Jehovah-jireh

In the Book of Genesis, Jehovah-jireh was the location of the binding of Isaac, where Yahweh told Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering. Abraham named the place after God provided a ram to sacrifice in place of Isaac. This name, hence, carries the meaning, "The Lord will provide".

Translations

In the Masoretic Text, the name is יְהוָה יִרְאֶה‎ (yhwh yirʾeh). The first word of the phrase is the Tetragrammaton (יהוה), YHWH, the most common name of God in the Hebrew Bible, which is usually given the pronunciation Yahweh in scholarly works.^[1] Jehovah is a Christian anglicized vocalization of this name using the vowels of the Tetragrammaton according to the Masoretic text. Following a Jewish tradition of not pronouncing God's proper name, YHWH is generally translated in English bibles as "the LORD" or "GOD" in capital letters, just as in Jewish worship it is traditionally not pronounced but the word Adonai or Elohim ("God") is used instead.

The early Septuagint translation into Greek gives the meaning as "The Lord hath seen."^[2] One Latin version of the Christian Bible rendered the name in Latin as Dominus videt ("The LORD sees").^[3] The King James Version follows this meaning, as quoted above.

Jewish translations of the verse into English include,

And Abraham called the name of that place Adonai-jireh; as it is said to this day: 'In the mount where the LORD is seen.' – Genesis 22:14 (Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917)

However, some modern translations, including the NIV, render it "the LORD will provide",^[4] amplifying the literal meaning along the lines of "the LORD will see to it", and referring to Abraham's earlier words in 22:8, "God himself will provide the lamb".^[5][6]

Interpretation

Some Jewish commentators see the name as alluding to the future importance of the place as the site of Solomon's Temple. The Targumim do not regard "Jehovah-jireh" as a proper name.^[7]

Considering the passive construction of Abraham's words in verse 14, "In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen", Calvin comments that it teaches "that God not only looks upon those who are his, but also makes his help manifest to them..."^[8] John Wesley and Matthew Henry go further, suggesting that "perhaps it may refer to God manifest in the flesh."^[6][9]

Other modern usage

John Newton translates "Jehovah-jireh" as "The Lord will provide" in his hymn, "When Troubles Assail."^[10] It is also the title of a William Cowper hymn.^[11]

Jehovah Jireh is the title of an 1867 book by William Plumer.

"Jehovah Jireh" is the title of several modern songs, including one by Don Moen included on his 1986 debut album Give Thanks; various others have covered it, including thrash metal band Deliverance on their 1989 self-titled debut album.

Chandra Currelley performed another song with the same title in the 2006 play What's Done in the Dark.

R&B singer Frank Ocean also uses the name "Jehovah Jireh" in his debut album/mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra in the song is titled 'We All Try".^[12]

Organizations bearing the name include Jehovah Jireh Children's Homes in Kenya, founded by Manasses Kuria, and churches such as Jehovah Jireh Samoan Assembly of God in Victorville, California, United States.^{[citation needed][relevant?]}

Maverick City Music and Elevation Worship released a song called "Jireh" in 2021.^[13]

See also

• Jehovah-nissi
• Jehovah-shammah

Notable people

• Jireh Swift Billings, son of Franklin S. Billings, Jr.^[14]

References

This page was last edited on 7 February 2024, at 15:44