The Proper Name of the CREATOR

                                                                Part 6: Biblical Names Containing a Shortened Form of "Yahweh"

                                                                                                              By Ken Burns

According to Isa. 42:8, the proper name of the CREATOR of the heavens and the earth is Yahweh:

    I am Yahweh, that is my Name, And my glory to another will I not give, Nor my praise to images. (Rotherham's Emphasized Bible)

    I am Yahweh, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to engraved images. (New Jerusalem Bible)

"Yahweh" is composed of the four Hebrew letters yodh-he-waw-he, and is often represented in English as YHWH and sometimes as YHVH or JHVH. The first letter of the CREATOR's name in Hebrew--i.e., yodh--is correctly represented in English as a "Y," as there is no equivalent in the Hebrew alphabet to the English letter "J" (http://www.jewfaq.org/alephbet.htm). In addition, although Modern Hebrew uses the letter waw as the "v" sound in "vine," Biblical Hebrew uses it as the "w" sound in "wine" (http://www.derech.org/waw.html). Consequently, YHWH is used in this article to represent the spelling of the CREATOR's name in Hebrew.

The full form of the CREATOR's name--i.e., the four Hebrew letters YHWH (Yahweh)-occurs 6,824 times in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible according to the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (http://www.blueletterbible.org/index.html); i.e., 6,519 times as Yehovah (Strong's #3068) and 305 times as Yehovih (Strong's #3069). The reason these two related words both came to represent the single name of the CREATOR is as follows. Beginning around the 6th century B.C., Jews began to replace YHWH (Yahweh) vocally in the synagogue ritual with the Hebrew word adonai (“My Lord”), which was translated as kyrios (“Lord”) in the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. When the Jewish scribes known as the Masoretes worked during the 6th to the 10th centuries A.D. to reproduce the original text of the Hebrew Bible, they replaced the vowels of the name YHWH (Yahweh) with the vowel signs of the Hebrew word adonai, and that is how the artificial name "Jehovah" (YeHoWaH, Strong's #3068) came to be. Similarly, when YHWH followed adonai in the Hebrew Old Testament, as in Gen. 15:2, 8 (i.e., adonai YHWH, "Lord Yahweh"), the Masoretes replaced the vowels signs of YHWH with those of the Hebrew word elohim (i.e., "God") in order to avoid having to say adonai adonai ( i.e., "Lord, Lord"), and that explains where "Yehovih" (Strong's #3069) came from. Strong's #3068 and #3069 are simply variations of the same word (i.e., YHWH) with different sets of vowels associated with the four consonants of the CREATOR’s name (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=79806).

The King James Version (KJV) closely imitated the translating decision made earlier by William Tyndale in normally representing YHWH in the Hebrew text as "LORD" in small capitals (when it is Strong’s #3068) and as “GOD” in small capitals (when it is Strong’s #3069-i.e., usually when it follows adonai, thus “Lord GOD”). In seven of the 6,824 occurrences of YHWH in the Hebrew text, the KJV represented it as “Jehovah”: Exod. 6:3; Ps. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; Isa. 26:4; Gen. 22:14 (“Jehovahjireh”); Exod. 17:15 (“Jehovahnissi”); and Jud. 6:24 (“Jehovahshalom”). In the late 1800's and early 1900's--recognizing that YHWH was the proper name of the CREATOR--the Darby Translation, the Young’s Literal Translation (by Robert Young, who authored Young’s Analytical Concordance), and the American Standard Version all used “Jehovah” throughout the Old Testament. Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible, the Jerusalem Bible, the New Jerusalem Bible, and the World English Bible all use “Yahweh” to represent YHWH throughout the Old Testament.

That background information now brings us to the focus of this present article. According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, the Hebrew word YH (“Yah”--Strong’s #3050)-a shortened form or contraction of “Yahweh”-occurs 49 times in the Hebrew text underlying the KJV (http://www.blueletterbible.org/index.html). In all but Ps. 68:4, the KJV renders it as “Lord”:

Ps 68:4:
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him. (KJV-emphasis added)

Ps. 68:4:
Sing ye to God, Make music of his Name, Lift up (a song), to him that rideth through the waste plains, Since Yah is his name, exult ye before him. (Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible-emphasis added)

A shortened form of Yahweh is also found in many Hebrew names in the Bible. Here is some additional information from some scholarly sources:

