Why is God's Name NOT in the Bible?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

williamjordan

Senior Member
Feb 18, 2015
516
126
43
Throughout the Bible it is clear that GOD wants his name to be known and proclaimed.
In this day and age we can easily figure out that his name is YHWH (Pronounced Yahuah).
His name is always replaced with a Title, "the Lord". (about 6,800 times).
Can anyone explain why this has not been corrected? (IN ANY mainstream Bible).
I think the real question that needs to be asked is this: When the NT authors cite OT passages featuring the Divine Name (i.e., Romans 10:13), why do they use "the Lord" surrogate instead of the Divine Name? It is not a question of "being corrected."
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
113
Is not Yahweh the noun form of the infinitive haya, Being the noun form of the infinitive, it becomes nonnative, a noun.

It is but a title not a name as we understand for God, Yahweh, will be giving us a pure language in the Kingdom so that we may all call Him by one Name which He will reveal come that day. This is taught in Zephaniah
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,947
866
113
I think the real question that needs to be asked is this: When the NT authors cite OT passages featuring the Divine Name (i.e., Romans 10:13), why do they use "the Lord" surrogate instead of the Divine Name? It is not a question of "being corrected."
The issue is with the translation of the Old Testament name of God.

There should be a reference to the usage of God's name (O.T) in the preface of your Bible.

I don't have the time at the moment.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,947
866
113
Is not Yahweh the noun form of the infinitive haya, Being the noun form of the infinitive, it becomes nonnative, a noun.

It is but a title not a name as we understand for God, Yahweh, will be giving us a pure language in the Kingdom so that we may all call Him by one Name which He will reveal come that day. This is taught in Zephaniah
Here is the preface of the NASB translation.

This is why the holy name of God in the Old Testament is translated into another name!

THE PROPER NAME OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: In the Scriptures, the name of God is most significant and understandably so. It is inconceivable to think of spiritual matters without a proper designation for the Supreme Deity. Thus the most common name for the Deity is God, a translation of the original Elohim. One of the titles for God is Lord, a translation of Adonai. There is yet another name which is particularly assigned to God as His special or proper name, that is, the four letters YHWH (Exodus 3:14 and Isaiah 42:8). This name has not been pronounced by the Jews because of reverence for the great sacredness of the divine name. Therefore, it has been consistently translated LORD. The only exception to this translation of YHWH is when it occurs in immediate proximity to the word Lord, that is, Adonai. In that case it is regularly translated GOD in order to avoid confusion. It is known that for many years YHWH has been transliterated as Yahweh, however no complete certainty attaches to this pronunciation. (Preface NASB)
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,947
866
113
I think the real question that needs to be asked is this: When the NT authors cite OT passages featuring the Divine Name (i.e., Romans 10:13), why do they use "the Lord" surrogate instead of the Divine Name? It is not a question of "being corrected."
The answer is in the preface of your Bible.

The translators follow the Jewish tradition of never pronouncing the name of YHWH.

They insert 'Lord' in the place of YHWH.

Why did they follow this Jewish tradition?

Well that is a very interesting question?
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,947
866
113
Throughout the Bible it is clear that GOD wants his name to be known and proclaimed.
In this day and age we can easily figure out that his name is YHWH (Pronounced Yahuah).
His name is always replaced with a Title, "the Lord". (about 6,800 times).
Can anyone explain why this has not been corrected? (IN ANY mainstream Bible).
Here is another translation in which the name of God was excluded in the O.T (RSV).

A major departure from the practice of the American Standard Version is the rendering of the Divine Name, the “Tetragrammaton.” The American Standard Version used the term “Jehovah”; the King James Version had employed this in four places, but everywhere else, except in three cases where it was employed as part of a proper name, used the English word Lord (or in certain cases God) printed in capitals. The present revision returns to the procedure of the King James Version, which follows the precedent of the ancient Greek and Latin translators and the long established practice in the reading of the Hebrew scriptures in the synagogue. While it is almost if not quite certain that the Name was originally pronounced “Yahweh,” this pronunciation was not indicated when the Masoretes added vowel signs to the consonantal Hebrew text. To the four consonants YHWH of the Name, which had come to be regarded as too sacred to be pronounced, they attached vowel signs indicating that in its place should be read the Hebrew word Adonai meaning “Lord” (or Elohim meaning “God”). The ancient Greek translators substituted the work Kyrios (Lord) for the Name. (RSV, 1971)
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,947
866
113
Fair enough. Still the underlying question is; Why hasn't the KJV and other Bibles corrected the issue when his NAME is clearly to be used in almost 7,000 instances. If it is not a big deal, then why the huge resistance and deflection by most would-be scholars?
Because they are too conservative to alter tradition.

Bible translations are always performed by the older traditional Church movements.

No one is going to buck the long standing tradition of deleting the sacred name of God.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,947
866
113
Jesus addressed Him as Father.
Seeing I am also a son by adoption, I also address Him as Father.
The name of the Father is not in the scripture.

There is YHWH in the O.T, but is that the Father or the Son?

No one has ever known the Father.

No one has ever heard the Father.

No one has ever seen the Father.

