The Divine Name—Its Use and Its Meaning
IN YOUR copy of the Bible, how is Psalm 83:18
translated? The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures renders
this verse: “That people may know that you, whose name is Jehovah, you alone
are the Most High over all the earth.” A number of other Bible translations
give similar renderings. However, many translations leave out the name Jehovah,
replacing it with such titles as “Lord” or “Eternal.” What belongs in this
verse? A title or the name Jehovah?
God’s name in Hebrew letters
This verse speaks about a name. In the
original Hebrew in which much of the Bible was written, a unique personal name
appears here. It is spelled יהוה (YHWH) in Hebrew letters. In English, the
common rendering of that name is “Jehovah.” Does that name occur in only one
Bible verse? No. It appears in the original text of the Hebrew Scriptures
nearly 7,000 times!
How important is God’s name? Consider the
model prayer that Jesus Christ gave. It begins this way: “Our Father in the
heavens, let your name be sanctified.” (Matthew 6:9)
Later, Jesus prayed to God: “Father, glorify your name.” In response, God spoke
from heaven, saying: “I both glorified it and will glorify it again.” (John 12:28)
Clearly, God’s name is of the utmost importance. Why, then, have some
translators left this name out of their translations of the Bible and replaced
it with titles?
There seem to be two main reasons. First, many
claim that the name should not be used because the original way to pronounce it
is unknown today. Ancient Hebrew was written without vowels. Therefore, no one
today can say for sure exactly how people of Bible times pronounced YHWH.
However, should this prevent us from using God’s name? In Bible times, the name
Jesus may have been pronounced Yeshua or possibly Yehoshua—no one can say for
certain. Yet, people the world over today use different forms of the name
Jesus, pronouncing it in the way that is common in their language. They do not
hesitate to use the name just because they do not know its first-century
pronunciation. Similarly, if you were to travel to a foreign land, you might
well find that your own name sounds quite different in another tongue. Hence,
uncertainty about the ancient pronunciation of God’s name is no reason for not
using it.
A second reason often given for omitting God’s
name from the Bible involves a long-standing tradition of the Jews. Many of
them hold that God’s name should never be pronounced. This belief is evidently
based on a misapplication of a Bible law that states: “You must not take up the
name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way, for Jehovah will not leave the one
unpunished who takes up his name in a worthless way.”—Exodus 20:7.
This law forbids the misuse of God’s name. But
does it forbid the respectful use of his name? Not at all. The writers of the
Hebrew Bible (the “Old Testament”) were all faithful men who lived by the Law
that God gave to the ancient Israelites. Yet, they made frequent use of God’s
name. For instance, they included it in many psalms that were sung out loud by
crowds of worshipers. Jehovah God even instructed his worshipers to call upon
his name, and faithful ones obeyed. (Joel 2:32;
Acts 2:21)
Hence, Christians today do not hesitate to use God’s name respectfully, as
Jesus surely did.—John 17:26.
In replacing God’s name with titles, Bible
translators make a serious mistake. They make God seem remote and impersonal,
whereas the Bible urges humans to cultivate “intimacy with Jehovah.” (Psalm 25:14)
Think of an intimate friend of yours. How close would you really be if you
never learned your friend’s name? Similarly, when people are kept in ignorance
about God’s name, Jehovah, how can they become truly close to God? Furthermore,
when people do not use God’s name, they also lack knowledge of its wonderful
meaning. What does the divine name mean?
God himself explained the meaning of his name
to his faithful servant Moses. When Moses asked about God’s name, Jehovah
replied: “I shall prove to be what I shall prove to be.” (Exodus 3:14)
Rotherham’s translation renders those words: “I Will Become whatsoever I
please.” So Jehovah can become whatever is needed in order to fulfill his
purposes.
Suppose that you could become whatever you
wanted to become. What would you do for your friends? If one of them became
seriously ill, you could become a skilled doctor and perform a cure. If another
suffered a financial loss, you could become a wealthy benefactor and come to
his rescue. The truth is, though, that you are limited in what you can become.
All of us are. As you study the Bible, you will be amazed to see how Jehovah
becomes whatever is needed in order to fulfill his promises. And it
pleases him to use his power in behalf of those who love him. (2 Chronicles 16:9) These beautiful facets of
Jehovah’s personality are lost to those who do not know his name.
Clearly, the name Jehovah belongs in the
Bible. Knowing its meaning and using it freely in our worship are powerful aids
in drawing closer to our heavenly Father, Jehovah.*
* For
more information on God’s name, its meaning, and reasons why it should be used
in worship, see the brochure The
Divine Name That Will Endure Forever, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses
at www.jw.org
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