Flavius Josephus, the first-century Yahudiy (Jewish) priest and historian, recorded important historical testimony concerning the Creator’s personal Set-Apart (Divine) Name, YAHUAH (יהוה). Two passages in his writings are particularly significant because they reveal how the Set-apart (Divine) Name was recognized, preserved, and treated with reverence during the first century CE.
In Antiquities of the Yahudiym (Jews), Josephus recounts how Aluah (God) revealed His Set-Apart Name to Mashah (Moses) and states that he does not consider it lawful to disclose that Name. In The Yahudiym (Jewish) War, he describes the set-apart (sacred) inscription on the high priest’s golden headpiece, stating that it “consists of four vowels.”
Together, these passages provide valuable historical evidence that the Creator’s personal Name was known, preserved in written form, and treated with profound reverence during Josephus’s lifetime. However, although Josephus describes the set-apart (sacred) inscription, his statements do not provide a definitive pronunciation of the four-letter Abariy (Hebrew) Name יהוה (YAHUAH).
In this study, we will examine what Flavius Josephus actually wrote about the Set-Apart Name, explore the historical and linguistic context of his statements, and explain what these passages reveal—and what remains open to interpretation.
By returning to these ancient historical sources and comparing them with the Abariy (Hebrew) Scriptures, we can gain a deeper understanding of the significance of the Creator’s personal Set-Apart Name, YAHUAH (יהוה), and why its preservation continues to matter to those seeking Scriptural truth.
Key Takeaways:
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Josephus records the revelation of the Creator’s Set-Apart (Divine) Name to Mashah (Moses). In Antiquities of the Yahudiym (Jews) 2.12.4 (2.275–276), Josephus recounts how Aluah (God) revealed His personal Name to Mashah and states that he does not consider it lawful to disclose that Name.
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Josephus describes the Set-Apart Name as consisting of “four vowels.” In The Yahudiym (Jewish) War 5.5.7 (5.235), he describes the Set-Apart (Sacred) Name inscribed on the high priest’s golden headpiece, stating that the inscription “consists of four vowels.” This passage provides important historical testimony concerning the four-letter Abariy (Hebrew) Name יהוה (YAHUAH).
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Josephus’s writings demonstrate reverence for the Creator’s personal Name but do not establish its exact ancient pronunciation. His testimony shows that the Name was recognized, written, and treated with reverence during the first century CE, although he does not provide a complete phonetic rendering of how it was spoken.
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The treatment of the Set-Apart Name varied during the Second Ahiykal (Temple) period. Josephus’s statements reflect one important historical perspective within a broader range of Yahudiy (Jewish) practices concerning the pronunciation, preservation, and restricted use of the Set-apart (Divine) Name. These practices developed over time rather than originating from a single identifiable event.
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At Promote The Truth (PTT), we uphold the Creator’s personal Set-Apart Name as YAHUAH (יהוה). We examine the ancient Abariy (Hebrew) manuscript evidence, historical testimony, and linguistic arguments supporting this understanding while recognizing the distinction between the preserved four-letter Name and scholarly debates concerning its ancient pronunciation.
Table of Contents
Who Was Flavius Josephus and Why Does His Testimony Matter?
Flavius Josephus , born around 37 CE, was a first-century Yahudiy (Jewish) priest, military commander, and historian. He commanded Yahudiy (Jewish) forces in Galiyl (Galilee) during the First Yahudiy–Rumaiy (Jewish–Roman) War and later authored two major historical works, The Yahudiym (Jewish) War and Antiquities of the Yahudiym (Jews). His background and writings are discussed in the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary entry on Josephus.
Josephus’s background is particularly important when examining his statements about the Creator’s personal Set-Apart (Divine) Name, YAHUAH (יהוה). He was not merely an outside observer describing the religious practices of ancient Yisharal (Israel). As a member of a priestly family, he was familiar with the religious traditions, ceremonies, and historical significance of the Ahiykal (Temple) in Yirushalam (Jerusalem).
Following the destruction of the Ahiykal in 70 CE, Josephus produced historical accounts for audiences within the wider Yuuniy (Greek)-speaking and Rumaiy (Roman) world. His writings preserve valuable descriptions of the Ahiykal, the high priesthood, and religious practices associated with the Yahudiy (Jewish) people during the first century.
For this reason, Josephus remains an important historical witness in the study of the four-letter Abariy (Hebrew) Name יהוה (YAHUAH) and its connection to the Ahiykal and the high priesthood. His priestly background gives particular significance to his descriptions of the Set-Apart Name, although his accounts must still be evaluated alongside other historical and Scriptural sources.