Among the 163 proper names which bear an element of the sacred name [i.e., YHWH, Yahweh] in their composition, 48 have yeho or yo at the beginning, and 115 have yahu or yah [at] the end, . . . Driver (Studia Biblica, I, 5) has shown that these short forms [i.e., yeho, yo, yahu, yah] are the regular abbreviations of the full name [i.e., Yahweh]. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08329a.htm]

These names [e.g., the ones containing an element of the name YHWH, Yahweh] have for their other component element either a verb or a noun. In the former case, the Divine name is the subject of the verb (. . . Jonathan, “Yahweh gave”); in the latter the Divine name may be regarded again as the subject, and the noun as the predicate [Joshua, “Yah is salvation”]. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10675a.htm]

The form of Yahweh incorporated into names in the northern kingdom of Israel differed from that used in the southern kingdom of Judah. In the north Yo- (YW) was generally used at the beginning of a name and -yo (YW) or -yah (YH) at the end of a name. In Judah it was Yeho- (YHW) at the beginning of a name (as in the cuneiform example mentioned above) and -yahu (YHW) at the end. [Robert Deutsch, “First Impression: What We Learn from King Ahaz's Seal,” Biblical Archaeology Review, May/June, 1998.]

These shortened forms of Yahweh at the beginning of Hebrew names in the KJV generally appear as “Jo-” (as in “Joel”) or “Jeho-” (as in “Jehoshaphat”). At the end of Hebrew names, the shortened forms generally appear as “-iah” (as in “Isaiah”) or as “-jah” (as in “Elijah”). Here is an extensive list of these names (and please note that not all biblical names ending in “-iah” contain “Yah”):

Hebrew Names Containing a Short Form of “Yahweh” Beginning with “Yo-” (= “Jo-” in KJV)

Joab, Yow’ab [“Yahweh is (the) father”; Strong’s # 3097]
Joah, Yow’ach [“Yahweh is brother”; Strong’s # 3098]
Joash (a) [“Given by Yahweh” or “Fire of Yahweh”; Strong’s # 3101]
Joash (b) [“Yahweh hastens”; Strong’s #3135 (from #3068 and #5798)]
Jochebed [“Yahweh is glory”; Strong’s #3115]
Joed [“Yahweh is witness”; Strong’s #3133]
Joezer [“Yahweh is help”; Strong’s #3134]
Joel, Yoel [“Yahweh is God”; Strong’s #3100]
Joha [“Yahweh gives life”; Strong’s #3109]
Johanan [“Yahweh has graced”; Strong’s #3110 (a form of Strong’s #3076)]
Joiada [“Yahweh knows”; Strong’s #3111 (a form of Strong’s #3077)]
Joiakim [“Yahweh raises up”; Strong’s #3113 (a form of Strong’s #3079)]
Joiarib [“Yahweh contends”; Strong’s #3114 (a form of Strong’s #3080)]
Jokim [“Yahweh raises up”; Strong’s #3137 (a form of Strong’s #3113)]
Jonadab [“Yahweh is willing”; Strong’s #3122 (a form of Strong’s #3082)]
Jonathan (a) [“Yahweh has given”; Strong’s #3129 (a form of Strong’s #3083)]
Jonathan (b) [“Yahweh has given”; Strong’s #3083]
Jorai [“Yahweh has taught me”; Strong’s #3140 (a form of #3384)]
Joram [“Yahweh is exalted”; Strong’s #3141 (a form of Strong’s #3088)]
Josabad (= Jozabad)
Joseph [“Yahweh has added”; Strong’s #3084; a fuller form of #3130]
Joseph, Yosef [“Yahweh will add” or “Yahweh has added”; Strong’s # 3130]
Joshah [“Yahweh makes equal”; Strong’s #3144 (prob. a form of #3145)]
Joshaphat [“Yahweh judges”; Strong’s #3146 (a form of #3092)]
Joshaviah [“Yahweh makes equal”; Strong’s #3145]
Josiah, Yo’shiyah [“Yahweh supports” or “Whom Yahweh heals”; Strong’s #2977]
Josibiah [“Yahweh causes to dwell”; Strong’s #3143]
Jotham [“Yahweh is upright” or “Yahweh is perfect”; Strong’s #3147]
Jozabad [“Yahweh has endowed”; Strong’s #3107]
Jozachar [“Yahweh remembers”; Strong’s #3108]
Jozadak [“Yahweh is righteous”; Strong’s #3136 (a form of #3087)]

