Lexical Definition

‎יְהֹוָה‎ Yᵉhôvâh (yeh-ho-vaw') LORD ^N:N--T
from ‎הָיָה‎; (the) self-Existent or Eternal

Jehovah, the Lord. Compare ‎יָהּ‎, ‎יְהֹוִה‎.

• § Jehovah = "the existing One"
• Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of אֲדֹנָי

See Greek: δεσπότης · θεός · κύριος

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Also see: הָיָה | אֱלֹהִים | אֲנִי | הַר | צָבָא

‎יהוה‎_{c. 6823} i.e. ‎יַהְוֶה‎ proper name, of deity Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel — (

1. ᵑ0 ‎יְהוָֺה‎^C518 (Qr ‎אֲדֹנָי‎), or ‎יֱהוִֺה‎₃₀₅ (Qr ‎אֱלֹהִים‎), in the combinations ‎אדני יהוה‎ & ‎יהוה אדני‎ (see ‎אֲדֹנֶי‎), and with preposition ‎בַּיהוָֺה‎, ‎לַיהוָֺה‎, ‎מֵיהוָֺה‎ (Qr ‎בַּאדֹנָי‎, ‎לַאדֹנָי‎, ‎מֵאדֹנָי‎), do not give the original form. ᵐ5 and other Vrss follow the Qr. On the basis of Exod 20:7; Lev 24:11 ‎יהוה‎ was regarded as a nomen ineffabile (see Philo^{de Vita Mosis iii. 519, 529}), called by the Jews ‎הַשֵּׁם‎ and by the Samaritans ‎שׁימא‎. The pronunciation Jehovah was unknown until 1520, when it was introduced by Galatinus; but it was contested by Le Mercier, J. Drusius, and L. Capellus, as against grammatical and historical propriety (compare Bö^{§ 88}). The traditional Ἰαβέ of Theodoret and Epiphanius, the ‎יָֿהוּ‎, ‎יְהוֺֿ‎ of compound proper name and the contracted form ‎יָהּ‎ all favour ‎יַהְוֶךְ‎ (compare ‎יַהֲלֹמ֑וּן‎ Ps 74:6 ‎תַּהֲרוּ‎ Isa 33:11), see Lag^{Sym i.14} Baud^{Studien i.179 ff.}; Dr^{Stud.Bib.i.1 ff.} For Jeve see Sta^{ZAW 1881, 346} De^{ib.1882, 173 f. & Gn. Excurs. ii.}

2. on literature of interpretations see Nes^Eg.67 Dr^{l.c. — Many recent scholars explain} ‎יַהְוֶה‎ as Hiph`il of ‎היה‎ (=‎היה‎) the one bringing into being, life-giver (compare ‎חַוָּה‎ Gen 3:20) Schr HSch; giver of existence, creator, Kue Tiele; he who brings to pass (so already Le Clerc),performer of his promises, Lag, Nes^Eg.88 (but Nes^{Eg.91 inclines to Qal as} RS^{Brit. & For. Ev. Rev} see below); or from ‎היה‎ he who causes to fall, rain or lightning RS^{OTJC.ed.1, 423; om.ed.2, 245}, compare We^{Skizzen iii.175}; 'Fäller,' destroying foes, Sta^G.i.429 (dubiously). But most take it as Qal of ‎הוה‎ (= ‎היה‎); the one who is: i.e. the absolute and unchangeable one, Ri; the existing, ever living, as self-consistent and unchangeable, Di; or the one ever coming into manifestation as the God of redemption, De Oehl; compare also RS^{Brit. & For. Ev. Rev. 1876}, he will be it, i.e all that his servants look for (compare Ew^infr), he will approve himself (give evidence of being, assert his being Dr^l.c.17)). **Theories of non-Hebrew or non-Semitic origin, opposed (in their older forms) by Bau^{Rel. i. 181 ff. (see especially 230)}; Dl^{Pa 162 ff.} claimed Babylonian origin for ‎יהו‎, against this Kue^{national Religions, etc., Note iv (Eng. Trans. 329 ff.)} Jastr^{JBL xiil {1894}, 103 f.} compare Hpt^{BAS i. 170 N}; Dl^{Babel u. Bibel, 46 f., 73 f.} makes same claim for ‎יהוה‎, against this see especially Hirsch^{ZAW xxiil {1903}, 355 ff.} Zim^{KATS. 465 ff.}; Spiegelb^{ZMG:liii {1899}, 633 ff.} proposes (improbable) Egyptian etymology for ‎יהוה‎; further discussions see in Kö^{EB NAMES, § 112 and n.3}. 'Jehovah' found in Jacob (? Johannes) Wessel († 1480), according to Schw^{ThLZ, 1905, col. 612}.

