Lexicon / Hebrew
יהוה
YHWH (Yahweh)
the covenant name of God
H3068proper name
Semantic range
- 1the personal name revealed to Moses at the bush
- 2connected by Exodus 3:14 to the verb hāyāh, to be
- 3printed as LORD in small capitals throughout the KJV
The four consonants — the Tetragrammaton — are the personal name of Israel's God. Out of reverence, Jewish readers say ʾădōnāy (Lord) in its place, and the Masoretes signalled that substitution by writing the vowels of ʾădōnāy under the consonants YHWH. Reading those hybrid marks as if they belonged together produced the form "Jehovah" in medieval and early modern Christian texts. The KJV follows the Jewish convention: wherever you see LORD in small capitals, the Hebrew has this name.
Exodus 3:14 links the name to the verb to be — ʾehyeh ʾăšer ʾehyeh, "I AM THAT I AM" — which is why Jesus's unqualified "before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58) provoked an attempt to stone Him. His hearers understood the claim exactly.
Latter-day Saint doctrine identifies Jehovah of the Old Testament as the premortal Jesus Christ, and the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants both have Him say so plainly (3 Nephi 15:5; D&C 110:3–4). This is one of the clearest points at which Restoration theology reorganises how the Old Testament is read.
In the King James Version
LORD
GOD
JEHOVAH (4×)
Where it appears
- Exodus 3:14–15The name given at the burning bush.
- Exodus 6:3Known to the patriarchs as El Shaddai; now by this name.
- D&C 110:3–4"I am Jehovah" — in the Kirtland Temple, from the Savior Himself.
See also