יהוהWho Is Yahweh?

Of all the words ever spoken, one Name stands above the rest. When God revealed Himself to His people, He did not give a title or a description. He gave a name — יהוה, Yahweh. It is the most frequently used name in the entire Old Testament, appearing roughly 6,800 times, and it is the Name that the whole Bible is written to reveal.

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM… This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations.”Exodus 3:14–15

What the Name Yahweh Means

The name Yahweh comes from the Hebrew verb hayah, “to be.” It means something like “He is” or “He causes to be.” God is not one being among many; He is Being itself — the only one who exists in and of Himself, with no beginning, no end, and no cause outside Himself. Everything else that exists is held in being by Him.

This is why, at the burning bush, He answered Moses’ question “What is your name?” with the staggering words “I AM WHO I AM.” Read the full meaning of Yahweh →

Yahweh in the Bible

The very first time the personal name appears is Genesis 2:4, where the Creator is called “Yahweh God.” From there the Name runs like a golden thread through every book — from the call of Abraham, to the Exodus from Egypt, to the Psalms of David, to the promises of the prophets.

The Character of Yahweh

Yahweh is not a distant force or an abstract principle. Scripture reveals a Person of overwhelming holiness and tender love. When He proclaimed His own name to Moses, this is how He described Himself:

Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.Exodus 34:6

• Eternal & self-existent — “Before the mountains were born… from everlasting to everlasting, you are God” (Psalm 90:2).
• Holy — “There is no one as holy as Yahweh” (1 Samuel 2:2).
• Sovereign — all authority in heaven and earth is His.
• Faithful — “He doesn’t change” (Malachi 3:6); His mercies are new every morning.
• Loving — “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3).

Yahweh and Jesus

The name of Jesus — in Hebrew Yeshua — literally means “Yahweh saves.” The New Testament repeatedly identifies Jesus with Yahweh: He claimed the divine name for Himself, saying “Before Abraham came into existence, I AM” (John 8:58). Thomas worshipped Him as “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28), and Philippians 2 declares that every knee will bow to Him as Lord. How to come to Yahweh through Jesus →

The Many Names of Yahweh

Throughout the Bible, Yahweh reveals His character through compound names — each one a window into who He is for His people: