The two verses that reveal his name are found in Exodus 3:14 and Exodus 6:3.

In Exodus 3:13-15 God commands Moses to tell the people that ‘I AM’ sent him.

“Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, 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 name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.” Exodus 3:13-15

The Hebrew text for this phrase is “ehyeh asher ehyeh” and should be translated in the imperfect or future tense: “I will be what I will be” or “I will become what I please to become.” This name also reveals God’s relationship to His people — He becomes what His people need Him to become.

The word Yahweh, when used as a verb, means “He becometh” or “He will become.” When used as a name (noun) its meaning is “He who becometh” or “the becoming One.” In Genesis 2, this name is used to show God as the God of relationship — the One who created humanity specifically to have a personal connection with them.

A companion form of the word Yahweh, but in the first-person singular, is found in the word “ehyeh.” “Ehyeh” is the first‑person form (“I will be”), while YHWH/Yahweh is the third‑person form (“He will be”) used when humans refer to God.

Yahweh is the word another would use when speaking to third parties about the Most High. For example, Psalms 91:2 “I will say of Yahweh, He is my refuge and my fortress….” 

“Ehyeh” is the word God would use when speaking for Himself and of Himself, assuring His hearers that He would become or do as the occasion required.  He would be(come) what they needed Him to be(come).

Later in Exodus 6:3, God said to Moses, I used to appear to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai [Note: meaning the “Almighty” or “the God of heaven”], but I did not make myself known to them by my name YHWH.” This matches Exodus 6:3, where God explains that the patriarchs knew Him as El Shaddai before He revealed His name YHWH.

YHWH is the proper name of God in Judaism.  Vowels were not used in ancient Hebrew writings, and the original vocalization of YHWH has been lost.  Therefore, the pronunciation is not agreed on. However, most academics agree that “Yahweh” is the most accepted way to say it. “Jehovah” is the traditional English rendering used since the 1500s, while “Yahweh” is the scholarly reconstruction of the original pronunciation. It has also been pronounced as “Yehova” in Hebrew as a substitute for the tetragrammaton YHWH.

We offer the following notes on compound names from study within the Christian Questions fellowship:

The Compound Names of Yahweh: The Commemoration of the Name

Various compound names of Yahweh are found in the Old Testament.  They serve as memorials of that Name, in connection with some crisis in the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. They commemorate the display of Divine assistance so that later generations would know how Yahweh had helped them in their need – how Yahweh had become what they needed Him to become. Each compound name shows a specific way God “became” what His people needed — Provider, Healer, Banner, Peace, Righteousness, Shepherd and more.

The Significance of the Compound Names of Yahweh (Physical and Spiritual Sense) 

The compound names of Yahweh reveal Him as meeting every need of man – from man’s fall into sin until the end or restitution to perfection. 

“Yahweh-jireh” Yahweh will provide

Genesis 22:13,14 – Key verse “Yahweh-jireh” 

Abraham offering up Isaac in sacrifice, verses 7 and 8 – Isaac: “Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

Abraham: “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” 

Verses 11 and 12:  Isaac spared 

Verse 14: “Yahweh-jireh” “Yahweh will provide,” i.e., a sacrifice. 

Fulfilled: John 1:29,36. 

“Yahweh-Ropheka” Yahweh (that) healeth

Exodus 15:26 – Key verse “Yahweh-Ropheka” 

The healing of the waters at Marah: Exodus 15:22-26. 

Verse 26: To commemorate the healing of the waters God set Himself before Israel as “Yahweh-Ropheka” – “Yahweh (that) healeth” or “Yahweh healeth thee.” 

Psalms 103:2-4: “Bless Yahweh, O my soul and forget not all His benefits…Who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction.” 

The context of Exodus 15 and Psalms 103 indicates physical healing. This could also refer to the healing of spiritual sickness (James 5:14,15).

“Yahweh-nissi” Yahweh my banner

Exodus 17:15:  Key verse “Yahweh-nissi”

Exodus 17:8-15: The battle with Amalek at Rephidim. 

The battle with Amalek was carried out under the banner of Yahweh.  The rod that Moses held up was the banner of Yahweh – the symbol and pledge of His presence with Israel as their Shepherd, their Ruler, and their Leader. It was held not over Israel, nor over their enemies, but toward heaven in prayer to bring down the promised help secured by covenant promise and relationship. 

