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YHWH

78 Episodes

YHWH is the personal name of Israel’s God in the Hebrew Bible, often represented in English translations by substitutions such as “LORD.” On the show, the term is treated as a key entry point into questions of translation, divine identity, and the history of how readers avoided or replaced the name.

Redirected from: Adonai, Yahweh

Why this topic matters

YHWH comes up on the show as more than a pronunciation debate. It is a window into how biblical texts mark divine identity, how Jewish and Christian traditions handled reverence for the name, and how English translations often smooth over distinctions that matter in context.

The topic is especially useful for conversations about theology and interpretation. When the hosts focus on YHWH, they are often also talking about reception history, translation philosophy, and the gap between ancient textual practice and modern assumptions.

Where to start

Start here for the best in-depth listening on YHWH: featured segments, featured episodes, and the episode with the most mentions.

Quotes from the Data

“When you hear Adonai, that's the Hebrew word for Lord, that is a substitution for the divine name.”

Dan McClellan Episode 1

“I will occasionally refer to it as the Tetragrammaton, which means the four letters Yod He Vav He, which is presented as the personal name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible.”

Dan McClellan Episode 1

“The earliest references we have to a deity that goes by that name, the Tetragrammaton Adonai, come from the second half of the 9th century BCE.”

Dan McClellan Episode 1

“It seems like a deity named Adonai arrived on the scene and acceded to rule over the Israelite pantheon.”

Dan McClellan Episode 1

Top episodes

Ranked by mentions of YHWH across the transcript. Start with the top mention above, then keep going here.

All episodes

Every episode currently tagged with YHWH.