So who was talking in the O.T?
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,947
866
113
Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. “Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. “I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. “While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:1-26

His name is Father. Expressively - righteous Father. In Christ - everlasting Father.
You did not answer the question.

We are not discussing the relationship of the Son to the Father.

We are discussing why 'YHWH' was deleted and 'Lord' was inserted in it's place.

Was everything created through and for Jesus?

Was YHWH in fact, Jesus the Word in His preincarnate form?
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
113
Here is the preface of the NASB translation.

This is why the holy name of God in the Old Testament is translated into another name!

THE PROPER NAME OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: In the Scriptures, the name of God is most significant and understandably so. It is inconceivable to think of spiritual matters without a proper designation for the Supreme Deity. Thus the most common name for the Deity is God, a translation of the original Elohim. One of the titles for God is Lord, a translation of Adonai. There is yet another name which is particularly assigned to God as His special or proper name, that is, the four letters YHWH (Exodus 3:14 and Isaiah 42:8). This name has not been pronounced by the Jews because of reverence for the great sacredness of the divine name. Therefore, it has been consistently translated LORD. The only exception to this translation of YHWH is when it occurs in immediate proximity to the word Lord, that is, Adonai. In that case it is regularly translated GOD in order to avoid confusion. It is known that for many years YHWH has been transliterated as Yahweh, however no complete certainty attaches to this pronunciation. (Preface NASB)
The word, god, is traced back as far a Sanscrit where the actual etymological origin is lost. The actual meanining is not truly known, however in English it came to be a designation for El, Elohim from the Word in Hebrew.

El may be fully translated as mighty one, however in reerence to Yahweh, it means the Only True Mighty One.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
113
How is that possible? Isn't Lord "adonai"?
Adon is Lord.

Add the suffix, ai, it is my Lord.

Ad Anu, it is our Lord, Adonaanu

Etc. Your Lord would be Adonadncha.

These are transliterations for most here do not read Hebrew.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,947
866
113
The word, god, is traced back as far a Sanscrit where the actual etymological origin is lost. The actual meanining is not truly known, however in English it came to be a designation for El, Elohim from the Word in Hebrew.

El may be fully translated as mighty one, however in reerence to Yahweh, it means the Only True Mighty One.
The word 'God' is generic, a common noun. Can refer to any deity.

The name 'YHWH' is a very specific, proper noun.
 

williamjordan

Senior Member
Feb 18, 2015
516
126
43
The answer is in the preface of your Bible.

The translators follow the Jewish tradition of never pronouncing the name of YHWH.

They insert 'Lord' in the place of YHWH.

Why did they follow this Jewish tradition?

Well that is a very interesting question?
This is exactly the point I was getting at with my question. The NT authors were in keeping with this Jewish tradition. If the NT authors saw no reason to "correct" the text, then why on God's green earth does the OP think otherwise?
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,947
866
113
This is exactly the point I was getting at with my question. The NT authors were in keeping with this Jewish tradition. If the NT authors saw no reason to "correct" the text, then why on God's green earth does the OP think otherwise?
No one want's to rock the boat.

People are by nature superstitious folk.

You may not realize how superstitious people really are.

I will give you an example.

Tell people that it will never happen to you (accidents, illness, e.tc), it always happens to other people.

They will take a step back and will be shocked that you boast, in such a dangerous manner.

Christians even react, some will even say, by the grace of God go I.

They all are deeply superstitious and idolators to boot.

Most will occupy their thought life with everything but Jesus, that is usually only for select moments on Sunday morning.

This is why a translation will never exist with 'YHWH' as the name of God in the OT.
 
Nov 26, 2021
1,125
545
113
India
It is always Good, Blessed and Holy to pronounce the Name of the Lord, with Devotion, Love and Reverence, whether Yahweh, Jehovah, Yeshua or Jesus. God's Old Testament Name summarized that He was the Supreme Being, the Being Who gave Breath and Life and everything to creatures, which was so necessary at the time, of many false "gods". God's New Testament Name signifies that He is "Yahweh our Savior", or "The God Who saves us", which is what Jesus or Yeshua means, as it is written: "“And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.”

Why is the Divine Child called "Yeshua". Because He is "Yahweh Our Savior"! Therefore, you shall call Him, "Yahweh our Savior/Yahweh Who Saves", because He (the Child, who is Yahweh/God in the Flesh) will Save His People from their sins.

I support Holy Name Bibles that, just very recently, have begun to put the Holy Name Yahweh back in the Holy Bible. Yahweh most often signifies the Father and restoring it imo will also cause Christians to love God the Father more. Please note that though Yahweh, in the Old Testament, most often signifies the Father (and then when it is said Word of Yahweh/Spirit of Yahweh etc, that refers to the Persons of the Son and the Spirit) sometimes, Yahweh is also used to refer to Son or Spirit.

Source for Holy Name Bible here: "This Holy Name Bible is Black in Bonded Leather done in 2019. The Holy Name Bible was first published by Angelo B. Traina in 1963. This Bible is a reprint of the 1989 version, but closer to the 1983 edition. The Preface at the beginning of the Bible tells many of the reasons for placing the true original names back into the scriptures. The Holy Name Bible was the first English Bible to restore the True Original Names of Yahweh-Elohim-Yahshua back into the Bible. Yahweh is the English transliteration of the four Hebrew characters called the tetragrammaton ...