Hebrew Names Containing a Short Form of “Yahweh” beginning with “Yeho-” (= “Jeho-” in KJV)

Jehoadah [“Yahweh has adorned”; Strong’s #3085]
Jehoaddan [“Yahweh delights”; Strong’s #3086]
Jehoahaz, Yow’achaz [“Yahweh has grasped”; Strong’s # 3099]
Jehoash, Yeho-ash [“Given by Yahweh”; Strong’s # 3060]
Jehohanan [“Yahweh has graced”; Strong’s #3076]
Jehoiachin [“Yahweh establishes”; Strong’s #3078]
Jehoiachin [“Yahweh establishes”; Strong’s #3112 (a form of Strong’s #3078)]
Jehoiada [“Yahweh knows”; Strong’s #3077]
Jehoida ( = Joida)
Jehoiakim [“Yahweh raises up”; Strong’s #3079]
Jehoiarib [“Yahweh contends”; Strong’s #3080]
Jehonadab [“Yahweh is willing”; Strong’s #3082]
Jehonathan [= Jonathan (b)]
Jehoram [“Yahweh is exalted”; Strong’s #3088]
Jehoshabeath [“Yahweh is an oath”; Strong’s #3090]
Jehoshaphat (a), Yehoshapat ["Yahweh has judged"; Strong’s #3092]
Jehoshaphat (b = Joshaphat)
Jehosheba [“Yahweh has sworn”; Strong’s #3089]
Jehoshua (=Joshua)
Jehozabad [“Yahweh has endowed”; Strong’s #3075]
Jehozadak ["Yahweh (is) righteous"; Strong’s #3087]
Joahaz (= Jehoahaz)
Johanan (= Jehohanan)
Jonathan, Yehonatan [“Yahweh has given”; Strong’s # 3083]
Joram (= Jehoram)
Josedech (= Jehozadak)
Joshua, Yehoshua [“Yahweh is salvation”; Strong’s # 3091]

Hebrew Names in the Bible Ending in “-yo”, “-yah”, or “-yahu-” (= “-iah” or “-jah” in KJV)

