This is a continuation from my previous series that I began in 2021 regarding the names of God. The first article addressed the name of YAHWEH (יהוה) being replaced with "the LORD". (If you want to read more about that, see my article The Sacred Name, Part 1 - Name Replacement). Now I would like to address the 134 additional passages where the scribes (also called sopherim*) replaced His name (יהוה or Yahweh) with Adonai (which means "my Lord"). 

"Who are the Scribes?" The Scribes are the Hebrew scholars who copied the Old Testament Hebrew texts. They were very meticulous as they were not allowed to make any errors. Then why did they remove His name from those verses?

According to the article **THE 134 PASSAGES WHERE THE SOPHERIM ALTERED "JEHOVAH" TO "ADONAI", it was because of extreme reverence. Honestly, I suspect that there is probably more to it than that. After looking at the passages referenced in the article, it seems to me that one of the reasons for that could be that they were trying to hide the common use of His name by the patriarchs because of the tradition that doesn't allow people to use His name... or did this cause that tradition. Removing His name from those passages would make it difficult to discover that it is not only okay, but good to respectfully use His name. How would you feel if someone close to you never used your name?

As I mentioned, Jewish tradition does not allow anyone to speak the name of YAHWEH. In the synagogues it is common to replace His name (even when reading Bible passages) with Adonai which means (My Lord or My Lords). Another replacement used in casual conversation is "HaShem" which literally means "The Name".

Presumably, if we don't know His name then we can't misuse it. I don't find that to be true. There are instances where His name is being used irreverently, and I don't believe everyone who does this is aware of it. One of the examples is when people say "Hallelujah" flippantly. "Hallelu-Jah" means "praise Yah" or "praise Yahweh". Another example is when people shout (or call someone) "Yahoo". This is a shortened version of His name.

Here are a few examples where His name was removed according to the article referenced above (Where His name is bolded, is where it had been removed and I put it back in):

Then he (Abraham) said, "Oh may YAHWEH not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?" And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there." 

~ Genesis 18:30

Then Moses said to YAHWEH, "Please, YAHWEH, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue."

~ Exodus 4:10

Then Manoah entreated YAHWEH and said, "YAHWEH, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born."

~ Judges 13:8

(David said...) But You, YAHWEH, are a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.

~ Psalm 86:15 

Scripture tells us not to add to His word. It seems to me that replacing His name is not only adding to Scripture, but removing from it as well.

Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.  Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.

~ Proverbs 30:5-6

We have been told that no one was aware of His name until Moses. My research has found the opposite to be true. Even Eve used the name of YAHWEH when she named her son. And Abraham, who is an ancestor of Moses, used it a great deal. (The article Did the Patriarchs Know Jehovah by Name? addresses in depth whether they knew the name of YAHWEH (Jehovah) prior to Moses. )

Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, "I have gotten a manchild with [the help of] YAHWEH."

~ Genesis 4:1

I find it interesting that when the Catholic church was forcing people to do away with Jewish traditions they kept at least one tradition that is unscriptural while doing away with others that followed Biblical instructions (e.g. eating unclean foods, changing the Sabbath to Sunday, etc.). And when the Protestant church split from the Catholic church, they did not correct those errors.

I would like to insert a disclaimer here. We are not saved by our works but by the works of Yeshua (Jesus). It's all about a relationship with Him. We are saved when we accept and follow Yeshua. And because I love Yeshua, I want to do my best to follow His instructions.

Thank you for reading. May Yahweh bless you.

My other articles regarding the names of God in the Bible 

The Sacred Name, Part 1 - Name Replacement
The Sacred Name, Part 2 - Name in Vain
The Sacred Name, Part 3 - Non-Usage Punishment
The Sacred Name, Part 4 - Jesus and Jehovah
The Sacred Name, Part 5 - Who is "The Lord"
The Sacred Name, Part 6 - First Occurrence
The Sacred Name, Part 7 - Attributes

*The Ancient Sopherim
**(This website uses the name "Jehovah" instead of "Yahweh" If you want to see why the difference, see my article The Sacred Name, Part 4 - Jesus and Jehovah)

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org”