Hebrew • proper noun

יְהוָה

YHWH[Traditional: Adonai; Scholarly: Yahweh]

H30686,828 occurrences in the OTCritical for Apologetics

The LORD, the personal name of the God of Israel

Extended Definition

The Tetragrammaton, the four-letter personal name of the God of Israel, occurring approximately 6,828 times in the Hebrew Bible—by far the most common divine name. BDB treats it as deriving from the root הוה/היה "to be," interpreting the name as "He who is" or "He who causes to be." The name was revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14-15) with the explanation אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה "I AM WHO I AM" or "I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE," linking YHWH to the verb of existence. Due to the sanctity of the name, Jewish tradition ceased pronouncing it, substituting Adonai (Lord) in reading. The Masoretes added the vowels of Adonai to the consonants YHWH, producing the hybrid form that was misread as "Jehovah" in some Christian traditions. Most scholars today believe the original pronunciation was approximately "Yahweh," based on Greek transcriptions (Ιαουε in Clement of Alexandria) and the short form Yah (יָהּ) that appears in poetry and in the suffix -yahu in names.

Semantic Range

The proper name of the God of Israel

The covenant name by which God revealed himself to Israel

Exodus 3:15“YHWH, the God of your fathers... this is my name forever”

Exodus 6:3“I appeared to Abraham... as El Shaddai, but by my name YHWH I was not known to them”

Sample Biblical Occurrences

Genesis 2:4

“in the day that YHWH God made earth and heaven”

Exodus 3:14

“God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"”

Exodus 6:2-3

“I am YHWH. I appeared to Abraham... as El Shaddai”

Deuteronomy 6:4

“Hear, O Israel: YHWH our God, YHWH is one”

Isaiah 42:8

“I am YHWH; that is my name”

Theological Significance

YHWH is the distinctive personal name of Israel's God, distinguishing him from the general term Elohim. BDB emphasizes: 1. **Covenant relationship**: YHWH is the name used in covenant contexts, expressing God's personal commitment to Israel 2. **Self-existence**: The connection to "being" suggests eternal, self-existent being 3. **Active presence**: The name implies not just static existence but dynamic, purposeful presence 4. **Exclusivity**: "YHWH is his name" (Exodus 15:3) emphasizes this as the proper, distinctive name The distinction between YHWH (personal covenant name) and Elohim (general term for deity) forms the basis of the Documentary Hypothesis in critical scholarship, though BDB does not extensively engage this theory.

Apologetic Significance

YHWH is central to multiple apologetic discussions: 1. **The Name Above All Names**: Jesus's identification with YHWH (applying YHWH texts to Jesus, e.g., Isaiah 45:23 in Philippians 2:10-11) is a key christological argument. 2. **Jehovah's Witnesses**: The JW insistence on "Jehovah" and their translation practices (inserting "Jehovah" into the NT) require understanding the actual history of the divine name. 3. **Divine Identity of Christ**: NT passages where Jesus receives YHWH titles (Lord, I AM, the Name) support his divine identity. 4. **Continuity of Covenant**: The same YHWH who covenanted with Israel is the God who sent his Son, establishing continuity between Testaments. 5. **Islamic Engagement**: The distinctiveness of YHWH as personal name vs. the Arabic Allah (a title) is relevant in comparative religion discussions.

Modern Scholarship Notes

Since BDB's time, scholarly discussion has expanded: 1. **Etymology**: While BDB connects YHWH to "to be," some scholars propose "to cause to be" (causative) or connections to other roots. No consensus exists. 2. **Origin**: The origin of Yahweh worship is debated—Kenite hypothesis, Midianite connections, indigenous Israelite origin. BDB does not extensively treat these questions. 3. **Pronunciation**: The consensus that "Yahweh" approximates the original pronunciation is stronger now based on additional evidence. 4. **Moabite Inscription**: The Mesha Stele (discovered 1868, before BDB) mentions YHWH in a Moabite context, showing the name was known to Israel's neighbors.