The Tetragrammaton YHWH is the personal, covenant name of the God of Israel. It is the most sacred and most frequently occurring name for God in the Old Testament, appearing over 6,800 times. Derived from the Hebrew verb hayah ("to be"), the name is understood to mean "I AM WHO I AM" or "He Who Is," expressing God's eternal, self-existent nature.
YHWH is the foundational revelation of God's character in the Old Testament. First fully revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14-15), this name declares that God is not a distant deity but the personally present, covenant-keeping God who acts in history. Jewish tradition considered the name too holy to pronounce, substituting Adonai ("Lord") when reading aloud. English translations render it as "the LORD" in small capitals. The name binds together God's holiness, faithfulness, and redemptive purpose.