The vowels of the Tetragrammaton, that is, Yehowah or Jehovah (Exodus
6:3; Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 12:2; 26:4) are not a late addition, but represent
the original and true pronunciation of the profoundly significant Divine Name. The commonly repeated modern idea that
the pronunciation Jehovah is a late and incorrect invention, while
Yahweh is the true pronunciation of the Name, is false. No known Hebrew manuscript on
earth contains the vocalization Yahweh. On the other hand, the form Jehovah is found in a variety of locations in
the oldest Hebrew copies, such as the Aleppo codex and a variety of Biblical
fragments dated between 700 and 900,
as well as being the universal pointing
in the Old Testament Textus Receptus. Jewish scholars such as Maimonides
(1138-1204) affirmed that the Tetragrammaton was pronounced according to its
letters
as YeHoWaH.
Were, as the common modern notion
affirms, the vowels of the Divine Name
simply lifted from Adonai, the yod of the
Tetragram would have a hateph pathach
underneath it, not a shewa. Furthermore,
all the names in Scripture that begin with portions of the Tetragrammaton
possess the vowels of Jehovah, not of Yahweh.
If one wanted to maintain that the
vocalization of God’s Name had been corrupted in Scripture, contrary to His
declarations that nothing of the kind would happen (Psalm 12:6-7; Matthew
5:18), one would also need to maintain that every name in the Bible that begins
with part of the Tetragrammaton has also been corrupted. Jehoadah would really be something like
Yahwadah; Jehoahaz would be Yahwahaz;
Jehoash would be Yahwahash, and so on. Furthermore, no theophoric names
anywhere in Scripture end with an eh, the expected ending were the Name
pronounced Yahweh. Similarly, the word Hallelujah and the Greek Alleluia validate the ah at the end of the Divine Name.
Furthermore, the Mishna states that the Name was pronounced as it was written, that
is, as Jehovah.
This pronunciation is also consistent
with Talmudic evidence. The
plain facts concerning what the vowels on the Name actually are in the Hebrew
text, other theophoric names, the Mishna, and a variety of other evidences
demonstrate that the Tetragrammaton is correctly pronounced Jehovah.
6:3; Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 12:2; 26:4) are not a late addition, but represent
the original and true pronunciation of the profoundly significant Divine Name. The commonly repeated modern idea that
the pronunciation Jehovah is a late and incorrect invention, while
Yahweh is the true pronunciation of the Name, is false. No known Hebrew manuscript on
earth contains the vocalization Yahweh. On the other hand, the form Jehovah is found in a variety of locations in
the oldest Hebrew copies, such as the Aleppo codex and a variety of Biblical
fragments dated between 700 and 900,
as well as being the universal pointing
in the Old Testament Textus Receptus. Jewish scholars such as Maimonides
(1138-1204) affirmed that the Tetragrammaton was pronounced according to its
letters
as YeHoWaH.
Were, as the common modern notion
affirms, the vowels of the Divine Name
simply lifted from Adonai, the yod of the
Tetragram would have a hateph pathach
underneath it, not a shewa. Furthermore,
all the names in Scripture that begin with portions of the Tetragrammaton
possess the vowels of Jehovah, not of Yahweh.
If one wanted to maintain that the
vocalization of God’s Name had been corrupted in Scripture, contrary to His
declarations that nothing of the kind would happen (Psalm 12:6-7; Matthew
5:18), one would also need to maintain that every name in the Bible that begins
with part of the Tetragrammaton has also been corrupted. Jehoadah would really be something like
Yahwadah; Jehoahaz would be Yahwahaz;
Jehoash would be Yahwahash, and so on. Furthermore, no theophoric names
anywhere in Scripture end with an eh, the expected ending were the Name
pronounced Yahweh. Similarly, the word Hallelujah and the Greek Alleluia validate the ah at the end of the Divine Name.
Furthermore, the Mishna states that the Name was pronounced as it was written, that
is, as Jehovah.
