The LORD (God's name) — Meaning in the Bible
God's personal name revealed to Moses, written with four Hebrew letters (YHWH). Many English Bibles print it as "the LORD" in small capitals.
What it means
At the burning bush God told Moses "I AM WHO I AM" and gave his name to be remembered for all generations. Exodus 3:13–15Exodus 6:2–3
Out of reverence the name came to be read aloud as "Lord". Most English versions show it as "LORD" in capitals; some, such as the World English Bible's other editions, write "Yahweh". Exodus 20:2Psalm 23:1
Key passages
- Exodus 3:13–15 — God reveals his name.
- Exodus 34:5–7 — The LORD proclaims his name.
- Psalm 8:1 — How majestic is your name.
Original language
יְהֹוָה ye.ho.vah
Hebrew · Strong’s H3068 · gloss: “LORD”
The divine name YHWH; the original pronunciation is not certain. The transliteration shown follows the vowel marks written in the Hebrew manuscripts, which were taken from adonai ("Lord") to remind readers to say "Lord"; scholars usually reconstruct the name as Yahweh. Exodus 3:15
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
How translations differ
- "LORD" in capitals translates the divine name YHWH; "Lord" in ordinary letters usually translates the Hebrew adonai ("lord, master"). Some editions write "Yahweh" or "Jehovah". Psalm 110:1
Study further
- Exodus 3:1–15 The name revealed.
- Exodus 34:1–9 What the name means.