Why the Heavenly Father's 
name is pronounced, "Yahweh"
(updated 7/3/08)

IMPORTANT NOTE AND UPDATE: 

Lately, I have noticed that there are many using the form "Yahuah" or "Yahuwah" based on the fact that the name יהדה "Yahudah/Yehudah" (Judah) contains the same letters as with the exception of the ד Daleth (D) as the third letter (Hebrew reads from right to left). In other words, Yahweh's name contains (Yod Heh Waw Heh) and the name of one of the sons of Israel is יהדה (Yod Heh Daleth Heh.)

They say that the Heavenly Father's name can be "made simple" by learning that since there is only one letter difference between the two names, we can learn the pronunciation of the Heavenly Father's name by looking at how Judah's name is pronounced in Hebrew. 

But the truth is, we cannot determine the pronunciation of one Hebrew word by looking at how another word is pronounced with similar letters. In Hebrew there are numerous words that have only one letter difference but they are pronounced completely different.

A couple of examples in Hebrew as it relates to Yahweh's name:

1. יהצה #3096 is pronounced "Yatsah" in Hebrew. This is in contrast to יהדה "Yahudah" which is only one letter different. 

2. The verb Hama (#1993) is found in Jer. 6:23, 48:36, 50:42 in the qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular form, and is spelled יהמה but pronounced "Yehemeh." Again, this is in contrast to יהדה "Yahudah" which is only one letter different.

Notice that there is only is only letter difference between those words and and יהדה but they have vowels which are not the same. If we removed vowels from two English words that had similar consonants, no one would argue that we can figure out the vowels of one by knowing the vowels of another.

If the "Yahu" in "Yahudah" is in reference to Yahueh/Yahweh (and this is not certain), the "dah" comes from a different Hebrew word, so we can't rely that to arrive at the correct pronunciation of .

In fact, there are examples in Hebrew where two completely different words are spelled exactly the same way, but are pronounced completely different. The word שאול, which is pronounced "Shaul" (King Saul's name) is spelled exactly the same as the word שאול, pronounced "Sheol." "Shaul" means "desired" but "Sheol" means "grave." The vowels are completely different, but the word is spelled the same.

The reason why Yahweh's name is upon His people is not because "Yahudah" contains part of Yahweh's name as some claim. Yahweh's people are called by His name because of the elements seen in the priestly blessing:

Numbers 6:24-27 Yahweh bless you and keep you; ²⁵ Yahweh make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; ²⁶ Yahweh lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." ' ²⁷ "So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them."

So in conclusion, to base the pronunciation of the Heavenly Father's name on how another name or word is pronounced is not sound reasoning and should be completely disregarded when seeking to understand how is pronounced.

Also, it is important to understand that in Hebrew, the verb form determines how the vowels sound. This is not unlike English where the verb "Run" changes to "Ran" if past tense is intended and "Running" if present tense is intended. In Hebrew, the vowels sounds will change depending on whether it is 1st, 2nd or 3rd person, or whether it is masculine or feminine, etc. 

In Exodus 3:14 Yahweh said to tell the people of Israel that His name is "I AM THAT I AM" or "Ehyeh asher ehyeh." We know that "ehyeh" is the way you pronounce "Hayah" (a verb meaning, "to be") in the first person form. 

Why then did He say to call Him "Yahweh" in Exodus 3:15? The form "Yahweh" is the 3rd person form of the same Hebrew verb, "Hayah." Yahweh was declaring who He is in saying "I AM" but when we say "Yahweh" we speak of Him in the 3rd person form.