When Moses asked God His name at the burning bush, the answer was unlike any other name ever given. It was not a description of what God does, but a revelation of who God is in His very being.
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” — in Hebrew, אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה (ehyeh asher ehyeh).Exodus 3:14
The Root: “To Be”
The name Yahweh (YHWH) is formed from the Hebrew verb hayah, meaning “to be.” Depending on its form, it can mean “He is,” “He will be,” or “He causes to be.” In every sense it points to a God who simply IS — the ground of all existence.
“I AM WHO I AM”
God’s answer, ehyeh asher ehyeh, is breathtaking. He defines Himself by Himself. Unlike every created thing, He depends on nothing and no one. He has no beginning and no end. He is the only being who can truly say, without qualification, “I AM.”
What the Name Tells Us About God
- Self-existent — He exists in and of Himself; nothing made Him.
- Eternal — He always was and always will be (Psalm 90:2).
- Unchanging — “I, Yahweh, don’t change” (Malachi 3:6).
- Present — the “I AM” is always now; He is with His people in every moment.
- Faithful in covenant — He binds Himself by name to His promises.
The Meaning Within the Letters
The four Hebrew letters — Yod, He, Waw, He — have ancient pictographic roots sometimes read as “hand,” “behold,” and “nail.” While the meaning of the Name comes from the verb “to be,” many find these pictures a beautiful meditation. See each letter of YHWH explained →
“I AM” on the Lips of Jesus
Centuries later, Jesus deliberately took this same name. “Before Abraham came into existence, I AM” (John 8:58). His hearers understood the claim instantly — He was applying the name of Yahweh to Himself. Who Yahweh is →