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JEHOVAH or YAHWEH


          The ancient scriptures did not use any vowels. God’s name was written as YHWH by Moses. What gives us the right to claim how it should be pronounced? Germanic languages would lead you to Jehovah, while other languages would lead you to Yahweh. It has been a long time and I do not remember the exact way Moses said it. Besides Moses had a speech impediment Footnote 1 and he surely mispronounced it. Perhaps we should call God: I AM (always with you.) Footnote 2 After all, this is a translation of God’s words to Moses. I do not believe that God made actual sounds when talking to Moses. I believe the thoughts and concepts were put directly into Moses’ mind in God’s Word. It has always been extremely difficult to totally and perfectly communicate with words. Besides even over a short time period, meanings of words change in every society.


          Reread that last sentence! Did I just hint that the Bible (as we know it) may be inaccurate? I believe the origins of the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, but I do not necessarily believe the translators to be totally accurate. Even if you speak the original languages, over the hundreds of years separating the time of the original writing and now, the language surely has been corrupted. Look for the total message, not individual phrases or passages. If you see this concept in other chapters of my book, that is intentional.


El Shaddai


          Abram’s God called Himself: “El Shaddai.” Footnote 3 The usual translation is “Almighty God” but I like the translation as “Mountain God.” In the time of Abram (or Abraham) people tended to go to a high place to worship. They would climb a mountain. Hagar called God “El Roi.” Footnote 4 El Roi means “God of Vision.” God accepted ownership of “El Shaddai” and tied it together with “YHWH” in Exodus 6:1-3.

Footnotes:
1.   Exodus 4:10 and Exodus 5:12
2.   Exodus 3:14
3.   Genesis 17:1
4.   Genesis 16:13

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