📖 Biblical Definition
Yahweh (יהוה, sometimes rendered Jehovah or YHWH) is the covenant, personal, self-existent name of the God of Israel — revealed at the burning bush to Moses as "I AM THAT I AM" (Exodus 3:14): "Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you... this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations" (3:14-15). The name is bound permanently to the redemption of His people from Egypt: "I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage" (20:2). It appears nearly 7,000 times in the Old Testament. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it aloud, substituting Adonai; the KJV renders it LORD in small capitals. The Name is the LORD.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
JEHO'VAH, n.
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The Hebrew incommunicable name of the Supreme Being. By the latter Jews, this name was held so sacred that they never pronounced it, but always read Adonai instead of Jehovah. The true pronunciation is supposed to be Yahweh.
📖 Key Scripture
Exodus 3:14 — "I AM THAT I AM."
Exodus 6:3 — "By my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them."
Isaiah 42:8 — "I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another."
John 8:58 — "Before Abraham was, I am."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern translations sometimes hide the name; the Bible itself uses it 7,000 times.
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The personal name of God appears about 6,800 times in the Old Testament. Most English translations render it the LORD (small caps) following Jewish reverence, which is honorable; some modern translations have started restoring Yahweh; the older traditional Jehovah is a Latinized hybrid. Whatever rendering, the name itself is staggering: God has a personal name, and He gave it to Israel as a covenant possession.
The deepest moment in the Gospels is John 8:58, when Christ uses the same name of Himself: before Abraham was, I am. The crowd picked up stones, because they understood. He claimed Yahweh's name and Yahweh's eternity in one sentence. Either He was mad, or He was Yahweh in flesh. The early church chose the second answer; she has not budged since.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew YHWH (H3068); hayah (H1961), to be.
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H3068 — YHWH — Yahweh; the personal covenant name of God
H1961 — hayah — to be, exist, become
G1473 — ego — I (the “I” of John 8:58)
Usage
"God has a personal name and gave it to a covenant people — that is staggering."
"In John 8:58 Christ took that name on His own lips and claimed it; the stones flew because the crowd understood."
"6,800 instances in the Old Testament; modern lectionaries often skip Him by name."