Christians and Jews: Is it ever proper to say "Yahweh" or "Jehovah" (YHWH)?

Question

I heard that people should NEVER say the Tetragrammaton because it is the revealed Name of God, and also because no one is 100% sure how to pronounce it. In the Bible it is always replaced with "the LORD" or "Adonai".

Personally I don't feel comfortable even typing it out (but I had to to ask the question so...), and I never say it out loud.

Answer 1

When the bible translators decided to leave Jehovah's name out of the bible they also lost the correct pronunciation of the Holy Name. But we are commissioned to publicize God's name . In fact when you pray the Lord's Prayer, given by Jesus he says Our Father, Hallowed be thy name...which means Let your name be sanctified or made holy.

How can we make it holy if we never use it?

We all have a personal name and must use the name of God as Jesus told us. And Jehovah himself said many times he was Jehovah and everyone will have to know his name.

He promised...The name of Jehovah is a strong tower and anyone running to it will be saved.

How can you have confidence in someone if you never call on them or speak to them?

We are encouraged to speak to God...to call his name...to praise his holy name.

Answer 2

we learn it in school so why not. I belive as long as you dont use it to swear then its okay. Like if your going to praise Yahweh then its okay

Answer 3

I'm still trying to figure out how the w got there when in the manuscripts it is clearly a v as in YHVH ya ha vA the reason it is replaced is because kin james' scholars feared to translate it wrong (which they did any way) the hebrew language has absolutely no written character, and consequently, sound for the letter "j" but in the manuscripts it is clearly written YHVH and when God himself says (to moses when he asks who he should say sent these commandments to the people) tell them YHVH or I am that I am so is it wrong? absolutely not He said to say it

Answer 4

For me to say it reminds me of Jehovah's witness people. So I do not say it to be seen as a follower of false doctrine as they are.

I have no problem saying Yahweh or God of Abraham, Isaac or Jacob. If you are talking about God it is okay to call Him by name. To take any of His names in vain is to commit a sin. You are fine and you can respond to God in a way that holds Him in the Highest reverence. This is what it means to fear the Lord, it is out of praise and reverence for Him to please Him.  

Answer 5

God himself want us to know His personal name and He revealed it to His ancient servants and recorded in the bible so we can also use His name,...

as what Psalms 83:18 says, God Himself ant all the people to know His name...

being not 100% sure how to pronounce His name is not a basis for not using His name,....by the way God knows if we are really trying to use His name..of course in different languages the name Yahweh or Jehovah may vary but the meaning of His name is still retained...

“I SHALL PROVE TO BE WHAT I SHALL PROVE TO BE.”

one thing is for sure, He like us to use His name..

and there's nothing wrong about it..

Answer 6

How important is God’s name? Consider the model prayer that Jesus Christ gave. It begins this way: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.” (Matthew 6:9) Later, Jesus prayed to God: “Father, glorify your name.” In response, God spoke from heaven, saying: “I both glorified it and will glorify it again.” (John 12:28) Clearly, God’s name is of the utmost importance. Why, then, have some translators left this name out of their translations of the Bible and replaced it with titles?

There seem to be two main reasons. First, many claim that the name should not be used because the original way to pronounce it is unknown today. Ancient Hebrew was written without vowels. Therefore, no one today can say for sure exactly how people of Bible times pronounced YHWH. However, should this prevent us from using God’s name? In Bible times, the name Jesus may have been pronounced Yeshua or possibly Yehoshua—no one can say for certain. Yet, people the world over today use different forms of the name Jesus, pronouncing it in the way that is common in their language. They do not hesitate to use the name just because they do not know its first-century pronunciation. Similarly, if you were to travel to a foreign land, you might well find that your own name sounds quite different in another tongue. Hence, uncertainty about the ancient pronunciation of God’s name is no reason for not using it.

A second reason often given for omitting God’s name from the Bible involves a long-standing tradition of the Jews. Many of them hold that God’s name should never be pronounced. This belief is evidently based on a misapplication of a Bible law that states: “You must not take up the name of Jehovah your God in a worthless way, for Jehovah will not leave the one unpunished who takes up his name in a worthless way.”—Exodus 20:7.

This law forbids the misuse of God’s name. But does it forbid the respectful use of his name? Not at all. The writers of the Hebrew Bible (the “Old Testament”) were all faithful men who lived by the Law that God gave to the ancient Israelites. Yet, they made frequent use of God’s name. For instance, they included it in many psalms that were sung out loud by crowds of worshipers. Jehovah God even instructed his worshipers to call upon his name, and faithful ones obeyed. (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21) Hence, Christians today do not hesitate to use God’s name respectfully, as Jesus surely did.—John 17:26.