I. ‎יהוה‎ is not used by E in Genesis, but is given Exod 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb, and is explained thus : ‎אֶהְיֶה עִמָּ֑ךְ‎ I shall be with thee (Exod 3:12), which is then implied in ‎אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה‎ I shall be the one who will be it vExod 3:14a (i.e: with thee vExod 3:12) and then compressed into ‎אֶהְיֶה‎ vExod 3:14b (i.e. with thee vExod 3:12), which then is given in the nominal form ‎יהוה‎ He who will be it vExod 3:15 (i.e. with thee vExod 3:12). compare Ew^{BTh ii. 337, 338} RS^{l.c., Proph. 385 ff.} Other interpretations are: I am he who I am, i.e. it is no concern of yours (Le Clerc Lag^{Psalt.Hieron.156}); I am (this is my name), inasmuch as I am (‎אֲשֶׁר‎ = ‎כִּי‎; AE JDMich We^JD Th xxi, 540 = compare Hexateuch 72); Di and others I am who I am, he who is essentially unnameable, inexplicable, — E uses ‎יהוה‎ sparingly by the side of ‎אלהים‎ and ‎האלהים‎ in his subsequent narrative. The Ephraimitic writers in Judges Samuel Kings use it in similar proportions. P abstains from the use of ‎יהוה‎ until he gives an account of its revelation to Moses Exod 6:3 but subsequently uses it freely. He gives no explanation of its meaning. He represents that ‎אֵל שַׁדַּי‎ was the God of the patriarchs. J uses ‎יהוה‎ from the beginning of his narrative, possibly explaining it, Gen 21:83 by ‎אל‎ ‎עולם‎, the evergreen tamarisk being a symbol of the ever-living God; compare De Gen 21:33. Elsewhere ‎יהוה‎ is the common divine name in pre-exilic writers, but in post-exilic writers gradually falls into disuse, and is supplanted by ‎אלהים‎ and ‎אדני‎. In Job it is used 31 t. in prose parts, and Job 12:9 (a proverb); not elsewhere in the poem. Chronicles apart from his sources prefers ‎אלהים‎ and ‎האלהים‎. Daniel uses ‎יהוה‎ only in chap. 9 (7 t.); Ecclesiastes not at all. In the Elohistic group of Psalm 42-83 it is used 39 t. (see ‎אלהים‎) . It occurs as the name of Israel's God MI¹⁸. It is doubtful whether it was used by other branches of the Shemitic family, compare COT Gen 2:4b Dl^{Pa 158 ff.} Dr^{Stud. Bib. i. 7 ff}.

