The term “Jehovah,” appears in the American Standard Version (1901) as well as in most modern versions. It derives from four Hebrew consonants, called the Tetragrammaton (a term that simply signifies a four-letter word). This expression is used by scholars for the four Hebrew letters, YHWH, that constitute a name for God, employed some 6,800 times in the Old Testament.
The name Jehovah is a hybrid term. Vowels from the Hebrew word adonai (meaning Lord) were imported into the four Hebrew consonants (YHWH). Actually, the same procedure is employed in the construction of Yahweh. Numerous scholars have noted that the original word’s exact pronunciation has been lost and the various spelling forms are speculations, e.g., “Jehovah, Yehovah, Jahweh, Yahweh”. All of these forms are conjectural transliterations. There is no solid documentation to confirm the original vocalization of YHWH. Dogmatism, therefore, is without justification. It is difficult to appreciate the rationale of caustic critics who virtually rail against the name Jehovah, when no one knows precisely how the original term was pronounced.
– by Wayne Jackson