Glorify His Name

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Antoinette_W

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Is it right to pronounce יהוה translated as YHWH without knowing the appropriate vowels? I’ve heard Jehovah and Yahweh and it offends me that there seems to be no fear of the Lord, and it feels like replacement theology. I have been told by these people that scripture tells us to say His Name, but I can’t find it. :confused:
 
Jahweh (German j and w) is the scholars’ best guess as to the pronunciation of the Name, so you can feel pretty confident with that. Jehovah, on the other hand, is a totally artificial pronunciation, but in some contexts it’s a little hard to get away from it.

Bear in mind that this is a Hebrew word, not an English word. In English, an -h following a vowel is a hint on how the vowel is pronounced (bah, meh, oh, duh). However, the two h’s in Jahweh are root consonants in the verb on which the Name is based, so if one is going to be authentic, they should be pronounced.

I’m not going to get into the discussion about whether or not we Catholics should or should not use the Name in our private devotions.
 
To Dave Bj
"I’m not going to get into the discussion about whether or not we Catholics should or should not use the Name in our private devotions."

But this was my real question - not how to pronounce it!

" I have been told by these people that scripture tells us to say His Name, but I can’t find it."
 
Antoinette_W said:
To Dave Bj
"I’m not going to get into the discussion about whether or not we Catholics should or should not use the Name in our private devotions."

But this was my real question - not how to pronounce it!

" I have been told by these people that scripture tells us to say His Name, but I can’t find it."
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Okay, sorry, just ignore that, then. There is no prohibition in Scripture against speaking the Name out loud. The tradition of reading “JHWH” and saying “Adonai” sprang up after the Babylonian exile, when some thought that one of the reasons why they had been taken by the Babylonians was that they hadn’t been saying the name right, and rather that risk mispronouncing it, they chose to say a different word. Off-hand I can’t think of any OT passage that commands speaking the name, but there are multiple references to using the Name to validate oaths, and even more references to “calling on the name of JHWH”. I would presume that would include pronouncing it.

Edit: Here is a link to an on-line concordance. I would suggest searching on “swear by”, “call on the name of the Lord”, “called on the name of the Lord”, and “calling on the name of the Lord”. You might think of some other text strings yourself.
 
Antoinette_W said:
To Dave Bj
"I’m not going to get into the discussion about whether or not we Catholics should or should not use the Name in our private devotions."

But this was my real question - not how to pronounce it!

" I have been told by these people that scripture tells us to say His Name, but I can’t find it."
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Greetings Antoinette,
Could you clarify please. You cant find the name or you cant find where scripture tells us to say His name? Also could you tell us who is saying this? Is it Jehovahs Witensses? It would help to know these things.

Peace!!!
 
Are you hearing this from Catholics? The Church tells us that liturgically (in public worship of any form), we must NOT use the Holy Name.
 
Antoinette_W said:
Is
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Compendium issued by Pope Benedict XVI
**
38. With what name does God reveal Himself?**

203-209
230-231

God revealed himself to Moses as the living God, “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6). God also revealed to Moses his mysterious name “I Am Who I Am (YHWH)”. Already in Old Testament times this ineffable name of God was replaced by the divine title Lord. Thus in the New Testament, Jesus who was called Lord is seen as true God.
**
39. Is God the only One who “is”?**

2112-213

Since creatures have received everything they are and have from God, only God in himself is the fullness of being and of every perfection. God is “He who is” without origin and without end. Jesus also reveals that he bears the divine name “I Am” (John 8:28).

**40. Why is the revelation of God’s name important?
**
206-213

In revealing his name, God makes known the riches contained in the ineffable mystery of his being. He alone is from everlasting to everlasting. He is the One who transcends the world and history. It is he who made heaven and earth. He is the faithful God, always close to his people, in order to save them. He is the highest holiness, “rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4), always ready to forgive. He is the One who is spiritual, transcendent, omnipotent, eternal, personal, and perfect. He is truth and love.

vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html
 
Thank you very much, that answered my question!
The directives indicate that the name of God in the form of the tetragrammaton is neither to be used nor pronounced.
It also honours our Jewish brothers and sisters.
Bless the Catholic Church.
Psa 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלֹום יְרוּשָׁלִָם יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהֲבָֽיִךְ׃
 
Antoinette_W said:
Thank you very much, that answered my question!
The directives indicate that the name of God in the form of the tetragrammaton is neither to be used nor pronounced.
It also honours our Jewish brothers and sisters.
Bless the Catholic Church.
Psa 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
שַׁאֲלוּ שְׁלֹום יְרוּשָׁלִָם יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהֲבָֽיִךְ׃
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. . . in public liturgy. It’s use in private devotions is not prohibited.
 
The letter from the Holy See explains that the Divine Name as revealed in the Old Testament, יהוה (YHWH), has been held as unpronounceable as an expression of reverence for the greatness of God. The directive notes that “in recent years the practice has crept in pronouncing the God of Israel’s proper name,” known as the holy or divine tetragrammaton, written with four consonants, YHWH, in the Hebrew alphabet. In order to vocalize it, it is necessary to introduce vowels that alter the written and spoken forms of the name (i.e. “Yahweh” or “Jehovah”). Citing theological and philological reasons, and in keeping with tradition, the letter reminds the bishops that “from the beginning… the sacred tetragrammaton was never pronounced in the Christian context nor translated into any languages into which the Bible was translated.” Historically the Divine Name was rendered in Hebrew as Adonai, in Greek as Kyrios, and in Latin as Dominus. This is evident in the Bible in both Septuagint and the Vulgate texts of the Bible (the New American Bible, used in the Lectionary for Mass, follows the same principle in translation). Liturgical texts have always followed that tradition.

That’s well grounded and researched … 👍 and good enough for me!
 
Antoinette_W said:
The letter from the Holy See explains.
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Also if you have a moment -go back to that link I gave above (I have now added it in an edit below) - and when you open it - click the little green link within the text where the document from the Holy See is - then the PDF of the document will load - you can then read fully what the Holy See wrote. The actual letter.

usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/frequently-asked-questions/the-name-of-god-in-the-liturgy.cfm

Note too that for example - does the Church forbid simply the “pronouncing” of the YHWH? The focus there was the Liturgy and texts for the Liturgy… But go read the actual text.

Do for example the Popes pronounce Yahweh in speaking? Yes. As one can see from the written texts of the spoken words (say a homily or perhaps an audience) of for example Pope St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. Such is usually when they are speaking about Yahweh in the Old Testament (such was not praying or singing Liturgy). Also they do so in documents.
 
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