Chapter 1

THE HEBREW TETRAGRAMMATON

The name of God is sometimes called "Tetragrammaton" meaning four-letter-word. The four letters are Yohdh (= I ), He' (= O), Waw (= U) and a second He' (= O). These Hebrew characters form the word OUOI, the Hebrew name of God which is read from right to left. The Hebrew characters of OUOI are corresponding with JHVH or in English YHWH [jhwh]. In old Hebrew characters the name of God was written (8th century B.C.E.) (1): xyxz

How is this Hebrew word of the name of God pronounced? How does the name of God sound? Since YHWH are four consonants, which vowels have to be inserted in between these consonants?

It is claimed that today nobody among mankind knows the exact and precise pronunciation of God's name.

Psalm 148:13 reads: "Let them praise the name of OUOI, for his name alone is unreachably high." Why is the Name unreachably high, while it was possible to destroy its pronunciation? Isn't that an obvious contradiction? On the other hand if the name of God really was unreachably high, then OUOI should have succeeded anyhow in preserving the exact original pronunciation of his name (compare Exodus 34:14). We must expect that this original pronunciation  didn't get lost totally, and that any sincere searcher for this pronunciation can find it at any time. It even should be relatively easy to find (Acts 14:17).


(1) Compare: Aid to Bible Understanding, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 1971, p. 1675, subheading: Writing

 

[Home] [Introduction] [Study] [Download] [Feedback]

(c) Kurt M. Niedenfuehr 2001 - All Rights Reserved