God’s Name Translated?

From ChatGPT, 12/14/2021.

The tradition of translating certain names of God as LORD in most English Bibles, especially in the Old Testament, stems from a combination of Jewish reverence for the divine name and translation practices that developed over centuries. Here’s a summary of the key reasons:

1. The Divine Name: YHWH (Tetragrammaton)

• In the Hebrew Bible, God’s personal name is written as YHWH (יהוה), known as the Tetragrammaton.
• Ancient Jewish tradition held the name to be so sacred that it should not be spoken aloud, lest it be misused or profaned (cf. Exodus 20:7, the commandment against taking God’s name in vain).
• Instead of pronouncing YHWH, Jewish readers often substituted Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), which means “Lord” or “My Lord.”

2. Septuagint Translation

• When Jewish scholars translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek (the Septuagint) in the 3rd–2nd centuries BCE, they followed this practice and rendered YHWH as Kyrios (Κύριος), the Greek word for “Lord.”
• This influenced Christian use of “Lord” in their scriptures, including references to Jesus as Lord.

3. Latin Vulgate and English Translations

• Jerome’s Vulgate (the Latin Bible) translated YHWH as Dominus, which also means “Lord.”
• Early English translators, such as those behind the King James Version (1611), followed this precedent, replacing YHWH with LORD in small capitals to distinguish it from “Lord” (used to translate Adonai or other titles).

4. Theological and Linguistic Considerations

• Translating YHWH as “LORD” preserves the tradition of reverence while signaling to the reader that this is God’s covenantal name, not a generic title.
• The small capitals (LORD) differentiate YHWH from other uses of “Lord” (e.g., for humans or in contexts where the Hebrew text uses Adonai).

5. Preservation of Jewish Tradition

• Christian translations inherited this practice out of respect for Jewish traditions of not vocalizing the name YHWH and to maintain continuity with the Septuagint and early church usage.

Exceptions in Modern Translations

• Some modern translations, such as the Jerusalem Bible and the Lexham English Bible, use “Yahweh” to translate YHWH, restoring the proper name of God to the text.
• Others, like the New Living Translation or Christian Standard Bible, retain “LORD” to remain in line with traditional renderings.
• Not all divine names are rendered as “LORD.” For example:
  • Elohim is translated as “God.”
  • Adonai (when not associated with YHWH) is translated as “Lord.”
  • Combined forms like Adonai YHWH are rendered as “Lord GOD,” with “GOD” in small caps to indicate YHWH.

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Here are the key sources that underpin the explanation of why most English translations of the Bible translate YHWH as “LORD”:

1. The Jewish Tradition and the Tetragrammaton

• The Masoretic Text: The authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible includes vowel markings that indicate the substitution of Adonai or Elohim for YHWH. This tradition is discussed in:
  • Bruce M. Metzger and Bart D. Ehrman, The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration (Oxford University Press, 2005).
  • Theological discussions on the Tetragrammaton in Jewish tradition, found in works such as:
    • Emanuel Tov, Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible (Fortress Press, 2012).

2. Historical Translation Choices

• Early English translations followed the tradition of substituting YHWH with “LORD” based on the precedent set by the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), which rendered YHWH as Kyrios (Lord). Sources include:
  • F.F. Bruce, The Canon of Scripture (InterVarsity Press, 1988).
  • Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary (W.W. Norton, 2018).

3. Theological Rationale

• The decision to use “LORD” reflects reverence for God’s name in Judeo-Christian theology. Discussions about the sacredness of the divine name can be found in:
  • Timothy H. Lim, The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2005).
  • T.D. Alexander and David W. Baker (eds.), Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch (InterVarsity Press, 2003), particularly the entry on YHWH.

4. Modern Translation Practices

• The rationale for maintaining or deviating from “LORD” in modern translations is discussed in:
  • John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill, Old Testament Today: A Journey from Ancient Context to Contemporary Relevance (Zondervan, 2014).
  • Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible (Lexham Press, 2015).

5. Examples of Alternative Renderings

• The use of “Yahweh” in the World English Bible and earlier editions of the Jerusalem Bible is noted in:
  • World English Bible translation notes: Available online at WorldEnglish.Bible.
  • Raymond E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament (Doubleday, 1997), which discusses modern translation philosophies.

For further exploration, you can visit these resources:

• Bible Odyssey’s article on Yahweh​Bible Odyssey.
• CARM’s explanation of why LORD is used​Carm.
• Legacy Standard Bible FAQ on translating Yahweh​Legacy Standard Bible.