Let's put an end to the endless arguments about the English spelling and pronunciation of the Sacred Names!

Not a day goes by on Facebook when I don't see at least one argument about the "proper spelling" and/or "pronunciation" of the Hebrew Names  יהוה  and ישוע  (YHWH and Yeshua). People are verbally beating each other up in their efforts to force others to "realize" that their favorite transliteration into English is the ONLY correct one.

Therefore, this article is designed to set the record straight.  

The info below comes from a Jewish scholar,  who has spoken Hebrew all his life, and is well-versed on the dialect of Hebrew called "Aramaic." His name is Andrew Gabriel Roth, who is the Founder of One Faith One People Ministries (https://onefaithonepeopleministries.com/ ), author of the Apostolic Writings Aramaic to English translation and Kidnapped from God: The Call to Come Home.

This is his explanation:  

YHWH (yud-hey-vav-hey, pronounced YAH - WEH...because the "vav" takes on an "oo" sound to make it YAH-WEH instead of YAH-VEH) is the Name of the Most High Elohim. Netzari followers of Mashiyach never subscribed to the Rabbinic ban against vocalizing the Name of YHWH. Neither was the pronunciation of the Name lost within Jewish culture.

When Torah was translated into Greek, observant Jewish scribes preserved the Name of YHWH by writing "YHWH" with Hebrew characters in the Septuagint. Isaiah 52:5-6 states that the Name of YHWH is "continually every day blasphemed, therefore YHWH’s people shall know His name." This prophecy is nested in Scripture that reveals the "arm of YHWH" who is Mashiyach; therefore, it is Mashiyach Y’shua who brought the knowledge of the Name of YHWH to the world. (Footnote to Matthew 1:20, AENT)

While we're at it, let's also discuss the English spelling of the transliteration of our Divine Messiah, Yeshua:

It is actually wrong to insist that we must spell Mashiyach's Name as "YAHSHUA" because, the fact is, no one who knows Hebrew or Aramaic believes it "has" to be spelled that way. It is dangerous to have a theological issue masquerading as linguistics. In Hebrew, both the long form YEHOSHUA and the short form YESHUA are pointed with a TSERE (AY) NOT a PTAHA (AH). The belief arises from a mistaken idea that "not one yodh" means preserving the YAH sound.

In Hebrew YAH morphs to other sounds in names that contain YHWH/Yahweh. YAH (YHWH) + KHANAN (our mercies) = YOH-KHANAN NOT "Yah-khanan". YAH + EL = YOH-EL (Joel) NOT YAH-EL (which is a separate girl's name - get the picture?)

One thing is for sure: We know that neither YHWH's nor Yeshua's Names were pronounced as "LORD." Doubters need to go to the Western Wall in Jerusalem next Yom Kippur (rabbinic calendar) in the early morning and they will hear pious Jews call on the Name properly, as YAH-WAY. The world doesn't know that we Jews have NOT forgotten His Name in spite of the fact we also conspired to hide it.....

And the Son's name always has a TSERE (eh) not a PATAHA (ah) sound in proper Hebrew pointing. It is the shortened form of YAY-HOE-SHOO-WAH (Joshua) and that pointing does NOT change in truncation. Unfortunately, there are a myriad "experts" who attempt to say otherwise, and this is because they don't understand basic Hebrew morphology.

The YAHSHUA or YAHUSHUA error arises from THEOLOGY and not from sound linguistics or Semitic grammar. The idea is a misapplication of "not one yodh shall pass", where they think wrongly that changing the sound to YAY takes part of YAH's name out. The fact is, YHWH created Hebrew and in that creation He, in His Wisdom, made names that CHANGE the sounds of words.

No serious Hebrew scholar would ever suggest that Moshe's sucessor's name is not YAY-HOE-SHOO-WAH and this is the same etymology of Y'shua, same words "YHWH is salvation". Therefore, if Yehoshua does not come under "not one yodh" and changes its words from YAH to YOH, so much the shortened form of the SAME NAME, YAY-SHOO-WAH.

So, for those who insist on spelling Yeshua as "Yahshua" or even "Yahusha" - go for it! But - unless you're a native Hebrew speaker or actual biblical scholar, please don't go around insisting "your way" is the ONLY way, or send mean-spirited comments or death threats to those who don't agree with that spelling!  This silly, constant bickering MUST to an end.