Equally important is Josephus’s deliberate restraint when discussing the Creator’s personal Name. His reluctance to disclose it provides insight into the reverence and restrictions surrounding the Set-apart (Divine) Name in his time. This restraint forms part of the historical evidence that deserves careful examination when studying how the Set-Apart Name was understood, preserved, and treated during the first century CE.
What Did Flavius Josephus Say About the Set-Apart Name in Antiquities 2.12.4?
One of the most significant historical references to the Creator’s personal Set-Apart (Divine) Name, YAHUAH (יהוה), appears in Antiquities of the Yahudiym (Jews), Book 2, Chapter 12, Section 4 (2.275–276). In this passage, Flavius Josephus recounts the revelation of the Creator’s Name to Mashah (Moses) during the account of the burning bush recorded in Shamut (Exodus) 3.
Josephus explains that Aluah (God) revealed His Set-Apart Name to Mashah, describing it as a Name that had not previously been disclosed to humanity. However, Josephus also states that he does not consider it lawful for himself to reveal or speak further about that Name.
An article titled YAH: A Name of Aluah (God), published in the Yahudiym Scriptures (Jewish Bible) Quarterly, quotes Josephus’s statement concerning the revelation of the Set-Apart Name to Mashah and his refusal to disclose it. The article identifies the passage as Antiquities of the Yahudiym (Jews) 2.12.4, corresponding to sections 275–276 in the standard numbering.
The Yahudiym (Jewish) Encyclopedia, under its article “Adaniy (Adonai)”, provides additional historical context. It explains that Mashah requested knowledge of Aluah’s (God’s) personal Name so that he could invoke Him by Name during set-apart (sacred) acts. According to Josephus’s account, Aluah communicated the Name to Mashah, but Josephus considered it improper or unlawful to disclose it himself.
Three Important Observations About Josephus’s Testimony
1. Josephus presents the Set-Apart Name as a personal Name revealed by Aluah (God).
Josephus does not merely describe a general title or an abstract concept of the Creator. Instead, he recounts a specific revelation in which Aluah communicates His personal Name to Mashah (Moses). This distinction is important because the Abariy (Hebrew) Scriptures preserve the Creator’s four-letter Name יהוה (YHWH), which Promote The Truth (PTT) renders as YAHUAH.
2. Josephus’s deliberate refusal to disclose the Name suggests reverence rather than simple ignorance.
His statement indicates that he regarded the Name as something subject to religious restrictions concerning its disclosure. Rather than saying that the Name had disappeared or was unknown, Josephus expresses a personal reluctance to reveal it. Although this suggests that knowledge of the Name was preserved within his religious tradition, his statement alone does not establish whether he personally knew its precise ancient pronunciation.
3. Josephus’s restraint reflects the religious practices and cultural traditions of his time.
As a first-century Yahudiy (Jewish) priest and historian, Josephus lived within a religious environment in which the Creator’s Set-Apart Name was treated with profound reverence. His refusal to disclose the Name provides important historical evidence of the restrictions surrounding its use among some Yahudiy communities.
However, Josephus does not explicitly state that the Name had been forgotten, nor does he establish that every Yahudiy (Jewish) community followed identical practices concerning its pronunciation.
These observations help distinguish between what Josephus actually recorded and what later readers may infer from his testimony.
What Josephus’s Statement Reveals About the Name YAHUAH
The central significance of this passage lies in the distinction between the existence of the Creator’s personal Name and the religious restrictions surrounding its disclosure.
When Josephus states that it is not lawful for him to disclose the Name, he acknowledges the existence of a specific Name within the historical account. His refusal reflects restraint concerning its disclosure rather than a declaration that the Name itself had been lost.
A refusal to disclose a Name is not the same as evidence that the Name no longer existed or was universally forgotten.
We believe this distinction deserves careful examination. The ancient Abariy (Hebrew) Scriptures preserve the Creator’s personal Set-Apart Name יהוה, and Josephus’s testimony provides valuable historical context for understanding how that Name was treated during the first century CE.
By comparing Josephus’s account with the original Scriptural text and other historical sources, readers can better understand the difference between the preservation of the Set-Apart Name YAHUAH and the later traditions that restricted its spoken use.
What Did Flavius Josephus Mean by the “Four Vowels” of the Set-Apart Name YAHUAH? — The Yahudiym (Jewish) War 5.5.7
One of the most frequently discussed statements concerning the Creator’s personal Set-Apart (Divine) Name, YAHUAH (יהוה), appears in The Yahudiym (Jewish) War, Book 5, Chapter 5, Section 7 (5.235).
While describing the garments worn by the high priest, Flavius Josephus refers to the golden crown associated with the high priest’s headpiece. He explains that this crown bore an inscription of the Set-Apart (Sacred) Name, which, in William Whiston’s English translation, “consists of four vowels.”
