Who Is Jehovah?

Jehovah’s Witnesses say Jehovah is the true God of the Bible and the Creator of all things, and that Jesus worshipped him. Their page says a number of scholars suggest that the name means “He Causes to Become,” and that the ancient pronunciation is not known. The King James prints that name as LORD, and as JEHOVAH in two verses. How those spellings work is What Is God’s Name?. Where their New Testament prints Jehovah and the Greek reads Lord, the count and the notes are Does Jehovah Belong in the New Testament?. Mark and John apply the LORD’s words to Jesus.

Key Points

• Their page Who Is Jehovah? says Jehovah is the true God of the Bible, the Creator of all things, and that Abraham, Moses, and Jesus worshipped him. They cite John 20:17CloseJesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.John 20:17 · King James VersionOpen source.
• The same page says the name comes from a Hebrew verb that means “to become,” and that a number of scholars suggest it means “He Causes to Become.” It says the exact ancient pronunciation is not known.
• The same page says most translations arbitrarily remove the name. The King James prints LORD. That choice is What Is God’s Name?, not a second essay here.
• The New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible) of Mark 1:3CloseA voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of Jehovah! Make his roads straight.’Mark 1:3 · New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible)Open source says “Prepare the way of Jehovah.” Mark 1:3CloseThe voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.Mark 1:3 · King James VersionOpen source in the King James says “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” Their study note says Mark applies Isaiah’s prophecy to John preparing the way for Jesus.
• The New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible) of John 12:38CloseJehovah, who has put faith in the thing heard from us? And as for the arm of Jehovah, to whom has it been revealed?John 12:38 · New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible)Open source prints Jehovah twice. The study note says the Hebrew of Isaiah 53:1 uses the divine name only once, and that the translators may have inserted the name in the first occurrence.
• John 12:41CloseThese things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.John 12:41 · King James VersionOpen source says Isaiah saw his glory and spoke of him. Their study note says it is reasonable to conclude that this is Jesus’ prehuman glory alongside Jehovah.

What Jehovah’s Witnesses Say

Their Bible questions page says: (1)

Jehovah is the true God of the Bible, the Creator of all things.

The next sentences say the prophets Abraham and Moses worshipped him, as did Jesus, and they cite John 20:17CloseJesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.John 20:17 · King James VersionOpen source. In the King James, Jesus tells Mary Magdalene not to touch him, because he has not yet ascended to his Father, and to say to the disciples that he ascends to his Father and their Father, to his God and their God. Jehovah’s Witnesses read that as Jesus worshipping Jehovah, the Father, as a person other than himself. Christians grant the sentence. The Son prays to the Father and calls the Father his God. If Jesus Is God, Why Did He Pray? The Father is not the Son. The Christian confession is still one God, and the Son is God. The Trinity What Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe? John 1 and the Word

How They Explain the Name

The same page says the name comes from a Hebrew verb that means “to become,” and that a number of scholars suggest that the name means “He Causes to Become.” “A number of scholars suggest” is their hedge. They do not say the Bible prints that English definition. They say the definition fits Jehovah’s role as Creator and as the one who fulfils his purpose.

They say the name is an English translation of four Hebrew consonants, called the Tetragrammaton, and that the exact pronunciation in ancient Hebrew is not known. They say the form Jehovah has a long history in English, first appearing as Iehouah in William Tyndale’s translation of 1530. They say some feel the name was pronounced Yahweh, that early writers suggest other forms, and that none of these can be proved to be the ancient pronunciation. The vowel history and the two King James verses that spell JEHOVAH are What Is God’s Name?. This page does not repeat that essay.

Under “Misconceptions,” they say translations that use Jehovah have not added the name, and that most translations arbitrarily remove it and replace it with a title such as Lord. The King James uses LORD for the name in the Hebrew Scriptures. Their charge of arbitrary removal is the claim. The printed LORD is the fact on the page a reader opens. Exodus 3:15CloseAnd 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 3:15 · King James VersionOpen source says this is God’s name for ever, and his memorial to all generations. The verse is about that memorial. It does not settle the English spelling.

They also say God directs worshippers to use the name, and they cite Romans 10:13CloseFor whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.Romans 10:13 · King James VersionOpen source. Where their New Testament puts Jehovah into verses whose Greek reads Lord, including the count of those places, the page is Does Jehovah Belong in the New Testament?.

