The Biblical Definition of Yahweh

What is Yahweh?

Yahweh, the covenant name of God in the Old Testament, encapsulates His self-existent nature and unwavering faithfulness to His people.

This name is first revealed to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:14-15, where God declares, 'I am who I am' and commands Moses to tell Israel, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers... has sent me to you.' The revelation occurs within the context of God’s commission to free the Israelites, underscoring His active role in fulfilling promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The significance of Yahweh lies in its dual emphasis on God’s eternal, unchanging essence ('I am') and His covenantal commitment to a specific people. By declaring this name, God asserts His sovereignty over history while anchoring His identity in relational fidelity. The name’s enduring quality—'This is my name forever'—highlights its role as a foundation for Israel’s theological and communal life. This revelation shapes the biblical narrative by framing God’s interactions as both transcendent and intimately bound to His people’s journey.

How is Yahweh Used in Scripture?

The name Yahweh anchors God's identity in Scripture through covenantal promises and historical action.

In Deuteronomy 7:9, Yahweh is described as 'the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,' emphasizing His unbreakable faithfulness to Israel. Isaiah 45:22 expands this theme, declaring 'Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other,' framing Yahweh as the central figure of salvation history. These verses illustrate how the name signifies both divine constancy and active redemptive purpose.

These contexts reveal Yahweh as a name that intertwines God's eternal nature with His relational commitments, shaping both Israel's identity and the trajectory of biblical revelation.

How to Read Yahweh Correctly

Interpreting Yahweh requires attention to covenantal language, historical context, and theological progression from Exodus to Malachi 3:6.

Begin by examining Exodus 3:14-15, where Yahweh declares, 'I am who I am,' establishing His self-existent nature and covenantal commitment to Israel. This revelation frames God's identity as both transcendent and intimately bound to His people's journey. As Malachi 3:6 later affirms, 'I the Lord do not change,' emphasizing Yahweh's unchanging faithfulness across generations. Interpreters must avoid reducing the name to mere abstraction while also tracing its development through Israel's history and prophetic declarations.

Pitfalls include isolating Yahweh from covenantal context or overemphasizing His immutability at the expense of His active engagement with creation. By maintaining this balance, readers preserve the name's theological richness as revealed in Scripture's unfolding narrative.

Going Deeper

To deepen your understanding of Yahweh, explore related terms like 'LORD' (its English rendering) and 'Elohim,' while considering scholarly debates about its etymology, such as connections to the Hebrew verb 'to be' (Exodus 3:14-15).

Further study could include commentaries on Exodus, resources on ancient Semitic languages, or works comparing Yahweh with other biblical names of God, such as 'Adonai' and 'El Shaddai,' to grasp the full theological spectrum of divine names in Scripture. Engaging with these materials will help clarify how the name's meaning has been interpreted across historical and cultural contexts.