GOD’S ACTUAL NAME
How to pronounce God’s Name – YHWH?
If God wanted to make the actual pronunciation of His name known to all, then He would have made it easy. “That men may know that thou, whose name alone is YHWH, art the most high over all the earth” (Ps. 83:18). There is no instruction from Yeshua to call God YHWH but to call Him “Our Father”. To make one’s name known, you make their character and deeds known. This is exactly what Yeshua did. Let’s not get caught up in the pronunciation of the YHWH name but get caught up in making His Character and Deeds known through Yeshua.
Is God’s name YHWH (Yod Heh Waw Heh) or YHVH (Yod Heh Vav Heh)?
The earliest Hebrew grammarian, Saadia Gaon (10th Century) commentary on the 6th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Waw not Vav (10th Century). In addition, similar ancient Semitic texts have this letter as Waw not Vav (Syraic, Aramaic languages). Therefore Yod Heh Waw Heh is the correct pronunciation of the letters YHWH.
Is the word YHWH pronounced Jehovah, Yehovah, Yahowah, Yehwah, Yahweh, Yahwoh, Yahwah..?
I personally believe it is Yahwah (for now, unless more evidence arises). Rationale:
- First we know from the start that it is not Jehovah because the letter "J" is a17th century introduction. Prior to this it was Y. Just like Hallelujah is not pronounced “jah” but “yah”
- Masoretic text added vowels where the original text didn’t have these vowels as the vowels were part of the actual consonants. Also we know that the Masoretic text had been tampered with in the 10th Century like Psalm 22:16 therefore the Masoretic text vowels are at best a commentary not an absolute authority. Based on the first time YHWH is used Gen 2:4 the Masoretic text has it as YeHWaH, in Gen. 3:14 YeHoWah and in Ezek 7:3 YeHWiH. As you can see it is not consistent. When looking at other Hebrew words, sometimes the letter Waw is O e.g. Ya’aqov (Jacob), Kol (means all), Lo (means no) therefore pronunciation like Y_H_OH_ (Then vowels were added). This would imply that if there were 2 consecutive Waw's then one could be O the other W such as in YahoWah but this is not the case. If the H does not have vowels then it would be Y_HW_H. God’s name is also known as YaH as in Isaiah 12:2; 26:4 etc (exhaling for strength, force that’ why those verses refer to God’s strength). The sound of a breath exhaling. So YahW_H. Therefore YaHWaH, YaHWeh, YaHWiH, YaHWoH, YaHWUH remains…
- Why not inhale first? When God made man, He exhaled into him. The first experience of creation was exhale from God and this caused man to inhale.
- My personal revelation is that God’s name is life – more specifically breath (the sound of breath) should be in the name. His name shouldn’t have any restrictions like He said to Moses “I AM THAT I AM” (Exo. 3:14). Same with a breath – there are no restrictions exhaling or inhaling, no nasal congestion. So if this is the case “Yah” is exhaling therefore inhaling would not be Weh, Wih, Woh but more like Wah, Wuh. Of these two I lean towards Wah therefore YaHWaH.
Additional Resources
Updated - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxCQXWuZ9Ko
NAMES OF GOD IN THE SCRIPTURE
Names of God - Ultimately Heavenly Father. The Character of God is in His Name
1. Adonai - “Great LORD” “My LORD” (Gen. 15:2-8; Rev. 19:16; 1 Tim. 6:12-16). Recorded 434 times in the word.
2. Elowahh – “God” (Deut. 32:15)
3. Elohiym - “Plural Intensive God” (Gen. 1:1) recorded 2606 times in the word.
4. Elohiym Bara – “God the Creator” (Is. 40:28; Eccl. 12:1; Rom. 1:25)
5. Eloheenu or Eloheeka - “LORD my God” (Ps. 99:5,8,9; Ex. 20:2,5,7)
6. Elolam - “Everlasting God/God of Eternity” (Gen. 21:33)
7. Elyon - “God Most High” (Ps. 47:2-3; Gen. 14:18)
8. El Shaddai - “Almighty God” “God Who is more than enough” (Gen. 17:1)
9. El Gibbor - “Mighty God” (Is. 9:6-7)
10. El Roi - “God who sees” (Gen. 16:13)
11. El Rakhoom - “Merciful God” (Deut. 4:31; Ps. 107:1)
12. El Kannan - “Jealous God” (Ex. 20:5)
13. El Nacah - “God who forgives” (Ps. 99:8)
14. El Berith - “God of the Covenant” (Judges 9:46)
15. Hoseenu/YHWH Asah - “LORD my Maker” (Ps. 95:6)
16. YHWH (really YHWH) recorded 6519 times in the word (Gen. 4:1)
17. YHWH Elohiym “LORD Plural intensity God” (Gen. 2:4)
18. YHWH Elohiym Yeshuwah – “LORD Plural intensity God of my Salvation” (Ps. 88:1; Micah 7:7).
19. YHWH Elohiym Tseb-aw-aw - “LORD Plural intensity God of Hosts” (Jer. 15:16)
20. YHWH Tsidkenu - “LORD my Righteousness” (Jer. 23:6; 33:16)
21. YHWH Mekaddishkem - “LORD my Sanctifier” (Ex. 31:13)
22. YHWH Rapha - “LORD my Healer” (Ex. 15:26)
23. YHWH Yireh - “LORD my Provider” (Gen. 22:14)
24. YHWH Nissi - “LORD my Banner/LORD our Victory” (Ex. 17:15-16)
25. YHWH Rohi - “LORD my Shepherd” (Ps. 23:1)
26. YHWH Tsur - “LORD is my Strength” (Ex. 15:2; Is. 49:5; 2 Sam. 22:3)
27. YHWH Magen - “LORD our Shield” (Ps. 59:11; Ps. 18:2; 2 Sam. 22:3)
28. YHWH Sabaoth - “LORD of Hosts” (1 Sam. 1:3). The name was eventually understood as a plural of intensity, “LORD Almighty”
29. YHWH Shalom - “LORD my Peace” (Judges 6:24). In Greek, God of Peace (Rom. 15:33; 16:20; 1 Cor. 14:33; Phil. 4:9; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:20)
30. YHWH Shammah - “LORD is ever present” (Ezek. 48:35; Rev. 22:5).
31. YHWH Qadosh – “Holy is the LORD” (Is. 6:3; Lev. 19:2)
32. God of Patience (Rom. 15:5)
33. God of Hope (Rom. 15:13)
34. God of Love (2 Cor. 13:11)
35. LORD, Knower of Hearts (Acts 1:24)