Exodus 17:15: “Yahweh-nissi” – “Yahweh my banner.” The name is interpreted by the context. 

Spiritually, Amalek represents the flesh. The battle of that day illustrates the conflict and war of the spirit against the flesh. Galatians 5:17. Victory was (wholly) due to Yahweh.  

“Yahweh Shalom” Yahweh gives peace

Judges 6:24: Key verse “Yahweh Shalom” 

In Judges 6:21-24 Gideon, after seeing the angel of Yahweh, was spared from death. 

He built an altar and called it “Yahweh Shalom” (Judges 6:24) – “Yahweh our peace” or “Yahweh gives peace” – to commemorate this event.  

Almost the whole ministry of Yahweh finds expression and illustration in Judges.

Chapter 6: Verses 1-5: Yahweh hates and judges sin. 

Verses 7-18:  Yahweh loves and saves sinners. 

Verses 19-21:  but only through sacrifice (Leviticus 9:24 and Judges 13:19-23; cited from Romans 4:1; Ephesians 2:14; Colossians 1:20, Leviticus 16:32-24; Hebrews 9:23-28; 10:1-4, 11,12)

“Yahweh Tsidkenu” The Righteousness of Yahweh

Jeremiah 23:6 and 33:16:  Key verse “Yahweh Tsidkenu”. 

Jeremiah, looking forward far down the stream of time, sees Israel and Judah cleansed from defilement and sin and made worthy to bear the name of their God. He calls them. 

In Jeremiah 23:5,6 it prophetically refers to our Lord Jesus and his Millennial reign. 

In Jeremiah 33:16 “Yahweh Tsidkenu” – “our righteousness of Yahweh” – refers to the name of the entire Church, the New Jerusalem in Revelation. 

This name is appropriate for the glorified church. She not only shares her Lord’s sufferings for righteousness (Colossians 1:24) but is promised a share in all the glories of her Lord as a wife shares her husband’s honor and name. The church bears the name of Christ as members of the body of Christ (Revelation 3:12; 19:7; 21:9-10).

“Yahweh Shammah” Yahweh is there

Ezekiel 48:35:  Key verse “Yahweh Shammah”

Ezekiel 47:13 and 48:35 in describing the future apportionment of the land and of a city in its midst declares in that final ‘City of Peace’ – “Yahweh Shammah” – “Yahweh is there” – “Yahweh (is) ever present” (verse 35). 

Ezekiel begins and ends with Yahweh.  Between the great vision of Yahweh in Chapter 1 and the closing words, “Yahweh Shammah” – “Yahweh is there,” is the unsparing record of man’s failure and sin, judged by Yahweh, but His justice (judgment) works to His glory, because it works in harmony with His Wisdom and Power and (is tempered by His) Love. 

Thus, the Book of Ezekiel ends with the one thing that makes the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation. 21:1; Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13) what it is: “Yahweh Shammah” – “Yahweh is there.”  This name signifies Yahweh’s abiding presence with His people (Exodus 33:14, 15; 1 Chronicles 16:27, 33; Psalms 16:11; 97:1-5, 12; Hebrews 13:5,6)

“Yahweh Ra’ah” (Ro-ee) Yahweh my shepherd

In the 23rd Psalm David, King of Israel, reflecting upon his youthful days as a shepherd, gave utterance to the phrase: “Yahweh my Shepherd” – “Yahweh Ra’ah” (Ro-ee).

The lion and bear had fought to rob him of his sheep, but at risk to himself he had been their defense.  He had sought out the lush grass and quietly flowing waters for his flock, and guarded them while they fed.  He had been to them what they needed him to be – provider, defender, healer. 

In this Psalm the pious mind of the shepherd boy, now king in Israel, sees himself (with all his people) as the sheep of Yahweh’s pasture.

David had taken the words spoken to Moses at the bush, adapted them to the life of a shepherd, and had drawn peace and comfort for himself (and many others since) because “ehyeh asher ehyeh” had become the Great Shepherd to his flock – fleshly as well as spiritual Israel.

What is God’s name? His name is YHWH (Exodus 6:3 and 3:14). In the New Testament, Jesus reveals God as “Father,” showing the ultimate fulfillment of God’s name — the God who becomes accessible to His children.