benelchi
INACTIVE
LORD is a common translation. The all caps is separates it from general "Lord". Adonai (which is actually is lord) was a common substitution for the word in ancient Jewish texts or when reading so it is somewhat fitting for it to be translated as LORD today.
Adon is Lord, Adonai is 'my Lords' (plural), but a special form is used when speaking of YHWH that sounds the same but is pointed slightly different. Additionally it is used with singular verbs in the same way that Elohim when speaking about YHWH is used with singular verbs.
Example: וְיִתֵּ֥ן אֲדֹנָ֖י בְּיַ֥ד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (1 Ki. 22:6 BHS)
However I believe YHWH as a sacred name of God is a misnomer. The name came from Exodus 3:15 but in context God tells us the name in Exodus 3:14 where he tells Moses to say "I AM has sent me to you" And that's his name... "I AM" of course this isn't a name at all this is a state of being that is above all names so I think we miss the point when we exalt this name.
In Hebrew the word for "name" is shem. Hebrew is an extremely concrete language and "name" is too abstract of a translation. the word is directly related to breath (neshamah) and is like saying the reputation, character or "breath" of God. Exodus 3:15 doesn't stop at YHWH and it says
Exodus 3:15
“Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘[YHWH], the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My [shem] forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations"
This is the "shem of God" not the name of God and it doesn't stop at the first 4 letters.
First, the idea of a 'name' (shem) is a very concrete idea in biblical Hebrew and 'name' is used very similarly to the way it is used in English. Examples:
וַיִּקְרָ֧א הָֽאָדָ֛ם שֵׁ֥ם אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ חַוָּ֑ה כִּ֛י הִ֥וא הָֽיְתָ֖ה אֵ֥ם כָּל־חָֽי (Gen. 3:20 BHS)
And the man called his wife Eve because she was the mother of all living.
וַיִּקְרָ֤א שֵׁם־הָֽאַחַת֙ יְמִימָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית קְצִיעָ֑ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֖ית קֶ֥רֶן הַפּֽוּךְ (Job 42:14 BHS)
And he called the name of the first Jemimah, and the name of the second Cassia, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch.
Second, and more importantly, you cannot separate Ex. 3:14 from 3:15 this way, the name spoken of in 3:15 refers to the "I AM" of 3:14.
YHWH is related to HYH (hayah). What is hayah? It is the "I AM" in verse 14 that was originally spoken as the name.
HYH is the root from which the "I AM" in verse 14 is derived but, as conjugated, the form would be the 3rd person perfect singular i.e. "He was."
YHWH can in fact be the 2nd person singular of Hayah (pronounced as "Yihweh")... so not "I AM" but "HE IS".
"He is" correct for YHWH, but that is 3rd person imperfect singular, not 2nd person. 2nd person is "You are."
So again this name is not a name at all, it is a state of being. God is above languages and names. His "shem" is the all existent, eternal one, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jews, Christians and Muslims alike agree on this regardless of the words they use and it shows us that his character, his "shem" has transcended religions and cultures.
It is a name, and very similar to other Semitic names of the time. Almost all names in biblical Hebrew were also parts of every day vocabulary. One of the struggles beginning Hebrew students have when reading the bible is distinguishing between names and common words.
Example: נתן נתן את הספר לדויד (Nathan gave the book to David) or (natan Natan et hasepher l'Dawid)
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