The Hebrew Name for YHWH — Why I Say Yehovah
This is a deep and sacred topic. One article can’t do it justice—but I want to offer a strong starting place.
What follows is a collection of teachings, insights, and resources that have helped me come to my current understanding of the divine name: YHWH, pronounced Yehovah, and the Hebrew name of Jesus as Yeshua or Yehoshua.
This journey isn’t just academic. It’s devotional.
And I encourage you to study for yourself.
The Name Hidden in Plain Sight
God’s true name, YHWH, has been concealed in most English Bibles behind the substitution LORD. This replacement has shaped generations of theology—but not always rightly.
“For centuries, God’s name was hidden from humanity…”
New documents and visual confirmations began surfacing in the early 2000s—Hebrew manuscripts showing the tetragrammaton with both consonants and vowels. These weren’t speculative. They followed a clear rule: Four consonants (YHWH) must have three vowels, not two.
One teaching summarizes it this way:
“The root of יהוה is the verb היה (hayah/ehyeh), which means ‘to be.’ The past, present and future forms—hayah, hoveh, and yiheyeh—combine in Yehovah: He was. He is. He will be.” — Seeking Truth [ Link]
This isn’t just about sound.
It’s about essence. Eternity. Identity.
How I Came to Believe It’s Yehovah
This was not a casual decision. I sought out voices that:
– Could read, speak, and write Biblical Hebrew
– Were scholars, linguists, or researchers with transparent work
– Were respected within their own academic and spiritual communities
Then I tested their claims. I looked up the Strong’s Concordance for H3068 (LORD). It says: Yehovah.
Why trust it for everything else—but not this?
What Convinced Me
- Strong’s Concordance (H3068): Translates LORD as Yehovah
2. Grammar standards: YHWH must have three vowels
3. Pronunciation patterns: “Yeho” begins many names (e.g., Yehoshua), while “Yah” ends praise (e.g., Hallelu-Yah)
4. Eternal nature: Hayah, Hoveh, Yiheyeh — He was, He is, He will be
5. Scholars shifting from Yahweh to Yehovah as early manuscript evidence increased in the 2000s
Important Resources & Studies
📖 Book
Shattering the Conspiracy of Silence
Explains how the rabbis suppressed the Name of God, with deep linguistic insights
[Link]
📄 Articles
– My Name Forever by Michael McHugh — A long but excellent read on how “Yahweh” entered common use and why it’s misleading
[Link]
– Seeking Truth — On vowel markings and manuscript evidence (includes visual examples)
[Link]
🎧 / 🎥 Videos
– Video for Yahweh — Well-presented argument against Yehovah; worth understanding the counterpoints
[Link]
– Hebrew Voices #106 – Why It’s Yehovah, but HalleluYAh
[Link]
– Nehemia Gordon: Short teaching video showing the “He was, He is, He will be” pattern within the name
[Link]
– Hebrew Luke and John Found in the Vatican Junk Box — Includes visuals of early Hebrew New Testament manuscripts with the name Yeshua
[Link]
– Nehemia’s Wall – Origins of Yahweh
[Link]
What About Jesus’ Name?
The name “Jesus” comes from the Hebrew יהושע (Yehoshua)—Latinized as Joshua—meaning Yehovah saves.
This name first appears in Exodus 17:9 with Yehoshua ben Nun.
Some later Hebrew texts shorten it to Yeshua.
Either form connects directly to the meaning: Yehovah’s salvation.
“Where did the name ‘Jesus’ come from?” by Jeff Benner
For Further Study
If you want to dive deeper into the name Yehovah, Nehemia Gordon is an excellent guide. He has a wealth of material on this subject. (No affiliate link, just my sincere recommendation.)
A Final Word
This isn’t about debate. It’s about reverence.
It’s about honoring the holiness of the Name.
If you’ve never seen the vowel markings…
If you’ve never studied the manuscripts…
If you’ve never asked why “LORD” replaced the Name…
Then maybe this is your invitation.
To study.
To listen.
To speak His Name with truth.