The divine name YHWH (יהוה) appears approximately 6,828 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, making it the most frequently occurring name for God—yet most English translations replace it with "LORD." This 10-lesson course examines the linguistic, historical, and scriptural evidence for the sacred names, distinguishing carefully between documented scholarship and speculation.
Course Objectives:
In the ancient world, names were far more than labels—they revealed identity, character, authority, and destiny. When Yahuah revealed His name to Moses at the burning bush, He wasn't simply providing a way to address Him; He was disclosing His very nature and establishing covenant relationship with His people.
The Hebrew concept of shem (שֵׁם, "name") encompasses reputation, character, and memorial. When we read "the name of YHWH" in Scripture, we're reading about His revealed character, His authority, and His covenant faithfulness. This is why the third commandment prohibits bearing His name "in vain"—not merely speaking it carelessly, but representing Him falsely.
The divine name appears approximately 6,828 times in the Hebrew Scriptures according to the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS), the standard scholarly Hebrew Bible text. This makes it the most frequently occurring name for the Almighty—yet most English translations substitute "LORD" (in capital letters) for the actual name.
Why does this matter? Consider these truths:
Shem (שֵׁם) — H8034 — Name, reputation, character, memorial
YHWH (יהוה) — H3068 — The Tetragrammaton, the four-letter divine name
Tetragrammaton — From Greek "four letters" — refers to the four Hebrew consonants of the divine name
1. The divine name YHWH appears approximately times in the Hebrew Scriptures.
2. The Hebrew word for "name" is , which also means reputation and character.
3. Most English translations substitute (in capitals) for the divine name.
4. The term "Tetragrammaton" comes from Greek and means "".
5. According to Exodus 3:15, the divine name is to be remembered throughout all .
The Tetragrammaton consists of four Hebrew consonants written right-to-left: יהוה. These four letters—Yod, Hey, Waw, Hey—form the most sacred name in the Hebrew Bible.
| Hebrew | Letter Name | Transliteration | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| י | Yod (Yodh) | Y | 10th letter; smallest letter; consonant /y/ |
| ה | Hey (He) | H | 5th letter; indicates breath/aspiration |
| ו | Waw (Vav) | W/V | 6th letter; originally /w/, later /v/ in modern Hebrew |
| ה | Hey (He) | H | Final letter (repeated) |
When Moses asked for the divine name, Yahuah responded with one of the most profound statements in all of Scripture:
The name YHWH is connected to the Hebrew root היה (h-y-h, "to be"). The name represents a third-person form ("He is/will be") corresponding to the first-person אֶהְיֶה (Ehyeh, "I am/will be"). This reveals:
Ehyeh (אֶהְיֶה) — H1961 — "I am" / "I will be" — first person form of the verb "to be"
Hayah (היה) — H1961 — The Hebrew verb "to be, become, exist"
Asher (אֲשֶׁר) — H834 — Relative pronoun: "who, which, that"
1. The Tetragrammaton consists of Hebrew consonants.
2. The four letters are Yod, Hey, , and Hey.
3. YHWH is connected to the Hebrew root היה, which means "to ".
4. "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh" translates as "I who I ".
5. The name emphasizes Yahuah's eternal self- and creative power.
How was the divine name originally pronounced? This question has occupied scholars for centuries. The challenge is that ancient Hebrew was written without vowels, and by the time vowel markings were added (6th-10th centuries CE), Jews had long stopped pronouncing the name.
The Masoretes were Jewish scribes who worked from the 6th to 10th centuries CE to preserve the Hebrew Bible text. They developed nikkudot (vowel points)—dots and dashes placed around consonants to indicate vowel sounds.
The vowels placed on יהוה in Masoretic texts are from אֲדֹנָי (Adonai, "Lord")—signaling readers to pronounce "Adonai" instead of the actual name. This was never meant to indicate YHWH's original pronunciation.
Theophoric Name Evidence: Biblical names containing the divine element preserve syllables of YHWH:
The suffix -yahu (יָהוּ) in these names suggests the divine name included "Yahu" as a component, leading some to reconstruct "Yah-u-ah."
Greek Transliterations: Ancient sources preserve Greek approximations:
The modern scholarly consensus strongly favors "Yahweh" as the most probable ancient pronunciation. The Encyclopedia Britannica states: "In the 19th and 20th centuries biblical scholars again began to use the form Yahweh."
"Jehovah" is a hybrid form created by combining YHWH consonants with Adonai vowels. The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica states: "'Jehovah' is a modern mispronunciation of the Hebrew name, resulting from combining the consonants of that name, Jhvh, with the vowels of the word ădōnāy."
Nikkudot — Hebrew vowel points added by Masoretes (6th-10th century CE)
Qere Perpetuum — "Perpetual reading" — a permanent substitution note
Theophoric — Names containing a divine element (from Greek "god-bearing")
1. The Masoretes developed vowel points called between the 6th and 10th centuries CE.
2. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain vowel points, proving they were added later.
