JW’s, why do you use still Jehovah when you admit that Yahweh is a superior translation?

Making up a name for God was a mistake hundreds of years ago. A mistake that was very likely brought about by Satan. Jesus called him Father and instructed us to do so also. Nowhere in the original Greek or Hebrew does it say Jehovah. Nor does it say it is okay to add vowels to the name of God. It does not surprise me, though. They like to twist the scripture and add whatever they want.

THE UNIVERSAL JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA says "JEHOVAH is an erroneous pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton a four lettered name of God, made up of the Hebrew letters Yod He Vav He. The word "JEHOVAH" therefore is a misreading for which there is no warrant and which makes no sense in Hebrew" The Hebrew letters point to a Yod Y the more correct pronunciation is Yahweh or some form deriving from the same consonants. For example Yah is used in its shorter form in Ex.15:2 and 17:15, Isa.12:2 and Ps.118:14 .

JEHOVAH -"is an erroneous form of the name of the God of Israel." (ENCYCLOPEDIA AMERICANA)

JEHOVAH -"the pronunciation "Jehovah" is an error resulting among Christians from combining the consonants YHWH with the vowels of ADHONAY." (ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA)

JEHOVAH -"is an erroneous form of the divine name of the covenant God of Israel." (THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG ENCYCLOPEDIA)

JEHOVAH -"is a mispronounciation of the Hebrew YHWH the name of God. This pronunciation is grammatically impossible. The form "Jehovah" is a philological impossibility." (THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA p. 160)

The Tetragrammaton YHWH "When Christian scholars of Europe first began to study Hebrew, they did not understand what this really meant, and they introduced the hybrid name "Jehovah" . . . THE TRUE PRONUNCIATION OF THE NAME YHWH WAS NEVER LOST. . THE TRUE PRONUNCIATION OF THE NAME YHWH WAS NEVER LOST. . Several early Greek writers of the Christian church testify that the name was pronounced "YAHWEH". This is confirmed, at least for the vowel of the first syllable of the name, by the shorter form Yah, which is sometimes used in poetry (e.g. Ex. 15:2) ... The personal name of God of Israel is written in the Hebrew Bible with the four consonants YHWH and is referred to as the "Tetragrammaton." At least until the destruction of the First Temple in 586 B.C.E. this name was regularly pronounced with its proper vowels, as is clear from the Lachish Letters, written shortly before that date."( ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA (Jerusalem) p. 680 Vol. 7)(Quotes in Questions for Jehovah Witnesses Joan Cetnar)

While the pronouncement may still not be known one thing we do know, its not Jehovah. Where dopes the name Jehovah come from? We can trace the name Jehovah to the first person to use it, a Roman Catholic monk from the 1200’s. "The first recorded use of this form dates from the thirteenth century C.E. Raymundus Martini, a Spanish monk of the Dominican Order, used it in his book "Pugeo Fidei" of the year 1270." (from Jehovah's Witnesses own book "Aid to Bible Understanding" p.884). If you ever want to see a JW jaw drop tell them this.

I've encountered the same thing with every JW I have talked to about Bible versions. The NWT is the best they say. The claim it's the most accurate. Yet all the ones I have talked to also admit to no knowledge of the Biblical languages. So from where do they get their belief on the NWT? From their leadership. Then when a Bible doubting Theological liberal writes a book about bias in various translations, he shows how unqualified he was by totally not seeing the bias in the NWT. Nor the obvious and blatant mistranslations it contains. Jason David Beduhn has no training in the Biblical languages according to all the information I can find on him, thus his results should be very suspect. But then, the JW's had no problem using a a man involved in Spiritism for many years to support their Bible version, so it's no surprise they hold to what Beduhn has written. Thanks to people who love real truth, the names and lack of qualifications of the NWT translators has been revealed. That my friends is the only reason the WTBTS does not want to release those names even though they know they are out there. It's amazing how freely and willingly the JW's on here are to support and promote the lies from HQ. Then again, mind control and brainwashing can be pretty powerful. This is just another in a long line of solid evidence and irrefutable facts that the JW religion is indeed a man made religion that is not based on the Bible. Nor do they follow the Bible because they admit if one reads just the Bible, they will believe Christian doctrines and not WT doctrines.

