2002.01.D.11 The Name (Yahweh) Created by James3 on 8/8/2019 12:57:59 PM The Name (Yahweh)
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The Name
YHVH
These four Hebrew letters (Yod, He, Vav and He and read from right to left) are called the "Tetragrammaton". The four characters are the four Hebrew letters that transliterate into English as Yahweh. Yahweh is the name of the Almighty Father in Heaven that people commonly call "The LORD" or "God". This very personal name for the Father is used some 7,000 times in the Old Testament. Why then do you think it is not in common use today? Further, do you think it should be in use today? These are the questions that we will attempt to answer here. To begin with we will examine what our most popular Bibles say in their prefaces about The Name.
New International Version - Preface "In regard to the divine name YHWH, commonly referred to as the Tetragrammaton, the translators adopted the device used in most English versions... ..of rendering that name as "LORD" in capital letters to distinguish it from adonai, another Hebrew word rendered "Lord" for which small letters are used. Wherever the two names stand together in the Old Testament as a compound name for God, they are rendered "Sovereign LORD.""
Today's English Version - Preface Following an ancient tradition, begun by the first translation of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Septuagint) and followed by the vast majority of English translations, the distinctive Hebrew name for God (usually transliterated Jehovah or Yahweh), is in this translation represented by "LORD." When Adonai, normally translated "Lord," occurs preposed to Yahweh, the combination is rendered by the phrase "Sovereign LORD."
Revised English Bible - Introduction to the Old Testament The divine name (YHWH in Hebrew characters) was probably pronounced 'Yahweh', but the name was regarded as ineffable, too sacred to be pronounced. The Massoretes, therefore, wrote in the vowel signs of the alternative words adonai ('Lord') or elohim ('God') to warn readers to use one of these in its place. Where the divine name occurs in the Hebrew text, this has been signalled in The Revised English Bible by using capital letters for 'LORD' or 'GOD', a widely accepted practice. American Standard Version - Preface "I. The change first proposed in the Appendix --- that which substitutes "Jehovah" for "LORD" and "GOD" (printed in small capitals) --- is one which will be unwelcome by many, because of the frequency and familiarity of the terms displaced. But the American Revisers, after a careful consideration, were brought to the unanimous conviction that a Jewish superstition, which regarded the Divine Name as too sacred to be uttered, ought no longer to dominate in the English or any other version of the Old Testament, as it fortunately does not in the numerous versions made by modern missionaries. This Memorial Name, explained in Ex. iii. 14,15 and emphasized as such over and over in the original text of the Old Testament, designates God as the Personal God, as the covenant God, the God of Revelation, the Deliverer, the Friend of his people; --- not merely the abstractly "Eternal One" of many French translations, but the ever living Helper of those who are in trouble. This personal name, with its wealth of sacred associations, is now restored to the place in the sacred text to which it has an unquestionable claim."
Revised Standard Version - Preface - "A major departure from the practice of the American Standard Version is the rendering of the Divine Name, the "Tetragrammaton." The American Standard Version used the term "Jehovah"; the King James Version had employed this in four places, but everywhere else, except in three cases where it was employed as part of a proper name, used the English word LORD (or in certain cases GOD) printed in capitals. The present revision returns to the procedure of the King James Version, which follows the precedent of the ancient Greek and Latin translators and the long established practice in the reading of the Hebrew scriptures in the synagogue. While it is almost if not quite certain that the Name was originally pronounced "Yahweh", (While it is almost if not quite certain that the Name was originally pronounced "Yahweh",)..this pronunciation was not indicated when the Masoretes added vowel signs to the consonantal Hebrew text. To the four consonants YHWH of the Name, which had come to be regarded as too sacred to be pronounced, they attached vowel signs indicating that in its place should be read the Hebrew word Adonai meaning "Lord" (or Elohim meaning "God"). The ancient Greek translators substituted the word Kyrios (Lord) for the Name. The Vulgate likewise used the Latin word Dominus. The form "Jehovah" is of late medieval origin; it is a