In replacing God’s name with titles, Bible translators make a serious mistake. They make God seem remote and impersonal, whereas the Bible urges humans to cultivate “intimacy with Jehovah.” (Psalm 25:14) Think of an intimate friend of yours. How close would you really be if you never learned your friend’s name? Similarly, when people are kept in ignorance about God’s name, Jehovah, how can they become truly close to God? Furthermore, when people do not use God’s name, they also lack knowledge of its wonderful meaning. What does the divine name mean?

God himself explained the meaning of his name to his faithful servant Moses. When Moses asked about God’s name, Jehovah replied: “I shall prove to be what I shall prove to be.” (Exodus 3:14) Rotherham’s translation renders those words: “I Will Become whatsoever I please.” So Jehovah can become whatever is needed in order to fulfill his purposes.

Suppose that you could become whatever you wanted to become. What would you do for your friends? If one of them became seriously ill, you could become a skilled doctor and perform a cure. If another suffered a financial loss, you could become a wealthy benefactor and come to his rescue. The truth is, though, that you are limited in what you can become. All of us are. As you study the Bible, you will be amazed to see how Jehovah becomes whatever is needed in order to fulfill his promises. And it pleases him to use his power in behalf of those who love him. (2 Chronicles 16:9) These beautiful facets of Jehovah’s personality are lost to those who do not know his name.

Clearly, the name Jehovah belongs in the Bible. Knowing its meaning and using it freely in our worship are powerful aids in drawing closer to our heavenly Father, Jehovah.

Answer 7

If you do not use His name in prayer,

then how do you know which God / god

your prayer is being said to?

How would Jehovah know you are addressing Him?

The Jews stopped pronouncing His name out of their own

"man made traditions" saying His name is to sacred to pronounce.

That is Not what YHWH aka Jehovah wanted.

He had it recorded in the Bible for our use.

Ps 83:18; Ex 6:3; there's more,

Look! for it in your own Bible.

Oh, btw;

where ever you see LORD

that is where Jehovah's name was removed.

If it is, Lord, that's where the person said; Lord.

Jehovah's Witnesses use this name with the utmost

respect ,care, diligence, reverence,

love due to the Creator and Life-Giver of man.

The Sovereign Lord of the universe.

Answer 8

i'm comfortable saying it but then when would i lol  

Answer 9

It is God's name & God reveled it to us in the bible.

Ps 83:18

18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.KJV.

The churches have had it removed from thousands of scriptures in the bible as they do not want us to know God , so they can more easily keep us from finding the truth.

Do you really think saying Gods name ,even if pronounced wrong is a sin , seeing he choose to reveal it to mankind ?

Answer 10

GODS  name very important ,we are to make his name known and pray for it to be santified at matth.6;9n10.it is his name and everyone should know it ps.83 ;18 ,isa.12;2n 13,28. so why go by a superstition and not say it.jesus made his fathers name made known he never said,dont say it john 17;6 n 26 john 5;43 john12;12 n 13 n 28.it being the REVEALED name of agod MORE REASON TO SAY IT.as far as pronunciation it is closet we know so therefore should be used,in english it is JEHOVAH OR YAWEH .he says at isaiah 43;11 i - i am JEHOVAH and besides me there is no savior.12 says i myself have told forth and have saved and have caused it to be heard when there was among you strange 9(god) so you are my witnesses is the utturence of JEHOVAH and i amGOD.the bible even talks about the use of his name here at exodus 20 ;7 it says you must not take up the name of JEHOVAH your god in a worthless way ,for JEHOVAH will not leave the one unpunished who takes up his name in a worthless way.this shows it is to be said ,just not used in a worthless way.ps. 33;12 says happy is the one whose GOD is JEHOVAH.LIKE I SAID IT WAS A SUPERSISTION ON WHY IT WAS NOT SPOKE AND TOOK OUT OF BIBLE TRANSLATIONS,THEREFORE SILLY NOT TO SPEAK IT,WHEN THE BIBLE CLEARLY SHOWS HOW THE NAME IS SI IMPORTANT.IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT LOOK AT WWW.WATCHTOWER.ORG,it will explain bout the superstition better there.

Answer 11

It is not proper because of the reasons you mentioned.  

Answer 12

I don't think so.  In Judaism, it is typically wrong to pronounce or attempt to pronounce the Name of God.

However, as neither pronunciation you gave is correct and you're not Jewish, do as you please.