This pronunciation is also consistent
with Talmudic evidence. The
plain facts concerning what the vowels on the Name actually are in the Hebrew
text, other theophoric names, the Mishna, and a variety of other evidences
demonstrate that the Tetragrammaton is correctly pronounced Jehovah.
In contrast to the strong evidence in
favor of the pronunciation Jehovah, very little favors the pronunciation Yahweh. Since this latter pronunciation is
not favored by any evidence in the Hebrew of the Bible, nor in other ancient
Jewish documents, its advocates must look outside of Scripture and Jewish texts
for evidence in its favor. This they find in the late patristic writers Theodoret
and Epiphanius, who give Iabe as the pronunciation of the
Tetragrammaton, although the former distinguishes this vocalization as the pronunciation
of the Samaritans. These
statements constitute the most substantive and strongest argument in favor of
the pronunciation Yahweh.
Also, papyri involving pagan magic, and
in which every possible and impossible designation of deities, Greek, Egyptian
and Semitic, is found in profuse variety, contain invocations that sound like
the word Yahweh.
To use the speculations of two
patristic writers—one of whom even specifies that Yahweh was a Samaritan pronunciation, and that
the Jews used something else—to overthrow the vocalization of the Name in the
OT Textus Receptus, Jehovah, is entirely unjustifiable. To use a
name found in some pagan papyri that are invoking numberless idols and demons
to reject Jehovah is even worse. The evidence for the
pronunciation Yahweh is very poor, and totally insufficient
to overthrow the powerful and numerous evidences in favor of the pronunciation Jehovah.
favor of the pronunciation Jehovah, very little favors the pronunciation Yahweh. Since this latter pronunciation is
not favored by any evidence in the Hebrew of the Bible, nor in other ancient
Jewish documents, its advocates must look outside of Scripture and Jewish texts
for evidence in its favor. This they find in the late patristic writers Theodoret
and Epiphanius, who give Iabe as the pronunciation of the
Tetragrammaton, although the former distinguishes this vocalization as the pronunciation
of the Samaritans. These
statements constitute the most substantive and strongest argument in favor of
the pronunciation Yahweh.
Also, papyri involving pagan magic, and
in which every possible and impossible designation of deities, Greek, Egyptian
and Semitic, is found in profuse variety, contain invocations that sound like
the word Yahweh.
To use the speculations of two
patristic writers—one of whom even specifies that Yahweh was a Samaritan pronunciation, and that
the Jews used something else—to overthrow the vocalization of the Name in the
OT Textus Receptus, Jehovah, is entirely unjustifiable. To use a
name found in some pagan papyri that are invoking numberless idols and demons
to reject Jehovah is even worse. The evidence for the
pronunciation Yahweh is very poor, and totally insufficient
to overthrow the powerful and numerous evidences in favor of the pronunciation Jehovah.
Thus, it is evident that Jehovah is the correct pronunciation of the
Name of God. Jehovah
has not allowed the pronunciation of His Name to be lost.
Name of God. Jehovah
has not allowed the pronunciation of His Name to be lost.
The error that Yahweh is the correct
pronunciation of the Divine Name is connected to the error that only the
consonants of the Hebrew text are inspired, while the vowels were invented by a
class of Jewish scribes around the tenth century A. D. On the contrary, Scripture and solid evidence
demonstrates that the words of the Hebrew text—including the vowels—are
inspired and were recorded by the Biblical authors. Extensive evidence for the inspiration of the
Hebrew vowels is provided in my essay “Evidences for the Inspiration of the Hebrew Vowel Points” in the Bibliology section of my website here. The evidence for the pronunciation Jehovah above is a summary of Appendix 1
of the same essay on my website, where extensive documentation and a more
detailed discussion is provided. The
question is also discussed in lecture #1 of my class on Trinitarianism here. My essay “The Debate over the Inspiration of the Hebrew Vowel Points” should also be mentioned.
pronunciation of the Divine Name is connected to the error that only the
consonants of the Hebrew text are inspired, while the vowels were invented by a
class of Jewish scribes around the tenth century A. D. On the contrary, Scripture and solid evidence
demonstrates that the words of the Hebrew text—including the vowels—are
inspired and were recorded by the Biblical authors. Extensive evidence for the inspiration of the
Hebrew vowels is provided in my essay “Evidences for the Inspiration of the Hebrew Vowel Points” in the Bibliology section of my website here. The evidence for the pronunciation Jehovah above is a summary of Appendix 1
of the same essay on my website, where extensive documentation and a more
detailed discussion is provided. The
question is also discussed in lecture #1 of my class on Trinitarianism here. My essay “The Debate over the Inspiration of the Hebrew Vowel Points” should also be mentioned.