3. Names like Eliyahu and Yeshayahu contain the suffix -, preserving part of the divine name.
4. The modern scholarly consensus favors as the most probable pronunciation.
5. "Jehovah" is a form combining YHWH consonants with Adonai vowels.
How did we go from a name spoken 6,828 times in Scripture to a name hidden behind substitutes? The history of this transition reveals both reverence gone astray and the fulfillment of prophetic warnings.
The scholarly consensus places the cessation of pronunciation "by at least the 3rd century BCE, during Second Temple Judaism." The Book of Ruth (5th century BCE) shows the Divine Name was still pronounced in everyday greetings:
Possible triggers for the cessation include:
The Mishnah (Sanhedrin 10:1) later declared: "Also one who pronounces the divine name as it is written" has no portion in the World to Come. The High Priest continued pronouncing the Name on Yom Kippur until the Temple's destruction in 70 CE.
| Hebrew | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) | "My Lords" (plural of majesty) | Primary substitute in Torah reading and prayer |
| HaShem (הַשֵּׁם) | "The Name" | Everyday speech and casual conversation |
| Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) | "Mighty One(s)" | When YHWH Adonai appears together |
The substitution passed through multiple stages:
In the KJV, "LORD" appears approximately 6,510 times, "JEHOVAH" only 4 times (Exodus 6:3, Psalm 83:18, Isaiah 12:2, 26:4).
Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) — H136 — "My Lord(s)" — the primary spoken substitute
HaShem (הַשֵּׁם) — "The Name" — used in everyday speech
Kyrios (κύριος) — G2962 — Greek for "Lord" — used in Septuagint
1. Jews stopped pronouncing the divine name by at least the century BCE.
2. The primary substitute used in Torah reading is , meaning "My Lord(s)."
3. The everyday term "The Name" in Hebrew is .
4. The Septuagint used the Greek word (Kyrios) to replace YHWH.
5. Jeremiah 23:27 warns about causing people to the divine name.
What was the Messiah's original name? The answer is historically documented and linguistically clear: He was called Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ), a common Jewish name meaning "YHWH is salvation."
יְהוֹשֻׁעַ — Yehoshua (full form) — 218 times in Hebrew Bible
יֵשׁוּעַ — Yeshua (shortened form) — 29 times in Hebrew Bible
Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) is the full form—the standard spelling for Joshua son of Nun. Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) is the shortened/Aramaic-influenced form, common during the Second Temple period (538 BCE – 70 CE).
Archaeological Evidence: Ossuaries (burial bone boxes) from the 1st century found near Jerusalem contain the name "Yeshua" 71 times. Scholar Tal Ilan documents 85 examples of "Yeshua" in inscriptions versus only 15 of "Yehoshua."
The name breaks down as:
Full meaning: "YHWH saves" or "YHWH is salvation"
Notice the deliberate wordplay: His name means "YHWH saves," and He will "save" His people. The Hebrew verb יָשַׁע (yasha', "to save") is embedded in His very name!
Moses changed Hoshea's name to Yehoshua by adding the first letter of the Tetragrammaton—transforming "Salvation" into "YHWH is salvation." The Talmud interprets this as Moses's prayer: "May Yah save you from the counsel of the spies."
Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) — H3442 — "YHWH is salvation" — the Messiah's Hebrew name
Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) — H3091 — Full form, same as "Joshua"
Yasha (יָשַׁע) — H3467 — "to save, deliver, rescue"
1. The Messiah's Hebrew name was , meaning "YHWH is salvation."
2. This is the same name as son of Nun in the Old Testament.
3. The name contains the Hebrew root yasha, which means "to ."
4. Ossuaries from the 1st century contain the name Yeshua times.
5. Moses changed 's name to Yehoshua by adding the divine element.
How did "Yeshua" become "Jesus"? The answer involves standard linguistic processes of transliteration across languages—not pagan corruption.
| Stage | Form | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Hebrew (full) | יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshua) | Original name |
| Hebrew (short) | יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshua) | Aramaic-period contraction |
| Greek | Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) | Transliteration with Greek phonetic adaptation |
| Latin | IESVS / Iesus | Jerome's Vulgate (4th century) |
| English | Jesus | Post-17th century (with J/I distinction) |
Greek had specific linguistic limitations that required adaptation:
The letter J did not exist in ancient times:
The transition from "Iesus" to "Jesus" was simply the natural development of English spelling conventions, not any theological change.
The Greek word ὄνομα (onoma, "name") meant more than syllables in the ancient world—it represented a person's character, authority, identity, and power. Peter's declaration points to the person and authority of the Messiah, not merely phonetic pronunciation.
