יהוה
YHWH/je.hoˈva/
The English phrase "jehovah" refers to the Hebrew name יהוה (YHWH).
יהוה is the transliteration of the Masoretic vocalization of the Tetragrammaton.
Meaning: transliteration of the Masoretic vocalization of the Tetragrammaton (name)
How do you pronounce it?
The three-syllable pronunciation is /je.hoˈva/, with the stress on the third syllable.
Did you know?
- The vocalization used to create 'Jehovah' was actually a hybrid, combining the consonants of יהוה with the vowels from the word אֲדֹנָי.
- Because the true pronunciation was lost, many Hebrew readers traditionally avoided saying the name aloud, substituting it with 'Adonai' to show respect.
- One theory suggests the name is a form of the verb 'to be'. In this view, the name identifies the deity as 'the one who exists' or 'the one who is'.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a religious text in a library.
- איתי Itayרוטם, ראית את השם יהוה בטקסט הזה?Rotem, ra'it et hashem Yehovah batekst haze?Rotem, did you see the name Yehovah in this text?
- רוטם Rotemכן, איתי, הוא מופיע בפסקה הראשונה.Ken, Itay, hu mofia bapesika harishona.Yes, Itay, it appears in the first paragraph.
- איתי Itayזה השם יהוה במבנה המקורי שלו.Ze hashem Yehovah bimvne hamekori shelo.That is the name Yehovah in its original structure.
- רוטם Rotemזה באמת מעניין מאוד.Ze be'emet me'anyen me'od.That is really very interesting.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry יהוה, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries יהוה, CC BY-SA 4.0.