II. 1. ‎יהוה‎ is used with ‎אלהים‎ and suffixes, especially in D;
a. with ‎אֱלֹהֶיךָ‎ in the Ten Words Exod 20:2-12 (5 t.) = Deut 5:6-16 in the law of worship of J E, Exod 23:19; Exod 34:24; Exod 34:26 in D 234 t.; Josh 1:9; Josh 1:17; Josh 9:9; Josh 9:24 (D²); elsewhere Gen 27:20; Exod 15:26 (JE), Judg 6:26 Samuel & Kings 20 t.; 1Chr 11:2; 1Chr 22:11; 1Chr 22:12; 2Chr 9:8 (twice in verse); 2Chr 16:7; Isa 7:11; Isa 37:4 (twice in verse); Isa 41:13; Isa 43:3; Isa 51:15; Isa 55:5; Jer 40:2 + (3t.); Hos 12:10*; Hos 13:4; Hos 14:2*; Amos 9:15; Ps 81:11*.
b. with ‎אֱלֹהֵיכֶם‎ in D 46 t.; D² 28 t.; H 15 t.; P 15 t.; elsewhere Exod 23:25 (E); Exod 8:24*; Exod 10:8; Exod 10:16; Exod 10:17 (JE); Judg 6:10; 1Sam 12:12; 1Sam 12:14; 2Kgs 17:39; 2Kgs 23:21; 1Chr 22:18 + (10 t. Chronicles) Ps 76:12*; Jer 13:16 + (5 t.) Ezek 20:5; Ezek 20:7; Ezek 20:19; Ezek 20:20; Joel 2:13 + (6 t.) Zech 6:15.
c. with ‎אֱלֹהֵינוּ‎ in D 23 t.; in D² 5 t.; Exod 8:6* (JE) Exod 3:18; Exod 5:3; Exod 8:22*; Exod 8:23*; Exod 10:25; Exod 10:26 (E) Judg 11:24; 1Sam 7:8; 1Kgs 8:57; 1Kgs 8:59; 1Kgs 8:61; 1Kgs 8:65; 2Kgs 18:22; 2Kgs 19:10 = Isa 36:7; Isa 37:20; 1Chr 13:2 + (15 t. Chronicles) Mic 4:5; Mic 7:17; Isa 26:13; Jer 3:22 + (17 t.) Ps 20:8*; Ps 90:17 (?;Baer ‎אֲדנָֹי‎); Ps 94:23; Ps 99:5; Ps 99:8; Ps 99:9 (twice in verse); Ps 105:7; Ps 106:47; Ps 113:5; Ps 122:9; Ps 123:2; Dan 9:10; Dan 9:13; Dan 9:14.
d. with ‎אֱלֹהֵיהֶם‎ Exod 10:7 (J) Exod 29:46 (twice in verse); Lev 26:44 (P) Judg 3:7; Judg 8:34; 1Sam 12:9; 1Kgs 9:9; 2Kgs 17:7; 2Kgs 17:9; 2Kgs 17:14; 2Kgs 17:16; 2Kgs 17:19; 2Kgs 18:12; 2Chr 31:6; 2Chr 33:17; 2Chr 34:33; Neh 9:3 (twice in verse); Neh 9:4; Jer 3:21; Jer 22:9; Jer 30:9; Jer 43:1 (twice in verse); Jer 50:4; Ezek 28:26; Ezek 34:30; Ezek 39:22; Ezek 39:28; Hos 1:7; Hos 3:5; Hos 7:10; Zeph 2:7; Hag 1:12 (twice in verse); Zech 9:16; Zech 10:6.
e. with ‎אֱלֹהָיו‎ Num 23:21 (E) Exod 32:11 (J) Lev 4:22 (P) Deut 17:19; Deut 18:7; 1Sam 30:6; 1Kgs 5:17*; 1Kgs 11:4; 1Kgs 15:3; 1Kgs 15:4; 1Kgs 2:11; 1Kgs 16:2; 1Kgs 2:1 + 13 t. Chronicles; Mic 5:3*; Jer 7:28; Ps 33:12; Ps 144:15; Ps 146:5; Jonah 2:2*. feminine with ‎אֱלֹהַי‎ Num 22:18 (JE) Deut 4:5; Deut 18:16; Deut 26:14; Josh 14:8; Josh 14:9; 2Sam 24:24; 1Kgs 3:7; 1Kgs 5:18*; 1Kgs 5:19*; 1Kgs 8:28; 1Kgs 17:20; 1Kgs 17:21; 1Chr 21:17; 1Chr 22:7; 2Chr 2:3*; 2Chr 6:19; 2Chr 9:5; Ps 7:2*; Ps 7:4*; Ps 13:4*; Ps 18:29*; Ps 30:3*; Ps 30:13*; Ps 35:24; Ps 40:6*; Ps 104:1; Ps 109:26; Isa 25:1; Jer 31:18; Dan 9:4; Dan 9:20; Jonah 2:7*; Hab 1:12; Zech 11:4; Zech 13:9; Zech 14:5.
g. with ‎אֱלֹהַיִךְ‎ Isa 60:9; Jer 2:17; Jer 2:19; Jer 3:13; Mic 7:10; Zeph 3:17.
h. with ‎אלהים‎, probably always due to later editors, or to a Qr which has crept into the text Gen 2:4b — Gen 3:23 (J, 20 t. either ‎אלהים‎ inserted by R^P as Di De; or ‎יהוה‎ inserted by J in an older source); Exod 9:30 (J, but not in ᵐ5 ⅏; Samaritan ‎אדני יהוה‎; possibly ᵑ0 from earlier Qr, & ⅏ from later Qr); 2Sam 7:22; 2Sam 7:25 (ᵐ5 ‎אדני יהוה‎ and 1Chr 17:20-23 only ‎יהוה‎); 1Chr 17:16; 1Chr 17:17 (but 2Sam 7:18; 2Sam 7:19 ‎אדני יהוה‎) 1Chr 28:20; 1Chr 29:1; 2Chr 1:9; 2Chr 6:41 (twice in verse); 2Chr 6:42; 2Chr 26:18 (but in the original Ps 132:8 stood ‎יהוה‎ (so ℌ), or else no divine name); Ps 72:18 (the late doxology) Ps 84:12* (but it makes the line too long); Jonah 4:6. For the combinations with other divine names see those names.