combination of the consonants of the Divine Name and the vowels attached to it by the Masoretes but belonging to an entirely different word. The sound of Y is represented by J and the sound of W by V, as in Latin. For two reasons the Committee has returned to the more familiar usage of the King James Version: (1) the word "Jehovah" does not accurately present any form of the Name ever used in Hebrew; and (2) the use of any proper name for the one and only God, as though there were other gods from whom He had to be distinguished, was discontinued in Judaism before the Christian era and is entirely inappropriate for the universal faith of the Christian Church." New King James Version - Word study on Exodus 3:15 (New Open Bible) Exodus 3 records one of the greatest revelations in the Old Testament: the personal name of God. (The words translated God in our Bible [El, Elohim, Eloah] are not names, but the standard vocabulary for the Deity and even for false gods. God told Moses His plan to use him in delivering the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, and Moses had asked whom He should tell the people had sent him. God answered Moses: "I AM WHO I AM." He told Moses to tell them the "I AM" had sent him, "the LORD God." "I AM" and "LORD" are both probably derived from the Hebrew verb to be (hayah) because God is the ever-present One, "the Eternal" (Moffatt translation). Many people are puzzled that in this and many other (over six thousand!) passages some Bibles read LORD in all capitals (e.g., KJV, NKJV, NIV), some read "Jehovah" (ASV, DARBY), and some read "Yahweh" (Jerusalem Bible). Why such a radical difference? Do the manuscripts vary that much? No, not at all. Because the name of God is so important---Jews devoutly refer to Him as "the Name" (ha Shem)---it is well worth exploring this revelation in some detail. It is merely a question of a Jewish tradition and how various Christian Scholars handle that tradition. In the Ten Commandments, God forbids taking His name "in vain". That is, we should not bear false witness in oaths and probably should avoid using profanity, as well. In their great fear of violating this command, devout Hebrews went beyond the law, and when they read the Hebrew Scriptures aloud they would read the word Lord (Adonai) whenever they saw the four letters (YHWH, or traditionally JHVH in Latin pronunciation) that spelled out God's revealed covenant name. This was the sacred name by which He had committed Himself to Israel as a nation. The most ancient copies of the Hebrew text were written in consonants only. As the language became less and less used, scholars (call Masoretes) added little dots and dashes called "vowel points" to indicate how the text was to be pronounced. Oddly enough, they put the vowels that go with the word Adonai together with the sacred four letter name (called "tetragrammaton") to guide the readers to say Adonai aloud in synagogue services.
Jehovah - This is the origin of the name "Jehovah." It is actually a hybrid name, combining the vowels of Adonai with the consonants of YHWH into JeHoVaH or YeHoWaH (the "a" of Adonai is changed for reasons of Hebrew pronunciation). The people who produced this name were medieval Christian Hebrew Scholars; the Jews never acknowledged such a name. The defense of this Christian hybrid is the same as the defense of the Jewish avoidance of pronouncing the name---tradition! There are many lovely hymns and paraphrases of the Psalms that use this name, so it would be a loss to eliminate it from our Christian vocabulary. The poetical form of Jehovah is Jah.
Yahweh - It is very likely that the name was pronounced very much like "Yahweh." Comparisons with transliterations of the name into other alphabets from very ancient times confirm this. The best argument for the spelling is that it is probably the historically accurate. However, the RSV's 1952 introduction explained its reason for rejecting "Yahweh" in the translation. It said that it lacks devotional qualities for English-speaking Christians. It is true that many names beginning with "Y" seem odd to our culture (all the names in English --- including Jesus---were pronounced with a Y sound, in the original, as in "hallelu-Yah").
LORD - Most recent major English Bibles, dissatisfied with both Jehovah and Yahweh, have retained the KJV's LORD (the 1901 text read Jehovah.)
Wow, quite a lot of distinquished words to excuse taking the name of Yahweh out of the scriptures we read! The following is a summary of the excuses that they have used for their refusing to insert the true name, Yahweh.
None of the other Bibles use it.
We're following an ancient tradition by not using it.
The word "Jehovah" does not accurately present any form of the Name ever used in Hebrew.
Use of any proper name...is entirely inappropriate.
