Used
When reading Scripture aloud, the name Yahweh is replaced with:
Adonai: אֲדֹנָי (Adonai) - "My Lord" - most common substitution
Hashem: הַשֵּׁם (Hashem) - "The Name" - used in conversation
Elohim: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) - "God" - sometimes used as substitution
In English Bibles, Yahweh is often written as "LORD" (in all caps) to distinguish it from "Lord" (Adonai).
3. The Lost Pronunciation
Because the name wasn't spoken for so long, the exact pronunciation was eventually lost. The vowel points in Hebrew Bibles were added to remind readers to say "Adonai" instead of Yahweh.
Biblical Significance of Yahweh
Yahweh is the name that reveals God's personal relationship with his people. Here are key biblical moments involving Yahweh:
Exodus 3:14-15 - The Revelation
אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה... יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיכֶם
Ehyeh asher ehyeh... Yahweh Elohei avoteikhem
"I AM WHO I AM... The LORD, the God of your fathers"
This is the first time God reveals his personal name Yahweh to Moses, establishing a new level of relationship with his people.
Exodus 6:2-3 - The Name Revealed
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל מֹשֶׁה אֲנִי יְהוָה
Vayomer Elohim el Moshe: Ani Yahweh
"And God said to Moses, 'I am the LORD'"
God emphasizes that while he was known to the patriarchs as El Shaddai (God Almighty), he is now revealing himself as Yahweh, the personal, covenant-keeping God.
Practical Tips for Understanding Yahweh
How to Study
- Respect the tradition: Understand why the name isn't pronounced and respect this practice
- Recognize in English Bibles: Look for "LORD" in all caps, which indicates Yahweh
- Study the context: Notice when Yahweh is used vs. Elohim in different biblical passages
- Understand the meaning: Reflect on what "I AM" tells us about God's eternal nature
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