Tiny Tim wrote: “The pronunciation ''Jehovah'' is the closest thing in English that can be found.”

Jehovah is an anglicized attempt at the Tetragrammaton (YHWH). This is precisely why the “Y” is being turned into a “J” (think of how the German word for yes is pronounced “Ya”, but written as “Ja”, and will understand what’s going on).

The first syllable of “Jehovah” is, without question, incorrect. We know this, because the Bible (Tanakh) uses the first syllable of God’s name as a short form name in various passages.

Example: Say “Hallelujah” out loud. Are you pronouncing the last syllable as “jah”, or are you pronouncing it as “YAH”? Hallelujah literally means “Praise Yah”.

“Yah” is also contained within theophoric names (names which use “Yah” as a compound), such as Elijah. Again, this name has been anglicised, and is not pronounced with a J sound in Hebrew. It is pronounced with a Y sound.

“Jehovah” is formulated by mixing the four consonants of YHWH (JHWH in German) with the vowels of Adonai. I shouldn’t need to point out why this is a poor translation, and I think you will understand why Jehovah is not “the closest thing in English that can be found”.

Objectively "Yahweh" is relied more upon subjective speculation while the pronunciation YEHOVAH is based upon objective evidence from two reliable Hebrew manuscripts.

The Aleppo Codex and Leningrad Codex are two of the oldest vocalized Hebrew manuscripts currently in existence today that support the pronunciation of YEHOVAH.

http://www.aleppocodex.org/

http://tanach.us/Tanach.xml#Home

http://www.karaite-korner.org/yhwh_2.pdf

http://www.everlastingkingdom.info/article/54/do-y...

Sorry, I'm not a JW, and our Creator and the Messiah spoke the "pure language" of Hebrew, not English.

Acts 26:14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.'

Zep 3:9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of YEHOVAH, to serve him with one consent.

BTW Someone mentioned that "Yah" is at the end of the name of Elijah, although in Hebrew the name is literally Eliyahu. The form Yah is rarely at the beginning of a Hebrew name whereas the Yeho sound to include Yehovah within the meaning is commonly found in Scriptural Hebrew names: Yehowshu'a (The Messiah's name), Yeshu'a (Salvation), Yehow'achaz, Yehow'ash, Yehowchanan, Yehowyada, Yehownathan, Yehowram etc.

And the vowels for "Adonai" and Yehovah are totally different. The Hebrew vowels for "Adonai" begin with a Chateph Patach with an "a" sound as in aqua while Yehovah starts with the Sheva' having a short "e" sound as in silent.

There you go. You have answered your own question.

Are you supposed to do that?

Here is what is found in the Reasoning from the Scriptures about your question:

Which form of the divine name is correct—Jehovah or Yahweh?

No human today can be certain how it was originally pronounced in Hebrew. Why not? Biblical Hebrew was originally written with only consonants, no vowels. When the language was in everyday use, readers easily provided the proper vowels. In time, however, the Jews came to have the superstitious idea that it was wrong to say God’s personal name out loud, so they used substitute expressions. Centuries later, Jewish scholars developed a system of points by which to indicate which vowels to use when reading ancient Hebrew, but they put the vowels for the substitute expressions around the four consonants representing the divine name. Thus the original pronunciation of the divine name was lost.

Many scholars favor the spelling “Yahweh,” but it is uncertain and there is not agreement among them. On the other hand, “Jehovah” is the form of the name that is most readily recognized, because it has been used in English for centuries and preserves, equally with other forms, the four consonants of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton.

J. B. Rotherham, in The Emphasised Bible, used the form Yahweh throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. However, later in his Studies in the Psalms he used the form “Jehovah.” He explained: “JEHOVAH—The employment of this English form of the Memorial name . . . in the present version of the Psalter does not arise from any misgiving as to the more correct pronunciation, as being Yahwéh; but solely from practical evidence personally selected of the desirability of keeping in touch with the public ear and eye in a matter of this kind, in which the principal thing is the easy recognition of the Divine name intended.”—(London, 1911), p. 29.