This description appears in The Yahudiym (Jewish) War 5.5.7, in the English translation preserved by Lexundria. Although the discussion continues into section 236, the statement about the four vowels occurs specifically in section 235.
Josephus provides another important reference in Antiquities of the Yahudiym (Jews) 11.331–334. In his account of Alexander the Great’s encounter with the Yahudiy (Jewish) high priest, Josephus describes the golden plate on the priest’s headpiece as bearing the Name of Aluah (God). A 2020 article in the Journal for the Study of Yahudiym (Judaism) examines related historical themes concerning Josephus and the high priestly tradition.
Together, these passages provide valuable historical testimony concerning the written Set-Apart Name and its association with the high priesthood and the Ahiykal (Temple).
What Do the “Four Vowels” Tell Us About YAHUAH (יהוה)?
Josephus’s description raises an important linguistic question: Why did he describe the four letters of the Creator’s Set-Apart Name as vowels?
Two observations are especially important.
1. Josephus describes a Set-Apart Name consisting of four letters.
Josephus wrote in Yuuniy (Greek) for readers living within the wider Yuuniy and Rumaiy (Roman) world. His description of four set-apart (sacred) letters corresponds to the four-letter Abariy (Hebrew) Name יהוה (YHWH), commonly known as the Tetragrammaton.
These four letters are traditionally identified as Yud (י), Hay (ה), Uau (ו), and Hay (ה).
Their preservation in the Abariy (Hebrew) Scriptures provides important evidence that the Creator’s personal Name was written as a distinct four-letter Name rather than merely represented by a title.
2. Josephus describes the four letters using the Yuuniy (Greek) term for vowels.
In The Yahudiym (Jewish) War 5.235, Josephus uses the expression phōnēenta tessara, commonly translated as “four vowels.”
This wording has attracted considerable attention because the Abariy (Hebrew) letters י (Yud), ה (Hay), and ו (Uau) can function as consonants or participate in representing vowel sounds, depending on their position and linguistic context.
In Abariy (Hebrew) writing, letters used to indicate vowel sounds are commonly called matres lectionis, meaning “mothers of reading.” This writing convention is important when examining ancient Abariy (Hebrew) names and the possible pronunciation of the four-letter Name יהוה.
We understand Josephus’s description as an important point to consider when studying the pronunciation YAHUAH. Our interpretation examines the relationship between the four letters, their possible vowel-related functions, and the linguistic patterns preserved in ancient Abariy (Hebrew) names.
From this perspective, the pronunciation YAHUAH, sometimes explained through the approximate syllabic form Yah-Hoo-Ah, is considered alongside other historical and linguistic evidence.
However, Josephus’s statement alone does not establish the pronunciation YAHUAH or prove that all four letters were pronounced as independent vowel sounds. His wording describes the set-apart (sacred) inscription but does not provide a complete phonetic explanation of the Name.
For a deeper examination of this subject, read our related study on YHWH Vowels and the Abariy (Hebrew) Manuscript Evidence, where we explore the historical development of vowel notation, the four-letter Name, and the linguistic arguments surrounding its pronunciation.
What Josephus’s Description Does—and Does Not—Establish
Although Josephus’s statement is historically significant, it is essential to distinguish between his written testimony and the interpretations developed from it.
Josephus confirms that the high priest’s golden headpiece bore a set-apart (sacred) inscription consisting of four letters, which he describes in Yuuniy (Greek) as four vowels.
However, he does not divide the Name into syllables, provide a Yuuniy (Greek)-letter transcription of its pronunciation, or explicitly identify the sounds represented by each Abariy (Hebrew) letter.
Therefore, his statement is valuable evidence concerning how the Set-Apart Name was described in the first century CE, but it does not independently settle the question of its original pronunciation.
The importance of Josephus’s account lies not only in his unusual description of the “four vowels,” but also in his testimony that the Creator’s personal Set-Apart Name was preserved in written form and held a significant place in the high priestly tradition.
What Flavius Josephus’s Testimony Can and Cannot Prove About the Set-Apart Name YAHUAH
Careful historical and Scriptural research requires recognizing both the strength and the limitations of the available evidence. Acknowledging these distinctions does not weaken the study of the Creator’s personal Set-Apart (Divine) Name, YAHUAH (יהוה). Instead, it strengthens our understanding by distinguishing documented historical facts from interpretations that require further examination.
The ancient Abariy (Hebrew) Scriptures preserve the four-letter Set-Apart Name יהוה (YHWH), commonly known as the Tetragrammaton. However, the earliest consonantal manuscripts do not provide a complete system of vowel markings that would establish the Name’s original pronunciation with certainty.
Modern scholars have proposed different reconstructions of the ancient pronunciation. “Yahweh” is widely accepted as a scholarly reconstruction, while the later form “Jehovah” developed through a combination of the four Abariy (Hebrew) consonants and vowel markings associated with traditional substitute readings.
