What Does Jehovah Mean?
What Does Jehovah Mean? Jehovah is an English rendering of the Hebrew personal name of God (YHWH) — the self-existent 'I AM' revealed to Moses.
Key verse: Exodus 6:3 (KJV)
Jehovah is an English rendering of the Hebrew personal name of God (YHWH) — the self-existent 'I AM' revealed to Moses.
Jehovah is an English rendering of the Hebrew personal name of God (YHWH) — the self-existent 'I AM' revealed to Moses.
"And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them." — Exodus 6:3 (KJV)
Meaning
Plain-language explanation
In Context
Surrounding KJV scripture
Related Verses
Cross-reference scriptures
The Biblical Answer
Jehovah comes from the four Hebrew consonants YHWH (יהוה) — called the Tetragrammaton — combined with the vowel sounds of Adonai. When God spoke from the burning bush, Moses asked His name, and God answered, 'I AM THAT I AM.' This name proclaims God as eternally self-existent, unchanging, and dependent on no one. The Jews considered the name so holy they would not pronounce it aloud, substituting Adonai when reading Scripture. Most English translations follow this tradition by rendering YHWH as 'LORD' in small capitals. To know God as Jehovah is to know Him as the personal, covenant-keeping God who keeps every promise and is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Key Scripture References
"And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them."
"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."
"That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth."
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Related Questions
What Are the Names of God in the Bible?
Scripture reveals God through many names — each unveiling a different aspect of His character, power, and relationship with His people.
What Does Yahweh Mean?
Yahweh is the closest modern pronunciation of God's personal covenant name (YHWH) — meaning 'I AM' or 'He Who Is.'
Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?
The Bible presents the resurrection as historical fact, supported by eyewitness testimony, an empty tomb, and transformed lives.
Is Jesus God?
Yes — the Bible teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully man, the second person of the Trinity.
What Is the Trinity?
The Trinity is the doctrine that God exists as three persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — in one divine being.
Deep Dive Commentary
For a more in-depth study, read our verse-by-verse commentary:
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Theology & Doctrine
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
William Williams • 1745
Cross (σταυρός (Stauros))
The instrument of Christ's death; symbol of atonement and self-denial
Didache (διδαχή (didachē))
Teaching or instruction — the systematic training of believers.
Read it in context
The answer above sits inside Exodus. The 365-day chronological plan reads it in the order the events happened.
Read Exodus on day 24 of the chronological Bible reading planKeep the verses to hand
Every verse quoted in “What Does Jehovah Mean?” comes from the King James Version, free to download and print.
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