JEHOVAH

the proper name of the God of Israel. It is now agreed that it should more properly be called Jahweh, the form Jehovah having arisen through the addition to the consonants of the vowels of Adonai (Hebrew, ‘My Lord’), Jahweh itself being too sacred was not pronounced. When the Jews read | the Scriptures aloud, it was always read ‘Adonai.’ In the Eng. versions it is rendered ‘The Lord,’ though this somewhat fobscures the fact that it was originally the name simply of a tribal deity. Ac. cording to Hzodus 314, the name was revealed: to Moses 2 on Mount Hebron Moses in J. it is used from the begin ing (E and P have Elohim, ‘God,’ in Genesis;)| thus there were varying traditions of its origin. Its etymological significance is disputed, but it is probably from the verb hay ah (to be), and means the self-existent or unchangeable One, the One who is, |