Tetragrammaton

The Korean term sinseong samunja means "sacred four letters." In English it is called the "Tetragrammaton," a word derived from Greek.

Occurrences in Scripture

The name is reported to occur more than 6,000 times in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, making it the most frequently used word for God. Its first occurrence is "the LORD God" in Genesis 2:4.

The most important passage concerning the meaning of the name is Exodus 3:12–15. When Moses asks God's name at the burning bush, God answers, "I AM THAT I AM." He then declares that the LORD is "my name for ever." Exodus 6:2–3 states that God appeared to the patriarchs "by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them."

Terminology and Background

Because ancient Hebrew was written with consonants only, the original pronunciation of the name has not been precisely preserved. Many scholars connect the name with a Hebrew verb meaning "to be" or "to become." The original pronunciation is thought to have been "Yahweh," though this is not certain.

Judaism observes the commandment of the Ten Commandments not to take the name of God in vain (Exodus 20:7). For this reason, Jews have traditionally not pronounced the name aloud but have substituted "Adonai," meaning "Lord." The medieval Masoretic Text indicated this reading practice by attaching the vowel points of "Adonai" to the four consonants. According to the common explanation, the form "Jehovah" arose when later Western Christians read these consonants and vowels together. Manuscripts of the Septuagint transmitted in the Christian era generally render the name as kyrios, the Greek word for "Lord."

Significance across Scripture

The Tetragrammaton is the name of the God who made a covenant with Israel and led the Exodus. Declarations such as "I, even I, am the LORD" in Isaiah 43:10–11 reveal this God as the only Savior, distinct from all other gods.

The New Testament, written in Greek, renders this name as "Lord" when quoting the Old Testament. Romans 10:13–14 quotes "whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD" from Joel 2:32 as "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord." In context, this quotation is linked to the confession of Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9). Many interpreters read Philippians 2:9–11, which confesses Jesus as "Lord," and John 8:58, "Before Abraham was, I am," in connection with the revelation of the divine name in Exodus 3.

Interpretation and Points of Debate

Translations differ in how they render the name.

• Korean Revised Version and New Korean Revised Version: render it "Yeohowa" (Jehovah).
• Common Translation: renders it "Yahwe" (Yahweh), following the pronunciation conjectured by scholars.
• Revised New Korean Standard Version: renders it mainly as "Ju" (Lord), following Jewish and New Testament practice.

Some point out that "Jehovah" differs from the original pronunciation, while others hold that it is a name established through long translation tradition.

Jehovah's Witnesses place great importance on using the name of God and accordingly insert "Jehovah" into some New Testament passages in their own Bible translation. Other denominations reject this rendering, noting that the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament read "Lord" at these places.

A story told as a sermon illustration holds that scribes bathed every time they wrote this name. However, the story does not appear in the Bible, and its basis is uncertain.

In the Korean Church

Under the influence of the Korean Revised Version, Korean Protestants are familiar with the name "Yeohowa" (Jehovah). Compound expressions joining this name with other words are also frequently used in sermons and as titles of gospel songs.

• Jehovah-jireh: Genesis 22:14
• Jehovah-nissi: Exodus 17:15
• Jehovah-shalom: Judges 6:24

The "-jah" in "Hallelujah," a word commonly used in worship, is also a shortened form of this name; the word means "Praise Jah (the LORD)."