There is much discussion among those who take the Bible as the only valid Word of God.

Nobody really knows the pronunciation of the NAME, even when they claim to know it. I believe it will one day be revealed, not by some erudite scholar but by the ONE who owns that name. And is it really a name, or is it a description of who He is? I believe the latter, but that’s me.

I don’t believe either of the forms written above are correct. Let me tell you why.
Yahweh is missing the O and Yehovah uses the “e”instead of the “a” of Yah which we know is used in other places in the Bible. 

Why does it need the O?
Because the present tense category of Hebrew is “Hoveh” 

“In Hebrew, the term for “present tense” (grammar) is הוֹוֶה (pronounced hove), which literally means “present time” or “now”. Link

So what would it mean that God is in the present? 

Most Jews know the song Adon Olam which expresses the eternal nature of God. 

Here are the Lyrics, transliterated from Hebrew for you:

V’acharei kichlot hakol,

l’vado yimloch nora.

V’hu hayah, v’hu hoveh,

v’hu yihyeh, b’tifarah.

And in Hebrew: 

וְאַחֲרֵי כִּכְלוֹת הַכֹּל,

לְבַדּוֹ יִמְלוֹךְ נוֹרָא.

וְהוּא הָיָה, וְהוּא הֹוֶה,

וְהוּא יִהְיֶה, בְּתִפְאָרָה

In English, the highlighted words mean, he was and he is and he will be. 

So if we put them all together, we get something like Yahoveh. 

Two examples from the Bible that show the hove  part of the name:

Num 13:16: “These are the names of the men who Moshe sent to spy out the land. Moshe called Hoshea the son of Nun Yehoshua.” 

Why was it important to change his name before he went to spy out the land of Canaan?

Hoshea (Hôshēaʿ) means “salvation”, and it was changed to Joshua (Yehôshuaʿ) which means “Yahoveh is salvation.”

“By inserting the divine element “Yah,” Moses shifted the focus: Joshua’s victories would not be self-wrought but God-wrought.” Link

The Name Jehosaphat (a king of Judah). He is found in the book of Kings (chapter 22).

As Hebrew speakers know, there is no J in Hebrew. (יְהוֹשָׁפָט) 

His name takes part of the name of YHVH and signifies YHVH has judged. Here is a Link for the etymology. 

Let’s take a look:יְהוֹשָׁפָט

Y-ho-shaphat. The first part is part of the name of YHVH. The second part Shafat is:

“The past tense masculine form for the verb “to judge” (לִשְׁפּוֹט, lishpot) in the third-person singular (he/it) is שָׁפַט (shafat).” Link

So dear readers, in our ongoing quest for the name, all I can say is we are not quite there yet, though this little study should open some doors to rethinking what has been thought of how to pronounce the name. Unfortunately, or not the name was lost for thousands of years to most students of the Bible. Perhaps it was lost because it was not to be used lightly, and much of what is done in the supposed name of YHVH actually profanes that name. 

What does the Commandment say?

Exodus 20:7 “Thou shalt not take the name of  YHVH thy God in vain; for YHVH will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.”  Here is the Brown Driver Briggs etymology for this verse.Link and Here.

Summing up what is said in these links: it is not to be used lightly to take a frivolous oath, and it must not be made “empty” or vain by idly taking it upon one’s lips. But should it never be used?

Deu 6:13: “You shall fear YHVH your God; and him shall you serve, and shall swear by his name.” See also Deu. 10:20.

Happy searching!

Ariella