What is the acronym יְהוָֹה (YHWH)? Who conceived of it? How should it be pronounced?
‘YHWH’ (יְהוָֹה) is a Hebrew acronym that stands for:
- ‘He was’ (הָיָה – HaYa)
- ‘He is’ (הוֶה – HoVeH)
- ‘He will be’ (יִהְיֶה – YeHeH)
Since YHWH is an acronym, it should be pronounced only as such, letter by letter. In Hebrew, it is pronounced as Yod, Heh, Vav, Heh; after the four letters that constitute the acronym, it does not have vowels in between the consonants. In English, one may pronounce it as Y-H-W-H, also letter by letter. YHWH means “the Eternal.”
Where does the acronym YHWH (יְהוָֹה) first appear in the Bible?
Elohim represents the attribute of justice.
YHWH represents the attribute of mercy. YHWH (Mercy) entered our world as a (spiritual) ray of light on the Sabbath (seventh day).
Then YHWH Elohim created Adam in His oneness (Genesis chapter 2).
Where do we see in the text the acronym YHWH (יְהוָֹה) for the first time?
For that, let’s examine again the events of the Sixth Day:
“And Elohim said, ‘Let the Earth bring forth creatures, cattle, creeping things.’
And Elohim made the animals… cattle… and everything creeping.
And Elohim saw that it was good.
And Elohim created Adam in His image.
And Elohim blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply.’
And Elohim said, ‘Let us make Adam in our form and our image.’
And Elohim said, ‘Behold, I have given you all the grass.’
And Elohim saw everything that He had done, and behold, it was very good.
And it was evening, and it was morning,
Yom (Day)
HaShishi (the Sixth) – the sixth day was over” (Genesis 1:31).
“VaYechulu (And they ended)
HaShamayim (the heavens)
VeHaaretz (and the earth) and all their hosts.
And Elohim finished all the work He had done,
And Elohim finished on the Seventh Day His work which He had done,
And He abstained on the Seventh Day from all His work which He had done” (Genesis 2:1-2).
First, we see the text that describes the Sixth Day, under the rule of Elohim, who is mentioned seven times before the end of the Day (out of a total of 32 times in the story of the Six Days of Creation).
Then, we see the Sabbath, ruled by YHWH (יְהוָֹה). Right at the transition between the Sixth and Seventh Days, we see the acronym YHWH (יְהוָֹה) for the first time, sitting like a ‘bridge’ over the ‘gap’ that separates the Sixth and the Sabbath Days.
Thus, the acronym YHWH (יְהוָֹה) appears for the first time in the Torah,
As a beautiful acronym!
YH (יְה) is the ray of light that has entered our world.
YH (יְה) is the light that is spread by the Holy Temple Menorah.
YH (יְה) is the light of mercy we draw from the Eternal Sabbath.
YH (יְה) ‘dwells’ in our heart and is therefore called the Shechinah (from lishkon, to dwell).
Many biblical names end with Yah (יָה), such as:
- Jeremiah (יְהוָֹה will exalt)
- Nethaniah (יְהוָֹה has given)
- Hezekiah (יְהוָֹה is strong)
- Isaiah (יְהוָֹה has saved us)
And many more such names. They express YHWH’s presence in our world.