H3068 - Yᵊhōvâ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv) (original) (raw)

יהוה about 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה proper name, of deity Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel —

1. MT יְהוָֺה about 518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהוִֺה 305 (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. Greek Version of the LXX and other Vrss follow the Qr. On the basis of Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 24:11 was regarded as a nomen ineffabile (see Philode 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 Psalm 74:6; תַּהֲרוּ [H3069 Isaiah 33:11]), see LagSym i.14 BaudissinStudien i.179 ff.; DrStud. Bib. i. 1 ff. For Jeve see StaZAW 1881, 346 Deib.1882, 173 f. & Gn. Excurs. ii.

2. on literature of interpretations see NesEg.67 Drl.c. — Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of היה (=היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver (compare חַוָּה Genesis 3:20) Schr HSch; giver of existence, creator, Kue Tiele; he who brings to pass (so already Le Clerc),performer of his promises, Lag, NesEg.88 (but NesEg.91 inclines to Qal as RSBrit. & For. Ev. Rev see below); or from היה he who causes to fall, rain or lightning RSOTJC.ed.1, 423; om.ed.2, 245, compare WeSkizzen iii.175; 'Fäller,' destroying foes, StaG.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 RSBrit. & For. Ev. Rev. 1876, he will be it, i.e all that his servants look for (compare Ewinfr.), he will approve himself (give evidence of being, assert his being Drl.c.17)). **Theories of non-Hebrew or non-Semitic origin, opposed (in their older forms) by BauRel. i. 181 ff. (see especially 230); DlPa 162 ff. claimed Babylonian origin for יהו, against this Kuenational Religions, etc., Note iv (Eng. Trans. 329 ff.) JastrJBL xiil {1894}, 103 f. compare HptBAS i. 170 N; DlBabel u. Bibel, 46 f., 73 f. makes same claim for יהוה, against this see especially HirschZAW xxiil {1903}, 355 ff. ZimKATS. 465 ff.; SpiegelbZMG:liii {1899}, 633 ff. proposes (improbable) Egyptian etymology for יהוה; further discussions see in KöEB NAMES, § 112 and n.3. 'Jehovah' found in Jacob (? Johannes) Wessel († 1480), according to SchwThLZ, 1905, col. 612.

I. יהוה is not used by E in Genesis, but is given Exodus 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 (Exodus 3:12), which is then implied in אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה I shall be the one who will be it Exodus 3:14a (i.e: with thee Exodus 3:12) and then compressed into אֶהְיֶה Exodus 3:14b (i.e. with thee Exodus 3:12), which then is given in the nominal form יהוה He who will be it Exodus 3:15 (i.e. with thee Exodus 3:12). compare EwBTh ii. 337, 338 RSl.c., Proph. 385 ff. Other interpretations are: I am he who I am, i.e. it is no concern of yours (Le Clerc LagPsalt.Hieron.156); I am (this is my name), inasmuch as I am (אֲשֶׁר = כִּי; AE JDMich WeJDTh 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 Exodus 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, Genesis 21:33 by אל עולם, the evergreen tamarisk being a symbol of the ever-living God; compare De Genesis 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 times 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 times); Ecclesiastes not at all. In the Elohistic group of Psalm 42-83 it is used + 39 times (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 Genesis 2:4b DlPa 158 ff. DrStud. Bib. i. 7 ff. II.

1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D;

2. the phrase †אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy: —

b. after ידע כי

d. emphatic Exodus 6:8; Exodus 12:12; Leviticus 26:2, Leviticus 26:45; Numbers 3:13, Numbers 3:41, Numbers 3:45 (all P); Leviticus 18:5, Leviticus 18:6, Leviticus 18:21; Leviticus 19:12, Leviticus 19:14, Leviticus 19:16, Leviticus 19:18, Leviticus 19:28, Leviticus 19:30, Leviticus 19:32, Leviticus 19:37; Leviticus 21:12; Leviticus 22:2, Leviticus 22:3, Leviticus 22:8, Leviticus 22:30, Leviticus 22:31, Leviticus 22:33 (all H) Isaiah 43:15; with אלהיהם Exodus 29:46; with אלהיךָ Isaiah 48:17; with אלהיכם Leviticus 23:43; Leviticus 25:38, Leviticus 25:55; Numbers 10:10; Numbers 15:41 (twice in verse) (P) Leviticus 18:2, Leviticus 18:4, Leviticus 18:30; Leviticus 19:2, Leviticus 19:3, Leviticus 19:4, Leviticus 19:10, Leviticus 19:25, Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 19:34, Leviticus 19:36; Leviticus 20:24; Leviticus 23:22; Leviticus 26:13 (all H) Ezekiel 20:7, Ezekiel 20:19; Joel 2:27; with מְקַדֵּשׁ Leviticus 20:8; Leviticus 22:9, Leviticus 22:32 (H), with דברתי Numbers 14:35 (P) Ezekiel 5:15 + (11 times Ezekiel); with clauses [H3069 Isaiah 27:3]; Isaiah 41:4, Isaiah 41:17; Isaiah 42:6, Isaiah 42:8; Isaiah 45:5, Isaiah 45:6, Isaiah 45:7, Isaiah 45:8, [H3069 Isaiah 45:18], Isaiah 45:19, Isaiah 45:21; Isaiah 60:22; Jeremiah 17:10; Jeremiah 32:27; [H3069 Ezekiel 14:4], Ezekiel 14:7, Ezekiel 14:9; Ezekiel 34:24; אָנֹכִי יהוה is used in the Ten Words Exodus 20:2, Exodus 20:5 = Deuteronomy 5:6, Deuteronomy 5:9 cited Psalm 81:11 [Psalm 81:10]; Hosea 12:10 [Hosea 12:9]; Hosea 13:4; elsewhere only Exodus 4:11 (J) Isaiah 43:11; Isaiah 44:24; Isaiah 51:15.

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

Note. — BonkZAW 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.

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