After discussing various pronunciations, German professor Gustav Friedrich Oehler concluded: “From this point onward I use the word Jehovah, because, as a matter of fact, this name has now become more naturalized in our vocabulary, and cannot be supplanted.”—Theologie des Alten Testaments, second edition (Stuttgart, 1882), p. 143.

Jesuit scholar Paul Joüon states: “In our translations, instead of the (hypothetical) form Yahweh, we have used the form Jéhovah . . . which is the conventional literary form used in French.”—Grammaire de l’hébreu biblique (Rome, 1923), footnote on p. 49.

Most names change to some extent when transferred from one language to another. Jesus was born a Jew, and his name in Hebrew was perhaps pronounced Ye‧shu′a‛, but the inspired writers of the Christian Scriptures did not hesitate to use the Greek form of the name, I‧e‧sous′. In most other languages the pronunciation is slightly different, but we freely use the form that is common in our tongue. The same is true of other Bible names. How, then, can we show proper respect for the One to whom the most important name of all belongs? Would it be by never speaking or writing his name because we do not know exactly how it was originally pronounced? Or, rather, would it be by using the pronunciation and spelling that are common in our language, while speaking well of its Owner and conducting ourselves as his worshipers in a manner that honors him?

Then how else would they be able to set themselves apart from Christendom?

EDIT

You know what, look at the answers defending the substitution. Bottom line, Jehovah is a guess as to what the name is, because ALL we were given in scripture is 4 lone letters. Everything else is speculation. Some bible's say JEhovah, others say Yahweh others simply have the four letters. Ok, great, wonderful, more power to you. But with that mind, maybe they should stop printing nonsense about "christendom" removing God's "name" and "replacing" it with Lord when there is really no significant difference.

It really makes no sense for them to take this broad generic stand on the name Jehovah. Almost a capitulation of every other doctrine they insist on being exacting to the T.

Not the cross but a stake. They are unbending on anything even remotely tied to ancient pagan celebrations or holidays. They condemn other religions for being to liberal about this, that or the other, yet when it comes to 'extracting the rafter from their own eyes' they insist that even though the grand creators, Almighty God's name is probably not pronounced as Jehovah but freely admit it is more likely Yahweh....they continue to offend the most high God with an invented name, not even promulgated in the Greek scriptures.

The truth of the matter is they have far to much invested in the wrong name of God. Other denominations who recognized the truth of the matter already have claimed the more accurate name Yahweh. Where does that leave the purported 'people for his name'? Out in the cold.

If you want to have an opinion about a given Bible translation then downloading an interlinear translation is not going to cut it.

You need to learn something of the Greek language first, otherwise you won't understand what the Greek interlinear is saying. and may Yahweh rebuke you, for he causes to become is the literal translation to English of the name of Almighty God, Yahweh!!! HalleluJAH! We Dubs do use the name of Yahweh.The term Tetragrammaton (from Greek τετραγράμματον, meaning "[a word] having four letters")[1] refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH (Hebrew: יהוה‎) used in the Hebrew Bible.

Yahweh = Hebrew

Jehovah = English

I'm English, not Hebrew

Do you use the name 'Jesus'?

Because that's the ENGLISH version of his name.

So, if you have no problem using the name 'Jesus' then you should have no problem using the name 'Jehovah'

Are you one of those anti people, persons?

I do know this, that YHWY is the true known spelling, as the vowels are not known.

The pronunciation ''Jehovah'' is the closest thing in English that can be found.

It goes back over a thousand years and was originally in the KJV, in-fact I have a very old KJV and the name Jehovah is used in many places, for the name of God.

I;m guessing since you have so many JW books, including those that are not in circulation, you are what they call a disfellowshipped or ex-JW.

So why show contempt for a group of people, if it is your choice not to be one of them?