I was watching Equilibrium and had to come home to refresh my memory of what the tetragrammaton refers to. The use and importance of language is an important theme of the bible. Think about the words of creation ‘Let there be light’, Adam’s naming of the animals, the tower of Babel story, the divine logos of the New Testament (in the beginning was the word), I am the alpha and omega (the first and last letters of the alphabet), etc.
From Yahweh, New Life Assembly:
The covenantal name of Creator in the Hebrew Bible is written with the four consonants: Yodh He Waw He. This name is known as the Tetragrammaton (Greek for “the four letters”). Although the Tetragrammaton was pronounced freely at the time the Torah and Prophets were written, its holiness in Judaism is such that it is no longer pronounced, except under very rare circumstances. Many religious Jews are offended if one should pronounce or misuse this name.
Many religious Jews have stringent rules that apply to writing any of the names of the Creator. For example, once Yahweh’s name is written it is to be neither erased nor discarded. It must be stored. This is why you see circumlocutions like “G-d,” which do not need to be kept. (Recent rulings indicate that use in computer files or displays does not constitute erasing.)
Most English translations of the Bible represent the Tetragrammaton with “LORD” or “GOD” in all capital letters.
Related:
Theosophist, November, 1887
as the son of a decidedly left-leaning bible scholar, i greatly enjoyed finding this post waiting for me when i was on my way over for the usual incendiary political blogging. kewl.
Thanks :)