Jehovah
TextsWhat is the meaning of Jehovah in the Bible?
Jehovah is a Latinized vocalization of the tetragrammaton YHWH, formed by combining the consonants of the divine name with the vowel points of the Hebrew word Adonai, a practice established by medieval Masoretes to signal that the sacred name should not be spoken aloud.
TEXTUAL SIGNIFICANCE
Recognizing Jehovah as a hybrid reading rather than the original pronunciation helps readers distinguish between the actual divine name used in ancient Hebrew texts and later liturgical substitutes, thereby clarifying the transmission history of the Old Testament and the theological reasons behind the avoidance of speaking the name YHWH.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Jehovah in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Jehovah clarify?
Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.