By Edwin Alberto Madera | Investigative Researcher
Among Jehovah’s Witnesses, the name “Jehovah” is central to identity, doctrine, and religious practice. However, historical and linguistic research reveals that “Jehovah” is not an original term found in the Hebrew Scriptures, but rather a constructed form that emerged centuries after the Old Testament was written. This article examines the roots of the divine name, the evolution of the Tetragrammaton, and the scholarly consensus on the pronunciation of God’s name—ultimately challenging the doctrinal certainty claimed by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The name of God in the Hebrew Bible appears nearly 7,000 times as YHWH (יהוה), a four-letter representation known as the Tetragrammaton. This form lacks vowels and was never pronounced aloud by observant Jews after a certain period, due to growing reverence for the divine name.
“The divine name is a tetragrammaton (YHWH), which is written in Hebrew without vowels.”
— Watchtower, December 1, 1983, p. 6
The Hebrew alphabet during the biblical period was written consonantally, without the system of vowel points which were added much later (6th–10th century CE) by the Masoretes. Thus, no vowel sounds are recorded for the Tetragrammaton, and its original pronunciation is lost to history.
The pronunciation “Jehovah” is a hybrid, created in the Middle Ages by combining the consonants of YHWH with the vowel points of "Adonai" (meaning “Lord” in Hebrew). This was not intended as a real pronunciation, but as a reminder for Jewish readers to say Adonai instead of attempting to vocalize the sacred name.
“By combining the vowel signs of ‘Adonai’ with the consonants of the Tetragrammaton the artificial name ‘Jehovah’ was produced.”
— Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 5 (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society)
“Most scholars believe that the name ‘Jehovah’ is a hybrid form and not the original pronunciation of the divine name.”
— New Catholic Encyclopedia (2003), vol. 7, p. 972
This blending led to the form “Yehowah,” which eventually became "Jehovah" through Latinization by European translators like William Tyndale in the 16th century.
Most biblical scholars agree: the actual pronunciation of YHWH is unknown and has been lost due to the lack of vowels and the discontinuation of pronouncing the name orally for religious reasons.
“The pronunciation Jehovah is an artificial hybrid... The actual pronunciation of YHWH is not known.”
— Encyclopaedia Judaica, Vol. 7, p. 680
“The true pronunciation of this name, by now lost, was never vocalized in the Hebrew text.”
— The Oxford Companion to the Bible (1993), p. 281
Even Watchtower literature concedes this point:
“The truth is that nobody today knows for sure how the name of God was originally pronounced in Hebrew.”
— The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever (WT Publication, 2001), p. 7
This admission directly contradicts the dogmatic emphasis placed on the name “Jehovah” by the Watchtower organization in public preaching and theology.
Despite acknowledging that “Jehovah” is not the original pronunciation, Jehovah’s Witnesses build a significant portion of their identity around this form. They teach that “true Christians” must use God’s name and even identify their religion by it.
Yet the name itself is a medieval linguistic Frankenstein.
“It is very likely that the name was pronounced ‘Yahweh.’”
— Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 6
Why then, the insistence on “Jehovah”? The Watchtower has justified it on grounds of familiarity:
“Therefore, while many favor the spelling ‘Yahweh,’ the form ‘Jehovah’ is more familiar to people today and has been in use for centuries.”
— The divine Name That Will Endure Forever, p. 8
This statement reveals a concession to tradition over historical accuracy—a peculiar position for a religion that claims to reject all “pagan,” “apostate” and non-biblical traditions.
The evidence is clear:
And yet, Jehovah’s Witnesses preach the name “Jehovah” as though it were divinely revealed. The dissonance between doctrinal certainty and historical uncertainty is glaring.
It is time to stop pretending that tradition equals truth.
Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1988.
The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever. Watchtower, 2001.
Encyclopaedia Judaica, Vol. 7. Keter Publishing, 1971.
New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd Ed. Vol. 7, 2003.
The Oxford Companion to the Bible. Bruce Metzger & Michael D. Coogan, 1993.
Tigay, Jeffrey H. You Shall Have No Other Gods. Hebrew Union College, 1986.