The meaning matters greatly: "YHWH saves" encapsulates the Gospel. But people in Mexico saying "Hay-soos" (Jesús), Germans saying "Yay-zoos," and Israelis saying "Yeshua" are calling on the same Lord.
Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς) — G2424 — Greek form of Yeshua/Joshua
Transliteration — Converting sounds from one language to another (vs. translation of meaning)
Onoma (ὄνομα) — G3686 — Name, authority, character, identity
1. The Greek form of Yeshua is (Iēsous).
2. Greek lacked the Hebrew "" sound, so shin became sigma.
3. The Septuagint used Ἰησοῦς for Joshua before the Messiah's birth.
4. The letter J was not distinguished from I until the century.
5. The 1611 King James Bible originally printed "" not "Jesus."
Scripture uses both the personal name (YHWH) and various titles to describe the Almighty. Understanding the difference between names and titles helps us appreciate the richness of biblical revelation.
Meaning: "Mighty Ones" or "Powers." It is the plural form of Eloah (H433). While it usually refers to the One true Creator, the word itself denotes authority, strength, and divine power.
Grammatically Plural: In Hebrew, plural nouns can denote quantity (more than one) or majesty/intensity (greatness). When referring to YHWH, Elohim is a "plural of majesty." The proof: when Elohim refers to YHWH, the verbs usually remain singular.
Meaning: "Mighty One," "Strength," or "Power." The shortened, singular root form. It often appears in compound names:
| Compound Name | Hebrew | Meaning | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Shaddai | אֵל שַׁדַּי | God Almighty / All-Sufficient One | Genesis 17:1 |
| El Elyon | אֵל עֶלְיוֹן | God Most High | Genesis 14:18 |
| El Olam | אֵל עוֹלָם | The Everlasting God | Genesis 21:33 |
| El Roi | אֵל רֳאִי | The God Who Sees | Genesis 16:13 |
Meaning: "Lord," "Master," or "Sovereign." It emphasizes the relationship of a master to a servant (ownership and authority).
Adonai vs. Adoni:
Consider this: "President" is a title; "Abraham Lincoln" is a name. "Doctor" is a title; "John Smith" is a name. Similarly:
Both are important! Titles reveal what He is (Mighty, Lord, Most High). The name reveals who He is (the self-existent, covenant-keeping One).
Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) — H430 — "Mighty Ones" — plural of majesty for the Creator
El (אֵל) — H410 — "Mighty One" — singular root form
Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) — H136 — "My Lord(s)" — emphatic plural for God only
El Shaddai (אֵל שַׁדַּי) — H410 + H7706 — "God Almighty"
1. is a plural of majesty meaning "Mighty Ones."
2. El Shaddai means "God " or "All-Sufficient One."
3. means "Lord" or "Master" and is used only for God.
4. YHWH is the personal , while Elohim and El are titles.
5. El Elyon means "God Most ."
Biblical theophoric names embed abbreviated forms of YHWH into personal names, expressing theological meaning. These provide valuable evidence for pronunciation and show how central the divine name was in Israelite culture.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| אֵלִיָּהוּ | Eliyahu | Elijah | "My God is YAHU" |
| יְשַׁעְיָהוּ | Yeshayahu | Isaiah | "YAHU is salvation" |
| יִרְמְיָהוּ | Yirmeyahu | Jeremiah | "YAHU will exalt" |
| זְכַרְיָהוּ | Zekaryahu | Zechariah | "YAHU remembers" |
| מַתִּתְיָהוּ | Mattityahu | Matthew | "Gift of YAHU" |
| נְחֶמְיָה | Nechemyah | Nehemiah | "YAHU comforts" |
| עֹבַדְיָהוּ | Ovadyahu | Obadiah | "Servant of YAHU" |
| Hebrew (Long) | Hebrew (Short) | English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| יְהוֹשֻׁעַ | יֵשׁוּעַ | Joshua/Jesus | "YHWH is salvation" |
| יְהוֹנָתָן | יוֹנָתָן | Jonathan | "YHWH has given" |
| יְהוֹחָנָן | יוֹחָנָן | John | "YHWH is gracious" |
| יוֹאֵל | — | Joel | "YHWH is God" |
The suffix form -YAHU (יָהוּ) strongly suggests the divine name included "Yahu" as a syllable. Archaeological evidence supports this:
The Hebrew Bible contains approximately 127 names with -YAHU/-YAH suffixes and 29 names with YEHO-/YO- prefixes.
Theophoric — From Greek "god-bearing" — names containing a divine element
-Yahu (יָהוּ) — Suffix form of the divine name in personal names
-Yah (יָה) — Shortened suffix form (as in Halleluyah)
Yeho- (יְהוֹ) — Prefix form of the divine name
1. Eliyahu (Elijah) means "My God is ."
2. Yeshayahu (Isaiah) means " is salvation."
3. The Hebrew Bible contains approximately names with -YAHU/-YAH suffixes.
4. The modern name Netanyahu means " by YAHU."
5. Names containing a divine element are called names.
Some claim that common English terms like "God," "Lord," and "Jesus" have pagan origins and should not be used. This lesson examines these claims against documented linguistic evidence.