Abia (= Abijah)
Abiah (= Abijah)
Abijah, 'Abiyah [“Yahweh is (my) father”; Strong’s #29]
Adaiah, `Adayah [“Yahweh has adorned Himself”; Strong’s #5718]
Adonijah, 'Adoniyah [“My lord is Yahweh”; Strong’s #138]
Ahaziah, 'Achazyah [“Yahweh holds”; Strong’s #274]
Ahiah (= Ahijah)
Ahijah, 'Achiyah [“Brother of Yahweh”; Strong’s #281]
Amariah, 'Amaryah [“Yahweh speaks/has said” or “Yah(u) has promised”; S’s #568]
Amaziah, 'Amatsyah [“Yahweh is mighty”; Strong’s #558]
Anaiah, `Anayah [“Yahweh has answered”; Strong’s #6043]
Asahiah (= Asaiah)
Asaiah, `Asayah [“Made by Yahweh”; Strong’s #6222]
Athaiah, `Athayah [“Yahweh has helped”; Strong’s #6265]
Athaliah, `Athalyah [“Afflicted of Yahweh”; Strong’s #6271]
Azariah [“Yahweh is my help”; Strong’s #5838]
Azaziah, `Azazyahuw [“Yahweh is mighty”; Strong’s #5812]
Bedeiah [“Servant of Yahweh”; Strong’s #912 (prob. a short form of #5662)]
Benaiah [“Yahweh has built” or “Yahweh has built up”; Strong’s #1141]
Berachiah (= Berechiah)
Beraiah [“Yahweh has created”; Strong’s #1256]
Berechiah, Berekyah [“Yahweh blesses”; Strong’s #1296]
Bithiah, Bithyah [“Daughter of Yahweh”; Strong’s #1332]
Bukkiah, Buqqiyah [“Yahweh has emptied”; Strong’s #1232]
Conaniah (= Cononiah)
Cononiah, Kownanyahuw [“Yahweh has established”; Strong’s #3562]
Dalaiah (= Delaiah)
Delaiah [“Yahweh has drawn”; Strong’s #1806]
Eliah (= Elijah)
Elijah, 'Eliyah [“My God is Yahweh” or “Yahweh is God”; Strong’s #452]
Gedaliah [“Yahweh is great”; Strong’s #1436]
Gemariah [“Yahweh has accomplished”; Strong’s #1587]
Habaiah, Chabayah [“Yahweh has hidden”; Strong’s #2252]
Habaziniah, Chabatstsanyah [“Light of Yahweh”; Strong’s #2262]
Hachaliah, Chakalyah [“Whom Yahweh enlightens”; Strong’s #2446]
Haggiah, Chaggiyah [“Festival of Yahweh”; Strong’s #2293]
Hananiah [“Yahweh has favored” or “Gift of Yahweh”; Strong’s #2068]
Harhaiah, Charhayah [“Fear of Yahweh”; Strong’s #2736]
Hasadiah, Chacadyah [“Yahweh has been faithful”; Strong’s #2619]
Hashabiah, Chashabyah [“Yahweh has considered”; Strong’s #2811]
Hashabniah [“Whom Yahweh regards”; Strong’s #2813]
Hazaiah, Chazayah [“Yahweh has seen”; Strong’s #2382]
Hezekiah, Hizqiyah [“Yahweh has made strong” or “Yahweh strengthens”; S’s #3169]
Hilkiah, Chilqiyah [“My portion is Yahweh”; Strong’s #2518]
Hodaiah [“Praise ye Yahweh”; Strong’s #1939]
Hodaviah, Howdavyah [“Praise ye Yahweh”; Strong’s #1938]
Hodijah, Howdiyah [“My majesty is Yahweh”; Strong’s #1941]
Hoshaiah, Howsha`yah [“Yahweh has saved”; Strong’s #1955]
Igdaliah [“Yahweh is great”; Strong’s # 3012]
Irijah, Yir'iyah [“Yahweh sees me”; Strong’s #3376]
Isaiah, Yesha’yahu [“Yahweh is salvation” or “Yahweh saves/has saved”; S’s #3470]
Ishiah [“Yahweh will lend”; Strong’s #3449]
Ishijah (= Ishiah)
Ismachiah, Yicmakyahuw [“Yahweh sustains”; Strong’s #3253]
Ishmaiah [“Yahweh will hear”; Strong’s #3460]
Ismaiah (= Ishmaiah)
Isshiah (= Ishiah)
Izrahiah [“Yahweh will shine”; Strong’s #3156]
Jaazaniah, Ya'azanyah [“Yahweh hears”; Strong’s #2970]
Jahaziah [“Yahweh views”; Strong’s #3167]
Jeberechiah [“Yahweh blesses”; Strong’s # 3000]
Jecamiah (= Jekamiah)
Jeconiah [“Yahweh will establish”; Strong’s #3204]
Jedaiah (a) [“Praised of Yahweh”; Strong’s # 3042 (#3034 + #3050)]
Jedaiah (b) [“Yahweh has known”; Strong’s # 3048 (#3045 + #3050)]
Jedidiah [“Beloved of Yahweh”; Strong’s #3041]
Jehdeiah [“Yahweh is unity”; Strong’s #3165]
Jehiah [“Yahweh lives”; Strong’s #3174]
Jehizkiah (= Hezikiah)
Jekamiah [“Yahweh raises”; Strong’s #3359]
Jeremiah, Yirmeyahu [“Whom Yahweh has appointed” or “Yahweh lifts up”; S’s #3414]
Jeriah [“Taught by Yahweh”; Strong’s #3404]
Jerijah (= Jeriah)
Jesaiah (= Isaiah)
Jeshaiah (= Isaiah)