2. the phrase ‎אֲנִי יהוה‎ is noteworthy: —
a. after ‎אמר‎ either alone Exod 6:2; Exod 6:29 (P) or before relative and other clauses: Gen 28:13 (J) Gen 15:7 (R) Exod 6:6 (P) with ‎אלהיכם‎ Judg 6:10; Ezek 20:5.
b. after ‎ידע כי‎ (α) Exod 7:17; Exod 8:18*; Exod 10:2 (J); Exod 7:5; Exod 14:4; Exod 14:18 (P); 1Kgs 20:13; 1Kgs 20:28; Jer 24:7; Ezek 6:7 + 48 t. Ezekiel; (β) with ‎אלהיכם‎ Exod 6:7; Exod 16:12; Deut 29:5* (P) Exod 20:20; Joel 4:17* (γ) with ‎אלהיהם‎ Exod 29:46 (P) Ezek 28:26; Ezek 34:30; Ezek 39:22; Ezek 39:28 (δ) before relative and other clauses Isa 45:3; Isa 49:23; Isa 49:26; Isa 60:16; Ezek 7:9; Ezek 17:24; Ezek 21:10*; Ezek 22:22; Ezek 35:12; Ezek 36:36 (ε) with various forms of ‎קדשׁ‎ Exod 31:13 (P) Ezek 20:12; Ezek 37:28; Ezek 39:7 (ζ) with ‎דברתי‎ Ezek 5:13; Ezek 17:21, compare ‎׳‎‎יֵדְעוּ אשׁר אני י‎ Ezek 20:26.
c. after ‎כִּי‎ in various combinations Lev 11:44; Lev 11:45; Num 35:34 (P), Lev 20:7; Lev 20:26; Lev 21:8; Lev 21:15; Lev 21:23; Lev 22:16; Lev 24:22; Lev 25:17; Lev 26:1; Lev 26:44 (all H); Exod 15:26 (R) Isa 41:13; Isa 43:3; Isa 61:8; Jer 9:23*; Ezek 12:25; Ezek 21:4*; Zech 10:6; Mal 3:6.
d. emphatic Exod 6:8; Exod 12:12; Lev 26:2; Lev 26:45; Num 3:13; Num 3:41; Num 3:45 (all P); Lev 18:5; Lev 18:6; Lev 18:21; Lev 19:12; Lev 19:14; Lev 19:16; Lev 19:18; Lev 19:28; Lev 19:30; Lev 19:32; Lev 19:37; Lev 21:12; Lev 22:2; Lev 22:3; Lev 22:8; Lev 22:30; Lev 22:31; Lev 22:33 (all H) Isa 43:15 with ‎אלהיהם‎ Exod 29:46 with ‎אלהיךָ‎ Isa 48:17 with ‎אלהיכם‎ Lev 23:43; Lev 25:38; Lev 25:55; Num 10:10; Num 15:41 (twice in verse) (P) Lev 18:2; Lev 18:4; Lev 18:30; Lev 19:2; Lev 19:3; Lev 19:4; Lev 19:10; Lev 19:25; Lev 19:31; Lev 19:34; Lev 19:36; Lev 20:24; Lev 23:22; Lev 26:13 (all H) Ezek 20:7; Ezek 20:19; Joel 2:27 with ‎מְקַדֵּשׁ‎ Lev 20:8; Lev 22:9; Lev 22:32 (H), with ‎דברתי‎ Num 14:35 (P) Ezek 5:15 + (11 t. Ezekiel); with clauses Isa 27:3; Isa 41:4; Isa 41:17; Isa 42:6; Isa 42:8; Isa 45:5; Isa 45:6; Isa 45:7; Isa 45:8; Isa 45:18; Isa 45:19; Isa 45:21; Isa 60:22; Jer 17:10; Jer 32:27; Ezek 14:4; Ezek 14:7; Ezek 14:9; Ezek 34:24 ‎אָנֹכִי יהוה‎ is used in the Ten Words Exod 20:2; Exod 20:5 = Deut 5:6; Deut 5:9 cited Ps 81:11*; Hos 12:10*; Hos 13:4 elsewhere only Exod 4:11 (J) Isa 43:11; Isa 44:24; Isa 51:15.