Mark Applies the LORD’s Words to the Way Prepared for Jesus

Isaiah 40:3CloseThe voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.Isaiah 40:3 · King James VersionOpen source in the King James says to prepare the way of the LORD and to make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Mark 1:3CloseThe voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.Mark 1:3 · King James VersionOpen source in the King James, quoting that line for John the Baptist, says:

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Mark 1:3 · King James Version

The New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible) of Mark 1:3CloseA voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of Jehovah! Make his roads straight.’Mark 1:3 · New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible)Open source says “Prepare the way of Jehovah.” The New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible) of Isaiah 40:3CloseA voice of one calling out in the wilderness: “Clear up the way of Jehovah! Make a straight highway through the desert for our God.”Isaiah 40:3 · New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible)Open source says “Clear up the way of Jehovah,” with a footnote “Prepare.” Their study note on Mark says the divine name occurs in the original Hebrew of Isaiah 40:3, and then: “Mark applies this prophecy to what ‘John the Baptizer’ did in preparing the way for Jesus.”

The wording difference is Lord in the King James of Mark, and Jehovah in their Bible. Their own note says Mark applies the prophecy to the preparation for Jesus. Christians read that application as the Gospel identifying the coming of Jesus with the way of the LORD. Jehovah’s Witnesses keep the name for the Father and still print it in this sentence about the way John prepared for Jesus. Is Jesus the Creator or a Creature? is a different text, Colossians 1:16 and Hebrews 1:10, and it is not repeated here.

John Says Isaiah Saw His Glory

John 12:38CloseThat the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?John 12:38 · King James VersionOpen source in the King James quotes Isaiah: “Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Isaiah 53:1CloseWho hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?Isaiah 53:1 · King James VersionOpen source in the King James has the name once: “to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?” The first clause of that Hebrew verse, in the King James, has no LORD.

The New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible) of John 12:38CloseJehovah, who has put faith in the thing heard from us? And as for the arm of Jehovah, to whom has it been revealed?John 12:38 · New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible)Open source says: “Jehovah, who has put faith in the thing heard from us? And as for the arm of Jehovah, to whom has it been revealed?” The study note says the original Hebrew of Isaiah 53:1 uses the divine name only once, in the expression “the arm of Jehovah.” It then says: “The translators may have inserted the divine name in this first occurrence in order to clarify to the reader that the prophet addresses his questions to God.” “May have inserted” is their wording. The King James of John has Lord in both places. Their Bible has Jehovah in both, and the note grants that the Hebrew name is in one of them.

John 12:41CloseThese things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.John 12:41 · King James VersionOpen source follows that quotation and a further quotation from Isaiah: “These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.” The New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible)CloseIsaiah said these things because he saw his glory, and he spoke about him.John 12:41 · New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible)Open source says Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke about him. The study note says that when Isaiah saw the LORD on the throne he asked, “Who will go for us?” and that the plural “us” indicates at least one other person with God. Then: “So it is reasonable to conclude that when John wrote that Isaiah ‘saw his glory,’ this refers to Jesus’ prehuman glory alongside Jehovah.”

“Reasonable to conclude” and “alongside Jehovah” are the hedge. John 12:41CloseThese things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.John 12:41 · King James VersionOpen source says Isaiah saw his glory and spoke of him, after quoting Isaiah in a chapter about people who did not believe in Jesus. Isaiah 6:1CloseIn the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.Isaiah 6:1 · King James VersionOpen source says Isaiah saw the LORD sitting upon a throne. Christians read John as identifying that glory with Jesus. Their note keeps Jehovah on the throne and places Jesus beside him before he became a man. What Is the Deity of Christ? John 20:28CloseAnd Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.John 20:28 · King James VersionOpen source is Thomas: my Lord and my God.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Jesus and Jehovah the Same God?

Christians confess one God. The Father is not the Son. The Son is the one Mark and John attach to the LORD’s words, and Thomas calls him Lord and God. Jehovah’s Witnesses say Jehovah is the Father alone, and that Jesus worshipped him. The Trinity Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Christians?

Is Jehovah the Father of Jesus?

Their page says Jesus worshipped Jehovah and cites John 20:17CloseJesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.John 20:17 · King James VersionOpen source, where Jesus says “my God.” Christians say the Father is God and the Son is God. The prayer does not make the Son a creature. If Jesus Is God, Why Did He Pray?

Why Do They Say the Name Means “He Causes to Become”?

That is what their page attributes to a number of scholars, from a Hebrew verb meaning “to become.” They also say no suggested pronunciation can be proved. Exodus 3:15CloseAnd 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 3:15 · King James VersionOpen source calls the name a memorial for all generations. The spelling in English is What Is God’s Name?.

Did Jesus Say the Word Jehovah?

Their New Testament often prints Jehovah where the Greek manuscripts read Lord. The notes and the count are Does Jehovah Belong in the New Testament?. In Mark 1:3 their own study note says the name is in the Hebrew of Isaiah, and that Mark applies the line to John preparing the way for Jesus.

Who Is Jehovah in the Bible?

In the King James, the name is printed LORD through the Old Testament, and JEHOVAH in Exodus 6:3 and Psalm 83:18. Those two verses, and the choice of LORD, are What Is God’s Name?. The New Testament pages above are where that name’s words are applied to Jesus.