Halleluyah means Praise Yahweh, not praise the Lord, and it is put back into the places it was taken out. Psalms 146 to 150 originally began and ended with Halleluyah, and it is inserted where it was originally written" https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Name-Bible-B-Traina/dp/B07XCYW82S

[Edit: Please note: I agree with using "Yahweh", "Yeshua" etc lovingly and reverently, but I don't agree that saying "Jesus" or even "Jehovah" is wrong, as some more extreme "hebrew name only" people claim. Imo, that also is a mistake]
God Bless.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,947
866
113
It is always Good, Blessed and Holy to pronounce the Name of the Lord, with Devotion, Love and Reverence, whether Yahweh, Jehovah, Yeshua or Jesus. God's Old Testament Name summarized that He was the Supreme Being, the Being Who gave Breath and Life and everything to creatures, which was so necessary at the time, of many false "gods". God's New Testament Name signifies that He is "Yahweh our Savior", or "The God Who saves us", which is what Jesus or Yeshua means, as it is written: "“And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.”

Why is the Divine Child called "Yeshua". Because He is "Yahweh Our Savior"! Therefore, you shall call Him, "Yahweh our Savior/Yahweh Who Saves", because He (the Child, who is Yahweh/God in the Flesh) will Save His People from their sins.

I support Holy Name Bibles that, just very recently, have begun to put the Holy Name Yahweh back in the Holy Bible. Yahweh most often signifies the Father and restoring it imo will also cause Christians to love God the Father more. Please note that though Yahweh, in the Old Testament, most often signifies the Father (and then when it is said Word of Yahweh/Spirit of Yahweh etc, that refers to the Persons of the Son and the Spirit) sometimes, Yahweh is also used to refer to Son or Spirit.

Source for Holy Name Bible here: "This Holy Name Bible is Black in Bonded Leather done in 2019. The Holy Name Bible was first published by Angelo B. Traina in 1963. This Bible is a reprint of the 1989 version, but closer to the 1983 edition. The Preface at the beginning of the Bible tells many of the reasons for placing the true original names back into the scriptures. The Holy Name Bible was the first English Bible to restore the True Original Names of Yahweh-Elohim-Yahshua back into the Bible. Yahweh is the English transliteration of the four Hebrew characters called the tetragrammaton ...

Halleluyah means Praise Yahweh, not praise the Lord, and it is put back into the places it was taken out. Psalms 146 to 150 originally began and ended with Halleluyah, and it is inserted where it was originally written" https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Name-Bible-B-Traina/dp/B07XCYW82S

God Bless.
Well, someone finally printed an authentic Bible.

A true literal translation, at last.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
2,947
866
113
It is always Good, Blessed and Holy to pronounce the Name of the Lord, with Devotion, Love and Reverence, whether Yahweh, Jehovah, Yeshua or Jesus. God's Old Testament Name summarized that He was the Supreme Being, the Being Who gave Breath and Life and everything to creatures, which was so necessary at the time, of many false "gods". God's New Testament Name signifies that He is "Yahweh our Savior", or "The God Who saves us", which is what Jesus or Yeshua means, as it is written: "“And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.”

Why is the Divine Child called "Yeshua". Because He is "Yahweh Our Savior"! Therefore, you shall call Him, "Yahweh our Savior/Yahweh Who Saves", because He (the Child, who is Yahweh/God in the Flesh) will Save His People from their sins.

I support Holy Name Bibles that, just very recently, have begun to put the Holy Name Yahweh back in the Holy Bible. Yahweh most often signifies the Father and restoring it imo will also cause Christians to love God the Father more. Please note that though Yahweh, in the Old Testament, most often signifies the Father (and then when it is said Word of Yahweh/Spirit of Yahweh etc, that refers to the Persons of the Son and the Spirit) sometimes, Yahweh is also used to refer to Son or Spirit.

Source for Holy Name Bible here: "This Holy Name Bible is Black in Bonded Leather done in 2019. The Holy Name Bible was first published by Angelo B. Traina in 1963. This Bible is a reprint of the 1989 version, but closer to the 1983 edition. The Preface at the beginning of the Bible tells many of the reasons for placing the true original names back into the scriptures. The Holy Name Bible was the first English Bible to restore the True Original Names of Yahweh-Elohim-Yahshua back into the Bible. Yahweh is the English transliteration of the four Hebrew characters called the tetragrammaton ...

Halleluyah means Praise Yahweh, not praise the Lord, and it is put back into the places it was taken out. Psalms 146 to 150 originally began and ended with Halleluyah, and it is inserted where it was originally written" https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Name-Bible-B-Traina/dp/B07XCYW82S

[Edit: Please note: I agree with using "Yahweh", "Yeshua" etc lovingly and reverently, but I don't agree that saying "Jesus" or even "Jehovah" is wrong, as some more extreme "hebrew name only" people claim. Imo, that also is a mistake]
God Bless.
It only took them 2000 years to dare to print the O.T name of God.