If you want to find Yahweh in the Bible, the good news is: He is almost everywhere. The personal name of God is the single most common name in the Hebrew Scriptures.
The First Mention of Yahweh
The Name first appears in Genesis 2:4, at the account of creation, where God is called “Yahweh God” (the LORD God). From the very second chapter of the Bible, God is known by His personal name.
… in the day that Yahweh God made the earth and the heavens.Genesis 2:4
A few chapters later, in Genesis 4:26, we read that “men began to call on Yahweh’s name” — the first record of people worshipping God by name. Explore Yahweh in Genesis →
Which Books Mention Yahweh Most?
The Name saturates the Torah, the history books, the Psalms, and the Prophets. The Psalms and Jeremiah contain some of the highest concentrations.
| Book | Approx. occurrences |
|---|---|
| Psalms | ~695 |
| Jeremiah | ~720 |
| Ezekiel | ~430 |
| Genesis | ~165 |
| Exodus | ~400 |
| Deuteronomy | ~550 |
| Isaiah | ~450 |
| 1 & 2 Samuel | ~570 |
Counts vary slightly between concordances and manuscripts; figures here are rounded approximations.
See the full count of Yahweh in the Bible →
Yahweh in the Torah
In the five books of Moses, Yahweh creates, calls Abraham, makes covenant, and reveals His name fully to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3) and on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20). Read Yahweh in Exodus →
Yahweh in the Psalms & Prophets
The Psalms address Yahweh in worship on nearly every page — “Yahweh is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1), “Yahweh is my light and my salvation” (Psalm 27:1). The prophets thunder “thus says Yahweh” hundreds of times as they call the nations back to God.
Yahweh in the New Testament
The New Testament was written in Greek, which writes Kyrios (“Lord”) where the Hebrew has Yahweh. When the New Testament quotes the Old, it applies these Yahweh passages directly to Jesus — identifying Him with the God of Israel. Jesus even took the divine name on His own lips: “Before Abraham came into existence, I AM” (John 8:58). How Jesus relates to Yahweh →
Why You See “LORD” Instead of Yahweh
Most English Bibles print LORD in small capitals wherever the Hebrew text has YHWH — a tradition of reverence for the holy name. So the Name is there on almost every page; it is simply translated. Learn about YHWH and the LORD tradition →