Meaning

• Yahweh - God's personal name

It is not a generic term for “god”, but rather the word יְהוָֹה (YHWH) is the name by which God uniquely identifies himself in the Old Testament.

First appearing in Genesis 2:4plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGenesis 2:4

Hebrew אֵ֣לֶּה תוֹלְד֧וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ בְּהִבָּֽרְאָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם עֲשׂ֛וֹת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶ֥רֶץ וְשָׁמָֽיִם ESV These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens. NIV This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens- αὕτηἡβίβλοςγενέσεωςοὐρανοῦκαὶγῆςὅτεᾗἡμέρᾳἐποίησενὁθεὸςτὸνοὐρανὸνκαὶτὴνγῆν…, it occurs over 6,000 times in the Old Testament.

Frequently translated into English as “LORD” (all capital letters).

In ancient Israel, the name was considered too sacred to pronounce aloud. When reading Scripture, Jews would often substitute אֲדֹנָי (Adonai, “Lord”) instead.

The Masoretes (medieval Jewish scribes) added the vowel points of “Adonai” to “YHWH” leading to the hybrid form “Jehovah.”

Most English Bibles today translate it as “LORD” (all in capitals) to distinguish it from “Adonai” (Lord).

The name is related to the Hebrew verb הָיָה (hayah, “to be”), suggesting meanings such as:

• “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigExodus 3:14
  
  Hebrew וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם ESV God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'” NIV God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' καὶὁθεὸςπρὸςἐγώεἰμιὁὤνκαὶτοῖςυἱοῖςΙσραηλὁὢνἀπέσταλκένμεπρὸςὑμᾶς…)
• “He is”
• “He causes to be”

This conveys that God is self-existent, eternal, and unchanging. He is the One who depends on nothing else for existence and brings all things into being.

YHWH is not a general term for “god”, rather it is a personal, covenantal name. It reveals God’s faithfulness and presence with His people:

• Exodus 6:2–3 – God tells Moses that He is revealing Himself as YHWH, the God who keeps His promises.
• Deuteronomy 6:4plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDeuteronomy 6:4
  
  Hebrew שְׁמַ֖ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה אֶחָֽ ESV “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. NIV Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. NLT “Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. LXX καὶ ταῦτα τὰ δικαιώματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα ὅσα ἐνετείλατο κύριος τοῖς υἱοῖςΙσραηλἐντῇἐρήμῳἐξελθόντωναὐτῶνἐκγῆςΑἰγύπτουἄκουεΙσραηλκύριοςὁθεὸςἡμῶνκύριοςεἷςἐστιν… – “Hear, O Israel: The LORD (YHWH) our God, the LORD is one.”
• Psalm 23:1plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigPsalm 23:1
  
  Hebrew מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִ֑ד יְהוָ֥ה רֹ֝עִ֗י לֹ֣א אֶחְסָֽר ESV A PSALM OF DAVID.The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. NIV The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. NLT The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. LXX ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυιδ κύριος ποιμαίνει με καὶ οὐδέν με ὑστερήσει – “YHWH is my shepherd.”

In this sense, YHWH embodies both God’s transcendence and His relational nearness.