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What Is the Tetragrammaton?
The Tetragrammaton is YHWH, the four Hebrew letters of God’s personal name. How the King James Version prints it as LORD and JEHOVAH, its Strong’s number, its link to I AM in Exodus 3, and how the New Testament renders it.
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The Tetragrammaton, Greek for “four letters,” is YHWH (יהוה), the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible. Strong’s numbers it H3068 and defines it “Jehovah, Jewish national name of God.” (1) The King James Version prints it LORD in small capitals almost everywhere, and JEHOVAH in Exodus 6:3Exodus 6:3 · King James VersionAnd I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
Exodus 6:3 · King James VersionOpen source, Psalm 83:18Psalms 83:18 · King James VersionThat men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
Psalms 83:18 · King James VersionOpen source, Isaiah 12:2Isaiah 12:2 · King James VersionBehold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2 · King James VersionOpen source, and Isaiah 26:4Isaiah 26:4 · King James VersionTrust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
Isaiah 26:4 · King James VersionOpen source.
Key Points
- The four letters are yod, he, waw, he. The name is Strong’s , the most frequent name of God in the Hebrew Bible.
- In Exodus 3:14–15Exodus 3:14 · King James Version
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 · King James VersionOpen source God answers Moses, “I AM THAT I AM,” and then, “The LORD God of your fathers… this is my name for ever.” The name and the verb “to be” stand side by side. - When the name follows Adonai, the King James prints “Lord GOD,” and Strong’s numbers that spelling . See What Does Adonai Mean?
- The short form is , printed JAH in Psalm 68:4Psalms 68:4 · King James Version
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
Psalms 68:4 · King James VersionOpen source and heard in hallelujah. - The New Testament quotes verses with the name using the Greek kurios, Lord. Philippians 2:10–11Philippians 2:10 · King James Version
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Philippians 2:10 · King James VersionOpen source applies Isaiah 45:23Isaiah 45:23 · King James VersionI have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Isaiah 45:23 · King James VersionOpen source, where every knee bows to the LORD, to Jesus. - The New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible) prints “Jehovah” in the Old Testament and also in New Testament verses where the Greek has kurios. That practice is examined in Does Jehovah Belong in the New Testament?
The Name in the Hebrew Bible
| Hebrew | |
|---|---|
| Strong’s Number | H3068 |
| Strong’s Definition | yehovah: Jehovah, Jewish national name of God |
| Meaning | The personal name of God, the four letters יהוה, connected in Exodus 3:14–15 with “I AM THAT I AM.” |
| King James Version | LORD in small capitals, and JEHOVAH in four verses |
| Verses in the Hebrew Text | yehovah (H3068): 5,520 |
| First Occurrence | yehovah: Genesis 2:4 |
| Reference | King James Version |
|---|---|
| Genesis 2:4 | These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, |
| Exodus 3:14 | 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 3:15 | And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. |
| Exodus 6:3 | And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. |
| Exodus 34:6 | And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, |
| Deuteronomy 6:4 | Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: |
| Psalm 83:18 | That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. |
| Isaiah 42:8 | I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. |
| Isaiah 45:23 | I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. |
| Philippians 2:10 | That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; |
| Philippians 2:11 | And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. |
Every verse is on the YHWH word page.
Where the King James Prints JEHOVAH
| Reference | King James Version |
|---|---|
| Exodus 6:3 | And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. |
| Psalm 83:18 | That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. |
| Isaiah 12:2 | Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. |
| Isaiah 26:4 | Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: |
The King James also prints the name in three place names, Jehovahjireh, Jehovahnissi, and Jehovahshalom, on The Jehovah Compound Names.
