The Biblical Meaning of “I AM”

 

Meaning of the name ‘I AM’ in the Bible

Jesus referred to himself as “I AM” seven times in the Book of John. In Greek (Ego eimi or Ἐγώ εἰμί) literary means “I AM,” “It is I,” or “I Exist.” Although a verb, it is used not with the role of a verb (an emphatic form of the copulative verb) but the role of a name. 

John 8:57-58
The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth before Abraham was even born, I Am!”

I AM and YHWH Interaction

The ineffable and unutterable name YHWH (transliterated in English as Yahweh) is best known from the famous “I AM” interaction with Moses (Exodus 3).

It means God has always existed and will always exist (אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה or I will be who I will be). Jesus says the same thing, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” (Rev. 1:8)

In the ancient world, names carried with it a person’s character. Thus, there is meaning to every name. God in His infinite sovereignty chose to reveal Himself in the name YHWH, which no one knows how to truly pronounce.

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Revelation 1:8
“ I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 

“He is” and “Yahweh”

In Exodus 3:13-14, Moses asks God, “Whom should I say has sent me?” and God responds, “I AM that I AM.” It would be awkward for Moses to say to Pharaoh, “I am has sent me.” Therefore in Exodus 3:15, God uses the phrase “Tell them that ‘He is’ has sent you.”

The word “He is” comes from the Hebrew root word haya, which means “to be.” It is the third person form of this word, “He is,” that becomes the name, Yahweh.

The etymology of God’s name

God’s name in the Bible are attributes. For example, Abba, Elohim, El Roi, Elyon, and variations of Jehovah. The original Hebrew name of God was written as YHWH or JHVH in Latin.

Vowels were later added when the Hebrew language became extinct giving us the name “YaHWeH” or “JeHoVaH,” which is not to say it is the correct pronunciation.

Ancient Israelites would never use “Jehovah” for God. It is a hybrid because no one knows for sure how YHWH is pronounced. Jehovah is an artificial word bearing no relation to the name of the God of Israel in biblical times, merely a vocalization of consonants and vowels.

JEHOVAH IS NOT THE REAL NAME OF GOD. IT IS A COMBINATION OF CONSONANTS AND VOWELS TO REMIND READERS OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WAS WRITTEN AND SPOKEN.

YHWH is not the same as “Jehovah,” the proper pronunciation in Hebrew is unknown, it is ineffable

Around 500 BC, the Jews became very concerned with “not blaspheming” the name of the Lord. His name is sacred, and no one knows the correct way of saying YHWH, JHVH, or YHVH (יהוה). We say “YaHWeH” as a transliteration in English (vowels added).

Rather than say “Yahweh,” the Jews said “Elohim,” which is Hebrew for “one God.” However, how do you say it when one comes across YHWH during a reading of the Scriptures?

YHWH, Elohim, Adonai, Yehovah to Jehovah

The Jews decided that when the name “YHWH” was to be read, they should use “Adonay.” Adonai is a title, not a word. It literary means “My Lords” or a boy’s name.

Where did the name Jehovah come from?

In the Middle Ages, scholars began to read the consonants of “YHWH,” Yud, Hey, Vav, Hey, or Yod Heh Vav Heh. The vowel sounds passed orally, and Hebrew scholars often do not know with absolute confidence how some Hebrew words were pronounced, such as YHWH.

By combining the consonants “YHWH” with the vowels “AOA” (from Adonai), the sound “YA, HO, WAH” or written as “Yehowah” came to be. It is technically an attributed “vocal sound” of the Tetragrammaton that the Jews used to pronounce God’s name.

TYNDALE AND LUTHER BIBLES

“Jehovah” first appeared in the William Tyndale Pentateuch English Bible in 1530. Unfortunately, his translations were condemned in England, banned and copies burned.

In 1534, Martin Luther published his complete translation in the German language. Germans pronounce “Y” as “J” and “W” as “V” that’s why we spell it as “JehoVah” in English. Although the Lutherbibel wasn’t the first German translation, after Gutenberg invented the printing press in Germany, this translation widely circulated and became most influential.

GERMANS PRONOUNCE “Y” AS “J” AND “W” AS “V.” THAT’S WHY WE SPELL IT AS “JEHOVAH.”

What is the real name of God?

When Moses asked God’s name (Ex 3:14), He answered “ehyeh’ ăšer’ ehyeh” (אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה) or “I will be who I will be.” There are no Hebrew words for “am, is or are.” This is why “I am who I am” is not a correct translation but was added to make it grammatically correct. However, Jesus referred to Himself as “I AM.”

There is no way for us to know how to speak the real name of God, written as YHWH in the Hebrew Bible (CARM). The proper name to use for God is “I AM” (Ego eimi or Ἐγώ εἰμί, literary means “I AM”). Jesus referred to himself as “I AM” seven times in the Book of John.

“Yeshua” is also the original Hebrew name of “Jesus,” which came into use sometime in the 1500s. Before that, it was the Latin translation, “Iesus.” This is why “INRI” means “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum.”

Revelation 22:13

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.“

TRANSLITERATION OF THE NAMES OF GODYHWH (יְהֹוָה)Elohim (Word for God in general)Adonai (Title of Lord)YeHoVaH (Consonants of YHWH and vowels AOA from the word Adonai)Jehovah (Latinization of Yehovah)