Yahweh is the personal name of God, revealed to Moses at the burning bush. In Exodus 3:14, God answers Moses’ question about His name with the words usually translated “I AM WHO I AM.” The Hebrew behind that phrase comes from the same root as the name Yahweh, and it carries the sense of self-existence and unchanging being. So the meaning of Yahweh is bound up with the idea that God simply is — He depends on nothing and no one for His existence, and He remains the same forever. The name is not a title like Lord or God; it is a personal name, given so that His people could call on Him. It appears many times in the Hebrew Scriptures, usually represented in English Bibles by the word LORD printed in small capitals.
Where does the name Yahweh come from in the Bible?
The name is revealed to Moses at the burning bush. God tells Moses that He is sending him to Pharaoh to bring Israel out of Egypt, and Moses asks what he should say when the Israelites ask for God’s name. The answer is a wordplay on the Hebrew verb “to be.”
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. — Exodus 3:14 (KJV)
The four Hebrew letters of the name are often called the Tetragrammaton, meaning “four letters.” They are yod, he, waw, he — YHWH in English letters. Because ancient Hebrew was written without vowels, we cannot be certain how the name was originally pronounced. “Yahweh” is one common reconstruction, and it is the form used in this article.
Why do Bibles say “LORD” instead of Yahweh?
By the time of the Second Temple, Jewish readers had developed a deep reverence for the divine name. When they came to YHWH in the text, they would say “Adonai” (my Lord) instead of pronouncing the name aloud. This practice was rooted in a desire to honour God’s name.
When the Hebrew text was later supplied with vowel points by scribes called the Masoretes, they put the vowels of Adonai under the consonants of YHWH. Readers who did not know the convention combined the two, producing the hybrid form “Jehovah.” That form entered English Bibles through the King James Version and is still found in a few places, such as Psalm 83:18. Most modern translations follow the older Jewish custom and print “LORD” in small capitals wherever the Hebrew has YHWH. This site follows the historic Protestant practice of respecting that convention while also discussing the name itself.
What does the name Yahweh actually mean?
The meaning of Yahweh is tied to the verb “to be.” Several nuances are possible. It can suggest “He is,” “He causes to be,” or “He will be.” The dictionary definition drawn from Exodus 3:14 is “the unchanging, eternal, self-existent God,” the “I am that I am,” a covenant-keeping God. The name therefore speaks of God’s eternity, His independence, and His faithfulness.
That connection with faithfulness is important. The name Yahweh is not a cold philosophical statement; it is the name of the God who makes promises and keeps them. When God says through the prophet Malachi, “For I am Jehovah, I change not” (Malachi 3:6, ASV), the name and the character are one. The God who is always the same is the God who can be trusted.
From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same Jehovah’s name is to be praised. — Psalm 113:3 (ASV)
How is the name Yahweh related to Jehovah?
“Jehovah” is an English form that arose from reading the consonants of YHWH with the vowels of Adonai. It has been used in Christian worship and Bible translation for centuries. “Yahweh” is another form of the same name. Both refer to the same God.
This site is an independent lexicon of the divine name. It is not affiliated with Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Watch Tower Society, and it does not endorse their distinctive teachings. It does aim to describe differences factually and respectfully. Jehovah’s Witnesses emphasise the use of the name Jehovah and have their own translation and doctrinal positions. Historic Nicene Christianity — Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant alike — confesses the same God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and reads the name YHWH as the personal name of that one God. The site you are reading follows the historic Protestant reading of Scripture on secondary matters, while aiming to be fair to other traditions.
What other names of God appear alongside Yahweh?
Scripture uses many titles and compound names for God, each highlighting an aspect of who He is. Some of the best known include:
- Elohim — a plural form used for God, emphasising majesty and power.
- El Shaddai — often translated “God Almighty.”
- Adonai — “Lord” or “Master,” the word Jewish readers substituted for YHWH.
- Yahweh Sabaoth — “the LORD of hosts,” referring to God as commander of the armies of heaven and earth.
- Jehovah-jireh — “the LORD will provide,” the name Abraham gave to the place where God provided a ram in place of Isaac (Genesis 22:14).
Each of these names is a window onto God’s character. They are not separate gods but one God, revealing Himself in many ways.
How should we respond to the name of Yahweh?
The name of God is not a puzzle to solve but a person to know. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9, KJV). To hallow God’s name is to treat it as holy — with reverence, not superstition, and with love, not fear of a pronunciation mistake.
If you want to go further, read Exodus 3 slowly, and then read Psalm 113, which begins and ends with the call to praise the name of Jehovah. Pray through those verses, asking God to make His character — eternal, faithful, merciful — real to you. And do not walk this path alone. A local church, where Scripture is read and taught, is the ordinary place where God’s people learn to know Him and to speak of His name rightly.
If you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, please reach out for help now. In the United States and Canada, call or text 988. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, call Samaritans on 116 123. In Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Anywhere else, visit findahelpline.com or call your local emergency number. You are not alone, and help is available.
Questions readers ask
Is Yahweh the same as Jehovah?
Yes. Both refer to the God of Israel, whose name is represented by the four Hebrew letters YHWH. “Jehovah” is a later English hybrid formed by combining the consonants of YHWH with the vowels of Adonai, while “Yahweh” is another form of the same name. The difference is a matter of language and tradition, not of a different God.
What does the name Yahweh mean in Hebrew?
The name comes from the same root as the Hebrew verb “to be,” and is connected to God’s self-revelation in Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM.” It carries the sense of self-existence, eternity, and unchanging faithfulness. God is the One who simply is, and who remains the same forever.
Why do most Bibles print “LORD” instead of Yahweh?
Out of reverence, Jewish readers stopped pronouncing the divine name and said “Adonai” (Lord) instead. When the Hebrew text was later supplied with vowels, the vowels of Adonai were placed under the consonants of YHWH, which eventually led to the form “Jehovah.” Most modern English Bibles follow the older custom and print “LORD” in small capitals wherever the Hebrew has YHWH.
Can Christians use the name Yahweh today?
Yes. The name is given in Scripture, and there is no command forbidding its reverent use. Many Christians sing and pray using the name Yahweh, while others prefer the traditional reading “the LORD.” What matters is that God’s name is treated as holy, with love and reverence, as Jesus taught in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9).
Lexicon answers from the Bible and public-domain reference works. It is a study aid and is not affiliated with any organisation.