Yah, the Short Form
| Hebrew | |
|---|---|
| Strong’s Number | H3050 |
| Strong’s Definition | yah: Jah, the sacred name |
| Meaning | The short form of the divine name, in poetry and in “praise ye the LORD,” hallelu-yah. |
| King James Version | JAH once, and LORD elsewhere; it is the “jah” of Hallelujah |
| Verses in the Hebrew Text | yah (H3050): 46 |
| First Occurrence | yah: Exodus 15:2 |
| Reference | King James Version |
|---|---|
| Exodus 15:2 | The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. |
| Psalm 68:4 | Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him. |
| Psalm 150:6 | Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Isaiah 12:2 | Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. |
| Isaiah 26:4 | Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: |
| Revelation 19:1 | And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: |
| Reference | King James Version |
|---|---|
| Exodus 15:2 | The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. |
| Exodus 17:16 | For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. |
| Psalm 68:4 | Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him. |
| Psalm 68:18 | Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them. |
| Psalm 77:11 | I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. |
| Psalm 89:8 | O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? |
| Psalm 94:7 | Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. |
| Psalm 94:12 | Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; |
| Psalm 102:18 | This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. |
| Psalm 104:35 | Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Psalm 105:45 | That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Psalm 106:1 | Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. |
| Psalm 106:48 | Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Psalm 111:1 | Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. |
| Psalm 112:1 | Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. |
| Psalm 113:1 | Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. |
| Psalm 113:9 | He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Psalm 115:17 | The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. |
| Psalm 115:18 | But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD. |
| Psalm 116:19 | In the courts of the LORD’s house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Psalm 117:2 | For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Psalm 118:5 | I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. |
| Psalm 118:14 | The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. |
| Psalm 118:17 | I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. |
| Psalm 118:18 | The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. |
| Psalm 118:19 | Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: |
| Psalm 122:4 | Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD. |
| Psalm 130:3 | If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? |
| Psalm 135:1 | Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD. |
| Psalm 135:3 | Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant. |
| Psalm 135:4 | For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure. |
| Psalm 135:21 | Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Psalm 146:1 | Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. |
| Psalm 146:10 | The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Psalm 147:1 | Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. |
| Psalm 147:20 | He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Psalm 148:1 | Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. |
| Psalm 148:14 | He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Psalm 149:1 | Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. |
| Psalm 149:9 | To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Psalm 150:1 | Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. |
| Psalm 150:6 | Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. |
| Song of Solomon 8:6 | Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. |
| Isaiah 12:2 | Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. |
| Isaiah 26:4 | Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: |
| Isaiah 38:11 | I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. |
The Name and Jesus
Isaiah 42:8Isaiah 42:8 · King James VersionI am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
Isaiah 42:8 · King James VersionOpen source says, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another.” The New Testament applies several verses about the LORD to Jesus. Joel 2:32Joel 2:32 · King James VersionAnd it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
Joel 2:32 · King James VersionOpen source, “whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered,” is quoted in Romans 10:13Romans 10:13 · King James VersionFor whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:13 · King James VersionOpen source of calling on Jesus as Lord. The table of those passages is on The Names and Titles of Jesus, and the full case is What Is the Deity of Christ?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jehovah God’s Real Name?
Jehovah is an English form of YHWH, and the King James uses it. How the name should be pronounced, and what the Bible calls God, is on What Is God’s Name?
Who Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Say Jehovah Is?
See Who Is Jehovah? and How Does the New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible) Change Verses About Jesus?.
Keep Reading
References
- James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, H3068, H3069, H3050 (1890. Public domain. H3068 is defined “Jehovah, Jewish national name of God.”)
- Book of Exodus, 3:13–15; 6:3Exodus 3:13–15 · King James Version3:13
And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
3:14And 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.
3:15And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Exodus 3:13–15 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version - Book of Psalms, 83:18Psalms 83:18 · King James Version
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
Psalms 83:18 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version - Book of Isaiah, 12:2; 26:4; 42:8; 45:23Isaiah 12:2 · King James Version
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version - Letter to the Philippians, 2:9–11Philippians 2:9–11 · King James Version2:9
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
2:10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
2:11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9–11 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version
See Also
- The Jehovah Compound Names — Jehovah-jireh, Jehovah-nissi, Jehovah-shalom, Jehovah-tsidkenu, Jehovah-shammah, and the other names that join the divine name to a word, with the Hebrew, Strong’s numbers, and every King James verse.
- The Names of God in Hebrew — Elohim, El, Eloah, El Shaddai, El Elyon, El Olam, El Roi, Adonai, YHWH, Yah, the LORD of hosts, and the Jehovah compound names, with the Hebrew, Strong’s numbers, meanings, first occurrences, and King James verses.
- What Does Adonai Mean? — Adonai is the Hebrew title Lord, used of God alone. Every King James verse with Adonai, how Lord GOD is printed, and why Psalm 110:1 has a different word.
- What Does El Elyon Mean? — El Elyon is God Most High, first in Genesis 14:18 where Melchizedek is priest of the most high God. Every King James verse that calls God the most High, with the Hebrew and Strong’s numbers.
- What Does El Shaddai Mean? — El Shaddai is God Almighty, the name God gives Abram in Genesis 17:1. Every King James verse with Shaddai, its Hebrew, its Strong’s number, and where the New Testament uses Almighty.
External Links
- Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament — The standard public-domain Hebrew lexicon (1906).