God’s Name Was Never Hidden: Coins, Stones, and the Bible’s Greatest Cover-Up
Introduction
Most people today don’t realize that the name of God — Jehovah, Yahweh, or simply the four Hebrew letters YHWH — once appeared boldly, not only in the Bible but also on coins, inscriptions, and temple walls. Somewhere along the line, it vanished from our Bibles, replaced with “LORD.”
Was this a simple translation choice? Or something deeper? The evidence carved into stone and pressed into coins tells us one thing: God’s name was never hidden. We were the ones who buried it.
God’s Name in the Bible
The Tetragrammaton (YHWH) appears nearly 7,000 times in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Jesus Himself said: “I have made your name known to them” (John 17:6).
When Jesus quoted the Old Testament, the scrolls He read from still contained God’s name.
And when He taught His followers to pray, His very first instruction was: “Hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9). Jesus didn’t hide it — He honored it.
The Archaeological Receipts
For centuries, people have written, carved, and circulated God’s name publicly. Here are some examples you can still see today:
Soleb Temple Inscription (ca. 1400 BC): An Egyptian temple pillar referring to the “Shasu of Yahweh” — one of the earliest non-biblical references to God’s name.
Kuntillet Ajrud Ostraca (8th century BC): Pottery fragments inscribed with blessings “By Yahweh of Samaria and his Asherah.”
Mount Gerizim Temple (2nd–3rd century BC): The Tetragrammaton engraved in Paleo-Hebrew script in a Samaritan sanctuary.
Coins from Gaza & the Bar Kokhba Revolt (2nd century AD): Currency stamped with YHW/YHWH, showing His name circulated among the people.
European Coins & Church Architecture (1500s–1600s): Jehovah’s name was inscribed on coins, churches, and even official seals long before Jehovah’s Witnesses ever existed.
The receipts are everywhere. God’s name wasn’t forgotten — it was proclaimed.
What Changed?
So if the name was used so freely, why don’t we see it in our modern Bibles?
Jewish Tradition: Over time, Jews avoided pronouncing God’s name out of reverence, reading Adonai (Lord) instead.
Church Tradition: Early Christians adopted the same practice. Translators followed suit, replacing God’s name with LORD in all caps.
Modern Bibles: Nearly all followed this pattern. Instead of Jehovah or Yahweh, we now read “LORD” — nearly 7,000 times over.
Clearing Up a Major Misconception
Many assume Jehovah’s Witnesses invented the name “Jehovah” or “inserted” it into their Bible. That’s simply not true.
The American Standard Version (1901) consistently used “Jehovah” in the Old Testament.
The King James Version (1611) includes “Jehovah” in multiple verses (Exodus 6:3, Psalm 83:18, Isaiah 12:2, Isaiah 26:4).
William Tyndale (1500s) used “Iehouah” in his early English translation.
Jehovah’s Witnesses didn’t add God’s name — modern translators removed it.
Why Was God’s Name Removed?
It wasn’t an accident. The decision to erase God’s name from almost every modern Bible was systematic and intentional.
At first, translators thought they were showing reverence. But step back and look at the bigger picture:
God’s name makes Him personal. It’s not just “a God,” it’s Jehovah — the covenant-keeping God who revealed Himself to Moses and walked with Israel.
Psalm 83:18 says: “That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.”
Jesus glorified it. He said, “I have made your name known” (John 17:6).
So why erase it? On a human level, tradition played a role. But on a spiritual level, it serves Satan’s agenda.
From the beginning, Satan has worked to twist, obscure, or erase what God says (Genesis 3:1–5). Revelation 12:9 calls him “the deceiver of the whole world.” What better deception than to hide the very name by which God identifies Himself?
This doesn’t mean every translator was malicious. Many acted with sincerity. But the effect is undeniable: God’s name — the one He wanted remembered forever — has been stripped from His Word.
Did You Know? Hallelujah Contains God’s Name
The familiar word “Hallelujah” comes straight from Hebrew.
“Hallelu” means “praise” (a command: all of you, praise).
“Jah” is a shortened form of God’s name, Jehovah/Yahweh.
So every time we sing or say “Hallelujah,” we are literally saying: “Praise Jah!” or “Praise Jehovah!”
Even if most Bibles today replace God’s name with “LORD,” His name still lives on in our worship — hidden in plain sight in a word we use all the time.
Why It Matters Today
God’s name isn’t a minor detail. It’s His personal identity. Removing it makes Him feel distant, generic — like one god among many, instead of the God who saves.
Jesus honored and glorified that name. If we are His followers, shouldn’t we do the same?
Conclusion
God’s name was never hidden in history — it was carved into temples, stamped onto coins, and written thousands of times in scripture. The only mystery is why human tradition tried to erase it.
The evidence speaks clearly: God’s people once proudly used His name. Maybe it’s time we do the same.
✨ Next Step for You-
Check your Bible’s preface. Many translations quietly admit they replaced God’s name with LORD. Ask yourself: If Jesus glorified His Father’s name, shouldn’t we?