Jeshohaiah [“Yahweh humbles”; Strong’s #3439]
Jesiah (= Ishiah)
Jezaniah [“Yahweh has listened”; Strong’s #3153]
Jeziah [“Yahweh sprinkles”; Strong’s #3150]
Jezrahiah (= Izrahiah)
Josiah, Y'ash-yahu [“Whom Yahweh heals” or “Yahweh supports”; Strong’s #2977]
Josibiah, Yowshibyah [“Yahweh causes to dwell”; Strong’s #3143]
Josiphiah [“Yahweh adds”; Strong’s #3131]
Kelaiah, Qelayah [“Yahweh has dishonoured”; Strong’s #7041]
Kolaiah, Qowlayah [“Voice of Yahweh”; Strong’s #6964]
Kushaiah, Quwshayahuw [“Bow of Yahweh”; Strong’s #6984]
Maaseiah, Ma`aseyah [“Work of Yahweh”; Strong’s #4641]
Maaziah, Ma`azyah [“Consolation of Yahweh”; Strong’s #4590]
Malchiah, Malkiyah [“My king is Yahweh”; Strong’s #4441]
Malchijah (= Malchiah)
Mattaniah, Mattanyah [“Gift of Yahweh”; Strong’s #4983]
Mattithiah, Mattithyah [“Gift of Yahweh”; Strong’s #4993]
Melchiah (= Malchiah)
Meshelemiah [“Who Yahweh repays”; Strong’s #4920]
Micaiah [“Who is like God”; Strong’s #4321]
Michah (= Micaiah)
Michaiah (= Micaiah)
Mikneiah, Miqneyahuw [“Possession of Yahweh”; Strong’s #4737]
Moriah, Moriyah [“Chosen by Yahweh” or “Seen of Yahweh”; Strong’s #4179]
Neariah, Ne`aryah [“Servant of Yahweh”; Strong’s #5294]
Nedabiah [“Whom Yahweh impels”; Strong’s #5072]
Nehemiah [“Yahweh comforts”or “Comforted by Yahweh”; Strong’s #5166]
Neriah, Neriyah [“Lamp of Yahweh”; Strong’s #5374; 1st occ.: Jer. 32:12]
Nethaniah [“Given of Yahweh”; Strong’s #5418]
Noadiah, Now`adyah [“Meeting with Yahweh”; Strong’s #5129]
Obadiah, Obadyah [“Servant of Yahweh” or “Worshiper of Yahweh”; Strong’s #5662]
Pedaiah [“Yahweh has ransomed”; Strong’s #6305]
Pekahiah [“Yahweh sees”; Strong’s #6494]
Pelaiah [“Yahweh does wonders”; Strong’s #6411]
Pelatiah [“Yahweh delivers”; Strong’s #6410]
Pethahiah [“Freed by Yahweh”; Strong’s #6611]
Ramiah, Ramyah [“Yahweh has loosened”; Strong’s #7422]
Reaia (= Reaiah)
Reaiah [“Yahweh has seen”; Strong’s #7211]
Rehabiah [“Yahweh has enlarged”; Strong’s #7345]
Reelaiah [“Bearer of Yahweh”; Strong’s #7480]
Rephaiah [“Healed of Yahweh”: Strong’s #7509]
Semachiah [“Yahweh has sustained”; Strong’s #5565]
Seraiah [“Yahweh is ruler”; Strong’s #8304]
Shamariah (= Shemariah)
Sheariah [“Valued by Yahweh”; Strong’s #8187]
Shebaniah [“Increased by Yahweh”; Strong’s #7645]
Shecaniah (=Shechaniah)
Shechaniah [“Dweller with Yahweh”; Strong’s #7935]
Shelemiah, Shelemyah [“Repaid by Yahweh”; Strong’s #8018]
Shemaiah [“Heard by Yahweh”; Strong’s #8098]
Shemariah [“Kept by Yahweh”; Strong’s #8114]
Shephatiah [“Yahweh has judged”; Strong’s #8203]
Sherebiah, Sherebyah [“Yahweh has scorched”; Strong’s #8274]
Tobadonijah [“My Lord Yahweh is good”; Strong’s #2899]
Tobiah [“Yahweh is good”; Strong’s #2900]
Tobijah (= Tobiah)
Uriah, Uriyah [“Yahweh is my light” or “Yahweh is my flame”; Strong’s #223]
Urijah (= Uriah)
Uzziah, `Uzziyah [“My strength is Yahweh”; Strong’s #5818]
Zebadiah [“Endowment of Yahweh”; Strong’s #2069]
Zechariah, Zecharyah [“Yahweh remembers” or “Remembrance of Yahweh”; S’s #2148]
Zedekiah, Tsidqiyah [“Yahweh is righteous” or “Justice of Yahweh”; Strong’s #6667]
Zephaniah, Tsephanyah [“Yahweh has treasured” or “Yahweh protects”; Strong’s #6846]
Zerahiah [“Yahweh has risen”; Strong’s #2228]
Zidkijah (= Zedekiah)

Other Names

Elihoenai (= Elioenai)
Elioenai [“Unto Yahweh are my eyes”; Strong’s #454]
Jehu, Yehuw’ [“Yahweh is He”; Strong’s # 3058]
Jehucal [“Yahweh is able”; Strong’s # 3081]
Jucal [“Yahweh is able”; Strong’s #3116 (a form of Strong’s #3081)]

If you know of other names which contain a shortened form of “Yahweh” that I have not listed above, please let me know.

In GOD’s love, Ken Burns

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