It lacks devotional qualities.
There is only one thing missing to make all these points valid....Biblical authority! Both the beginning and the end of the scriptures contain a warning to those who would think to change them for their own convenience. Check it out:
Deuteronomy 4:2. "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take anything from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
Revelation 22:18. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19. and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
I don't know about you, but it sounds fairly straightforward to me. Well, we have demonstrated what His name really is and we have shown why people say that they don't use His name now. Let's ask this question:
Does Yahweh care what I call Him?
I think He does. Tell me what you think after we get through this study. The first place in scripture where we have Yahweh telling man specifically about His name is in the story of Yahweh calling Moses from the burning bush to lead His people out of bondage. When Moses asked the visitor his name this is what transpired:
Exodus 3:13. Then Moses said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, `The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, `What is His name?' what shall I say to them?'' 14. And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM [Heb. HaYah asher HaYah, Strong's #'s 1961 834 1961].'' And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, `I AM [HaYah] has sent me to you.' '' 15. Moreover God said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: `The Lord [Yahweh, Strong's #3068] 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.'
The links in the above text, as well as other text links on this site, will take you to the Blue Letter Bible, an incredible treasure trove of information on a text by text basis. And its free! Regarding these particular texts, let me encourage you to check out the concordances as well as the commentary by David Guzik.
OK, so here we have Yahweh telling Moses his personal name and that this Name is to be a MEMORIAL to all generations. This means that we are to remember that Name. Well, once He said this did he ever remind His people about this? I'm glad you asked. Let me share a few more texts with you.
Exodus 9: 15. "Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. 16. "But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. 17. "As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go.
Exodus 23:13. "And in all that I have said to you, be circumspect and make no mention of the name of other gods, nor let it be heard from your mouth.
Sounds like He is so concerned about our single mindedness for Him that He doesn't even want their names mentioned.
Psalms 45:17. I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.
On the other hand, over and over again we can find texts to praise His name.
Isaiah 42:6. "I, the Lord [Yahweh], have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, 7. To open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house. 8. I am the Lord [Yahweh], that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images. 9. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.''
Isaiah 52: 5. Now therefore, what have I here,'' says the Lord [Yahweh], "That My people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them make them wail,'' says the Lord [Yahweh], "And My name is blasphemed continually every day. 6. Therefore My people shall know My name; therefore they shall know in that day that I am He who speaks: `Behold, it is I.' '' 7. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!''
Jeremiah 12:15. "Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land. 16. "And it shall be, if they will diligently learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, `As the Lord [Yahweh] lives,' as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be established in the midst of My people. 17. "But if they do not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation,'' says the Lord [Yahweh].
Jeremiah 23: 25. "I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, `I have dreamed, I have dreamed!' 26. "How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27. "who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.
Ezekial 36: 20. "When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name when they said of them, `These are the people of the Lord [Yahweh], and yet they have gone out of His land.' 21. "But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went. 22. "Therefore say to the house of Israel, `Thus says the Lord [Yahweh] God: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. 23. "And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord [Yahweh],'' says the Lord [Yahweh] God, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. 24. "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25. "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
Ezekial 39:7. "So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the Lord [Yahweh], the Holy One in Israel.
So, there you have it. In the history of Israel the forgetting of Yahweh's name is connected with their repeated slips into idolatry. If that was so then, is it any less so today?
How about some good SDA sources on this stuff?
Glad you asked. The following is from the SDA Encyclopedia:
YAHWEH. The sacred, personal name of God, for which the KJV generally substitutes LORD. Four time this version has "Jehovah" (Ex 6:3, Ps 83:18, Is 12:2, 26:4). "Jehovah" is a transliteration of the form of the name produced when the Jewish scholars called Masoretes, a few centuries after Christ, added the vowel sounds of the Hebrew wor 'adonay, "lord" or "sir", to the original form of the word, which consisted of the Hebrew consonants YHWH, thought to have been pronounced Yahweh.
