✨ The Divine Name in the Wycliffe Bible ✨Jehovah

Michael Hopkins
Mar 8
2 min read

Did you know that even in the 14th century, translators were grappling with how to render the Tetragrammaton (the holy name of God)? In the Wycliffe Bible, we see a beautiful transition between the Latin Adonai and the emerging English recognition of Jehovah.

Here are four powerful moments where God’s character is revealed through His name:

1. Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord Will Provide 🐑

Genesis 22:14

"And he called the name of that place The Lord seeth; wherefore it is said, till to this day, The Lord shall see in the hill. (And he called the name of that place Jehovahjireh...)"

The Meaning: After providing a ram in the thicket to save Isaac, Abraham names the location to honor God’s foresight. To "see" to something is to "provide" for it. God doesn't just watch our struggles; He looks ahead and prepares the solution before we even arrive.

2. The Great Revelation ☁️

Exodus 6:3

"...I am Almighty God; and I showed not to them my great name Adonai, that is, Tetragrammaton. (...but I did not tell them my great and holy name, Yahweh, or Jehovah;)"

The Meaning: God tells Moses that while the Patriarchs knew Him as El Shaddai (God Almighty), He was now revealing Himself through His personal, eternal name. Wycliffe’s text highlights the "Tetragrammaton"—the four sacred Hebrew letters—linking the ancient past to the English "Jehovah."

3. Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord is My Banner 🚩

Exodus 17:15

"And Moses builded an altar, and called the name thereof, The Lord is mine enhancer, (And Moses built an altar there, and called it Jehovahnissi,)"

The Meaning: After a victory over the Amalekites, Moses doesn't take the credit. He calls God his "enhancer" or "banner." In battle, the banner was the rallying point for the troops. This verse reminds us that God is the one we gather around for strength and victory.

4. Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord is Peace 🕊️

Judges 6:24

"Then Gideon builded there an altar to the Lord, and he called it the Peace of the Lord... (Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and he called it Jehovahshalom...)"

The Meaning: Gideon was living in a time of fear and war, yet after encountering God, he realized that true peace isn't the absence of conflict—it's the presence of Jehovah. Even before the battle began, Gideon found rest in God's name.

📖 Reflections for Today

These ancient titles aren't just vocabulary words; they are promises. Whether you need provision, a reminder of who is in control, a banner to follow, or a peace that passes understanding, the names of Jehovah in the Wycliffe Bible remind us that God has been the same "unto this present day." 🙏✨

#BibleStudy #WycliffeBible #Jehovah #Faith #Scripture #ChurchHistory