The Claim: English "God" derives from the pagan deity "Gad" mentioned in Isaiah 65:11.
Documented Etymology: From Etymonline.com: "Old English god from Proto-Germanic *guthan (source also of Old Saxon, Dutch god, German Gott, Old Norse guð, Gothic guþ)." The Proto-Indo-European root is either *ghut- ("that which is invoked") or *ghu-to- ("poured," referring to libations).
Analysis: Isaiah 65:11's Hebrew גָּד (Gad) was probably the planet Jupiter. However, English "God" traces through Germanic languages (Proto-Germanic *guthan) while Hebrew "Gad" is a Semitic word from a completely different language family. No linguistic pathway exists between them.
Verdict: ❌ Not supported by scholarly evidence. The similarity is coincidental.
The Claim: Using "Lord" is calling on Ba'al because Ba'al means "lord."
Documented Etymology: From Etymonline.com: "Old English hlaford 'master of a household,' a contraction of earlier hlafweard, literally 'one who guards the loaves' from hlaf (loaf/bread) + weard (keeper/guardian)."
Analysis: Hebrew Ba'al (בַּעַל) means "owner, master, lord." English "Lord" means "bread guardian." These developed independently in unrelated language families. Many languages have words for "master"—this doesn't make them all derived from Ba'al.
Verdict: ❌ Not supported. "Lord" has documented English etymology from Old English with no connection to Semitic languages.
The Claim: "Jesus" means "Hail Zeus" or derives from Zeus worship.
Documented Etymology: "Jesus is derived from Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς), the Ancient Greek form of the Hebrew name Yeshua (ישוע)."
Etymology of Zeus: From PIE *dyḗws ("sky, heaven") from root *dyew- ("to shine").
| Name | Greek | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Jesus | Ἰησοῦς | ee-ay-SOOS |
| Zeus | Ζεύς | ZEFS (with strong 'f') |
Pre-Christian Evidence: Ἰησοῦς was used for Joshua in the Septuagint 200+ years before the Messiah—by Jewish translators for the Jewish community.
Verdict: ❌ Completely unsupported. Dr. Michael Brown states: "You might as well argue that Tiger Woods is the name of a tiger-infested jungle in India as try to connect Jesus to Zeus."
Etymology — The study of word origins and historical development
Folk Etymology — False word origin based on superficial similarity, not linguistic evidence
Language Family — Group of languages descended from common ancestor (e.g., Semitic, Germanic)
1. English "God" comes from Proto-Germanic *, not Hebrew "Gad."
2. English "Lord" originally meant "one who guards the ."
3. The claim that "Jesus" means "Hail " is not supported by evidence.
4. The Septuagint used Ἰησοῦς for Joshua years before the Messiah.
5. False word origins based on superficial similarity are called etymology.
Having studied the evidence, how should we apply this knowledge? This final lesson addresses practical questions and provides balanced guidance for honoring the sacred names in daily life.
Claims with legitimate scholarly support:
Claims NOT supported by evidence:
Consider these principles:
1. The meaning matters greatly. "YHWH" reveals the self-existent, covenant-keeping Elohim. "Yeshua" means "YHWH is salvation." Understanding these meanings enriches our faith.
2. Using the Hebrew names is valuable. It connects us to the original revelation, honors Scripture's emphasis on the name, and recovers what was lost through substitution.
3. Grace toward others is essential. The apostles used Greek terms. Believers worldwide call on the Messiah in their languages. A Mexican believer saying "Jesús" and an Israeli believer saying "Yeshua" are calling on the same Lord.
4. Avoid unnecessary division. Some make the name issue a test of salvation or fellowship. Scripture does not support this extreme. Romans 10:13 quotes Joel 2:32: "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" — using the Greek word Kyrios.
The Talmud (Pesachim 50a) interprets this: "In this world, the Name is written one way yet pronounced another way, but in the World to Come, the Name will be pronounced the way that it is written." A day is coming when all confusion will end!
Echad (אֶחָד) — H259 — "One, united" — His name will be one
Olam (עוֹלָם) — H5769 — "Forever, eternity" — the name is forever
1. "Yeshua" means "YHWH is ."
2. The apostles used terms for the divine names without condemnation.
3. Romans 10:13 uses the Greek word (Kyrios) for the divine name.
4. Zechariah 14:9 prophesies that one day His name will be .
5. We should distinguish between documented and unsupported speculation.
Truth Carriers Education System
"That men may know that thou, whose name alone is YHWH, art the most high over all the earth." — Psalm 83:18