The Jews considered the name YHWH so sacred that they would not pronounce it even when reading the Scriptures, lest they inadvertently profane the name of the Lord. Instead of Yahweh, they read 'Adonay. Thus the true pronunciation of YHWH had been lost centuries before the time of the Masoretes.
The derivation of YHWH is not known, but it is thought by some to be a form of the Hebrew verb hayah, "to be", and thus could mean "the [eternally] existing one." Or if, as some think, it is from the verb chayah, "to live," the meaning would be, "the [self-existent] living one." On the other hand, Dr. W. F. Albright favors the idea that YHWH is a causal form and means "He causes to be" (W. F. Albright, From the Stone Age to Christianity, pp. 259, 260).
The name by which God authorized Moses to identify Him to the Hebrew people, "I AM ['eheyeh] WHO I AM," or simply "I AM" (Ex 3:14, RSV), is commonly thought to be related to the Tetragrammaton YHWH considered as a form of the verb "to be". In Jn 8:58 Jesus appropriates to Himself the title "I am."
Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, p1440
Now, what about this business of calling Jesus Yeshua?
When you attend most Christian churches you can easily believe that the Lord had a first name and a last name... Jesus Christ. It may be surprising to you to know that He would not have known who you were talking about should you have called Him this during His time here on earth. In fact it may be that He had such a name. In His land and time is would probably be Yeshua ben Yosef [Joseph]. The name He was given, by heavenly order, is Yeshua. I'll tell you more about that in a bit.
Jesus is an Anglicanization of a Greek translation of the name. The Greek translation is Iesous. This is pronounced "ee_AA_soos". In fact, the original 1611 King James Bible spells this name in the Greek fashion as the letter "J" didn't even exist at that time. Now, in general, a principal of translation is that proper names are not translated, they are transliterated, meaning that they are essentially phonetically spelled.
Let's go back and take a look at the story of Messiah's birth:
Matthew 1:20. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21. "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.''
(by the way, this is a very good verse to really check out on the Blue Letter Bible)
Now, if you have a King James Bible, check out the center margin notes for verse 21 and you will see the name Joshua is there. Joshua is the Anglicized form of the Hebrew name Yeshua. So, who cares whether we call Him by the correct name or the name we all grew up knowing? Well, that's a good question. Notice that verse 21 above says: "you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.'' Why is the saving of sins connected with the name Jesus? The answer is that it isn't. The Greek name has nothing to do with that. But the name Yeshua is pregnant with meaning. Yeshua means "salvation of Yahweh." Understanding that meaning it all of a sudden makes sense in that His very name tells us of the Good News.
Here is what the SDA Bible Dictionary has to say:
Jesus (je' zus). [Gr. Iesous, from the Heb. Yeshua, the late form of Yehoshua, "Joshua," meaning "Yahweh is salvation." The English form "Jesus" comes from the Latin. The name occurs on ossuaries (bone receptacles) discovered in Palestine, dating from, or soon after, the time of Christ (see fig. 264).]
1. According to the KJV NT the name of Joshua, the successor of Moses, and leader of the Israelite tribes during the invasion of Canaan (Acts 7:45; Heb 4:8). The RSV renders the name in both passages by the OT form, "Joshua,"
2. According to the RSV, a Judahite whose name appears in Luke's genealogy of Jesus Christ (Lk 3:29, RSV). The KJV, following a different Greek text, reads "Jose" (jo' se).
3. A Jewish Christian, also called Justus, who was an associate of Paul during his 1st imprisonment in Rome, and who sent greetings to the church at Colossae (Col 4: 11).
4. The Saviour, *Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary.SDA Bible Dictionary, Page 565
So, when the old priest, Simeon, in anticipation of his own death, is presented with the baby Messiah, he utters the these words: "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel." Luke 2:29 - 32
It also takes us back to the Psalmist: Psalms 91:14. "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."
Doesn't this just bring the whole issue of the correct names for Diety full circle. Here we have the Father telling us that He will honor those who know His name and that He will show them His Salvation.....Yeshua......Jesus.
Does this make any sense to you? Can I steer you toward other resources or answer any questions for you? Drop me a line and tell me what you think.
Bill Jacobson
[MAKERATING]
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