Is Jehovah really gods name?

by dezpbem 37 Replies latest jw friends

  • forsharry
    forsharry

    I pulled this excerpt off of a site...however I've found other sites that have basically said the same information, that the word Jehovah is a combination of YHWH and adonay which is a hebrew worf for lord...they would take the a-o-a from adonay and mix it with YHWH creating YaHoWaH.

    Early in their relationship, Moses asked God to reveal His name. God readily complied with Moses' request by giving Him not one but TWO names of God...

    Name #1 - The first name that God told Moses about was Hayah . Hayah is a Hebrew word meaning I AM. Part One of this analysis discusses Hayah .

  • God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ' I AM ( hayah ) has sent me to you.'" Ex 3.14
  • Name #2 - The second name that God told Moses about was YHWH. YHWH is a Hebrew word for which we have only the four consonants. We do NOT have the vowels. Ergo, we aren't quite sure what YHWH means, or how to pronounce it. Part Two of this analysis discusses YHWH.

    Moreover God said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: 'The LORD (YHWH ) God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever , and this is My memorial to all generations.'" Ex 3.15

    The Usage of Jehovah Came From Catholicism

    By combining the vowel signs of 'Adho . nay and 'Elo . him' with the four consonants of the Tetragrammaton the pronunciations Y e ho . wah' and Y e howih' were formed. The first of these provided the basis for the Latinized form "Jehova(h)." The first recorded use of this form dates from the thirteenth century C.E. Raymundus Martini, a Spanish monk of the Dominican Order, used it in his book Pugeo Fidei of the year 1270. Hebrew scholars generally favor "Yahweh" as the most likely pronunciation.(6) Aid to Bible Understanding, Watchtower Bible And Tract Society, 1971, pp. 884, 885.
    Please note: Hebrew scholars generally favor "Yahweh" as the most likely pronunciation.

    Bruce Metzger, who criticizes the KJV's misusage of Jehovah, gives additional information:

    The form "Jehovah" is of late medieval origin; it is a combination of the consonants of the Divine Name and the vowels attached to it by the Masoretes but belonging to an entirely different word .... (1) The word "Jehovah" does not accurately represent any form of the Name ever used in Hebrew. (2) The use of any proper name for the one and only God, as though there were other gods from whom the true God had to be distinguished, began to be discontinued in Judaism before the Christian era and is inappropriate for the universal faith of the Christian Church.

    I know it's a little choppy, but some food for thought.

  • Jamelle
    Jamelle

    Let me put it this way - the Witnesses are wrong about soooo many other things. Why should I assume they are right about this one?

    Frankly, the fact that the JW's assume that "Jehovah" is the correct name of God and reject all the others is quite arrogant. But the Society never lacks for arrogance, do they?

    So I'm gonna vote - NO - it's not really his name to the exclusion of all others. However, if someone feels comfortable with that frame of reference I don't think theres anything wrong with that. As long as they don't deny that there are other names and ways of referencing the divine that are just as valid and just as worthy of respect.

  • oldflame
    oldflame

    Whats really funny is that I was always told when I was involved with the JW's is that they were the only ones that recognized Jehovahs name. When I left the JW's I went to the baptist faith and found that they also use Jehovahs name. I thought to myself while I was in service and heard the pastor use Jehovahs name "those JW liars"

    I can handle a lot of issues but when someone lies to me I find it very hard to trust them again.....

  • onesong
    onesong

    I agree with the thought that God is to magnificient to be caught up in a single exclusive name. It's interesting that what is often called the sound of perfection "ah" (the sound we make without any muscular modification) is present in nearly every name given to the Creator.Ex: Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah, Krishna, Abba, Kahuna ect. For myself , I've been given many nicknames thru my life and consider all of them to be a compliment to me.I think the Creator may feel similar.

    Also, it's important to note that there is absolutely no proof that the early Christians, even Jesus himself used Jehovah. It's tucked away in the back of the reference Bible of the NWT that of the 5000 manuscripts that comprise the New Testament the name Jehovah (Yahweh) appears 0 times.The translators made an assumption and added it in. Which is worse, to accuse people of omitting it or adding it?

  • Virgogirl
    Virgogirl

    Good one, Sherri! Yeah, why does God have to be a "He?" Anyways, I feel there is a more solid documentation for "Yahweh" but "Jehovah" seems a bit thin and JW created. Just my opinion, and I do sincerely want to use the right name. Seems to me there's more proof for "Yahweh."

  • Virgogirl
    Virgogirl

    Sorry, Sherry. My apologies for the misspell. You can call me Virgogyrl, lol.

  • dezpbem
    dezpbem
    Hee!! Hee!! Hee!!

    Thats a good one...

    Go away. Let us big boys talk.
    you're in for the same surprise as a lot of us had when found out the truth about 'da troof!'

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Hey guys, be nice!

    Don't take us serious Steve. I'm new here too and we likes to poke fun at them there newbies- not to mention true believers. Stick around and thanks for the input.

    Cityfan said

    The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.

    The name that can be named is not the eternal name.

    The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.

    CF.

    That passage is one of my favorites. Have you ever read different translations of the whole passage?

    It's so poetic and beautiful when you find a good translation.

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    "Yahweh" is the most likely pronunciation of the name in Hebrew, see my post and the other posts of mine in this thread for some of the evidence:

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/99702/1717050/post.ashx#1717050

    (Hey, I've reached post 5,555!)

  • MsMcDucket
    MsMcDucket

    It seems to me that he doesn't want his name known because there would be no argument over it. If he wanted it known and used, he would of made it easy for everyone to see. He/she is the most powerful being, thus, his/her will would be done.

  • upside/down
    upside/down

    If it is...he has assholes as representatives...

    and I don't like 'em.

    u/d(of the Jojoba needs new PR peeps class)

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