Furthermore, the fact that Jehovah is the correct pronunciation of
the Tetragrammaton is one of a number of strong reasons to reject the critical
Hebrew text (the Leningrad MS) underlying the generality of modern English
Bible versions. While the Old Testament
Received Text that underlies the Authorized Version properly and fully
vocalizes the Tetragrammaton, the Hebrew critical text corrupts the Divine Name
by omitting one of its vowels in thousands of passages. Other serious corruptions are also present in
the Leningrad MS.
the Tetragrammaton is one of a number of strong reasons to reject the critical
Hebrew text (the Leningrad MS) underlying the generality of modern English
Bible versions. While the Old Testament
Received Text that underlies the Authorized Version properly and fully
vocalizes the Tetragrammaton, the Hebrew critical text corrupts the Divine Name
by omitting one of its vowels in thousands of passages. Other serious corruptions are also present in
the Leningrad MS.
Finally, the King James Bible is found
to be correct in its vocalization of the Divine Name as Jehovah, while it properly omits the modern fictitious
pronunciation Yahweh. God’s people should do the same, and call,
not on Yahweh, but on the Triune
Jehovah.
to be correct in its vocalization of the Divine Name as Jehovah, while it properly omits the modern fictitious
pronunciation Yahweh. God’s people should do the same, and call,
not on Yahweh, but on the Triune
Jehovah.
–TDR
Brothers Ross & Brandenburg,
Thank you for posting this article. It has been a grievous thing for me for years to have to read "conservative" commentaries that refer to the God of the Bible by the pagan name "Yahweh". I am sure that it grieves God even more. It is bad when we get the name of a customer wrong, & it would be downright troublesome if a man were to call his wife by the same name. I once was at a wedding in which the preacher performing the wedding was the father of the groom. More than once he called the bride by the name of his son's previous girlfriend. I cannot imagine that the bride ever excused that mistake. In fact, the marriage did not last long. If a church-bride were to call our Savior-Groom by the wrong name … I don't think that would be a welcome thing. Hopefully other preachers will correct this serious error.
Years ago I heard Dr. Donald Waite say that there was evidence that the proper pronunciation of the tetragramaton is Yehovah, but he didn't elaborate further.
I am so glad you posted this article.
Question; I have recently attended a Messianic congregation where one of the women told me that God was known simply as "Yah". Have you ever heard this? What is your response to this idea?
It makes me think of the pagan Jah-Bul-On of Freemasonry.
Thanks and God Bless,
Dan Knezacek
Thank you for this post. It was very helpful.
Dmitry Gospodarev
Dear all above,
Thanks for the kind words.
Dan,
While Freemasonry is abominably pagan, calling God "Jah" or "Yah" is entirely Scriptural-see Psalm 68:4. "Jah/Yah" is simply the first consonant of "Jehovah" combined with the "ah" ending of the word. In addition to the English of Ps 68:4, the Hebrew text calls God "Jah" in 45 verses:
Ex 15:2; 17:16; Is 12:2; 26:4; 38:11; Psa 68:5, 19; 77:12; 89:9; 94:7, 12; 102:19; 104:35; 105:45–106:1; 106:48; 111:1; 112:1; 113:1, 9; 115:17–18; 116:19; 117:2; 118:5, 14, 17–19; 122:4; 130:3; 135:1, 3–4, 21; 146:1, 10–147:1; 147:20–148:1; 148:14–149:1; 149:9–150:1; 150:6
Thanks.