3. ‎יהוה‎ is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh ‎יהוה יראה‎ Gen 22:14 (J); ‎יהוה נסי‎ Exod 17:15 (E) ‎יהוה שׁלים‎ Judg 6:24 ‎יהוה צדקנו‎ Jer 33:16 (compare Jer 23:6 where it is applied to the Messiah); ‎יהוה שָׁ֑מָּה‎ Ezek 48:35. — On combinations such as ‎׳‎‎הַר י‎, ‎צְבָאוֺת‎ ‎׳‎‎י‎ etc., see ‎הַר‎, ‎צָבָא‎, etc.

Note. — Bonk^{ZAW 1891, 126 ff.} seems to shew that as prefix, in compare proper name, ‎יְהוֺ‎ is the oldest and the latest form and that ‎יוֺ‎ is intermediate, belonging to the earlier post-exilic period until the time of Chronicles; occasional copyists' mistakes being taken into the account.

‎׳‎‎יְהוֺ‎ proper name compounded with, see below ‎יהוה‎ above.

‎יהוה‎ proper name, of deity, see below ‎הוה‎.

Also see: יוֹאָב

‎׳‎‎יו‎ = ‎׳‎‎יְהוֺ‎ proper name compounded with, see below ‎יהוה‎ above: — namely ‎יוֺאָב‎, ‎יוֺאָח‎, ‎יוֺאָחָז‎, ‎יוֺאֵל‎, ‎יוֺאָשׁ‎, ‎יוֺיָכִין‎, ‎יוֺיָקִים‎, ‎יוֺיָרִיב‎, ‎יוֺעֵד‎, ‎יוֺעָשׁ‎, ‎יוֺקִים‎, ‎יוֺרָם‎, ‎יוֺתָם‎, etc.

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