An article published in the Yahudiym Scriptures (Jewish Bible) Quarterly discusses the historical development of the Set-apart (Divine) Name and the linguistic questions surrounding its pronunciation.
The Yahudiym (Jewish) Encyclopedia, in its discussion of “Adaniy (Adonai)”, also explains the long-standing Yahudiy (Jewish) practice of reading the title Adaniy (Adonai), meaning “Lord” or “Master,” aloud in place of the written four-letter Name.
These historical developments provide important context for understanding the testimony of Flavius Josephus and the religious traditions surrounding the Creator’s Set-Apart Name during the first century CE.
What Josephus’s Testimony Establishes
Josephus remains a significant historical witness because his writings preserve important information about the Creator’s personal Name and its treatment within the Yahudiy (Jewish) religious world.
His accounts provide evidence for four important observations:
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The Set-Apart Name was recognized as a distinct four-letter Name. Josephus describes the set-apart (sacred) inscription associated with the high priesthood, corresponding to the four-letter Abariy (Hebrew) Name יהוה (YAHUAH).
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The Name was engraved on the high priest’s golden headpiece. His account in The Yahudiym (Jewish) War 5.5.7 (5.235) describes the set-apart (sacred) inscription associated with the high priest’s ceremonial garments and the worship practices of the Ahiykal (Temple).
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The Name was treated with profound reverence. Josephus’s writings reflect a religious environment in which the Creator’s personal Set-Apart Name was regarded with great respect, and its disclosure or pronunciation could be subject to restrictions.
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Josephus personally declined to disclose the Name in his historical account. In Antiquities of the Yahudiym (Jews) 2.12.4 (2.275–276), he recounts the revelation of the Set-apart (Divine) Name to Mashah (Moses) but states that he does not consider it lawful to disclose that Name himself.
Together, these observations demonstrate that the Creator’s Set-Apart Name was recognized, preserved in written form, and treated with reverence during the lifetime of Josephus.
However, his personal restraint should not be interpreted as proof that the Name had been universally forgotten or that every Yahudiy (Jewish) community followed identical practices concerning its spoken use.
What Josephus’s Testimony Does Not Establish
Although Josephus provides valuable historical evidence, his writings do not supply a complete phonetic transcription of the Creator’s personal Name.
He does not identify its syllables, explain the precise vowel sounds used in its pronunciation, or reproduce the Name in Yuuniy (Greek) letters in a way that conclusively establishes how it was spoken.
Even his well-known description of the inscription as consisting of “four vowels” does not, by itself, establish a particular pronunciation.
For this reason, the study of the Set-Apart Name must also consider other sources of evidence, including ancient Abariy (Hebrew) manuscripts, archaeological inscriptions, historical transliterations, and theophoric personal names containing shortened forms associated with יהוה.
These sources provide additional linguistic and historical information that can help researchers evaluate different proposed pronunciations.
For a deeper examination of these questions, explore our related study, What Is the Tetragrammaton (יהוה)? Its Meaning, History, and Why the Pronunciation Is Debated.
The central lesson is clear: Josephus provides valuable evidence concerning the existence, written preservation, and reverent treatment of the Creator’s Set-Apart Name. Determining its ancient pronunciation, however, requires examining the wider body of Scriptural, historical, and linguistic evidence.
By carefully distinguishing what the evidence establishes from what remains open to interpretation, we can pursue a deeper and more informed understanding of the Creator’s personal Set-Apart Name, YAHUAH (יהוה).
Did Flavius Josephus Stop Pronouncing the Set-Apart (Divine) Name YAHUAH?
An important historical question often arises when studying the Creator’s personal Set-Apart (Divine) Name, YAHUAH (יהוה): When did the Yahudiym (Jews) stop pronouncing the four-letter Name יהוה (YAHUAH), and does Flavius Josephus provide evidence that its spoken use had already ceased by the first century CE?
Josephus is frequently cited as evidence that the pronunciation of the Creator’s Set-Apart Name had become restricted or had largely disappeared by his time. However, historical research suggests a more complex picture, revealing that the use and avoidance of the Set-apart (Divine) Name varied among Yahudiy (Jewish) communities during the Second Ahiykal (Temple) period.
In his 2017 doctoral study, The Set-apart (Divine) Name in Early Yahudiym (Judaism): Use and Non-Use in Aramiyt (Aramaic), Abariy (Hebrew), and Yuuniy (Greek), scholar Anthony R. Meyer examines the historical evidence concerning the pronunciation, written preservation, and avoidance of the Creator’s personal Name.
Meyer explains that the statements of Flavius Josephus and Philo of Alexandria should be understood within their particular religious and social settings rather than automatically treated as representative of all Yahudiym (Jews).
His research indicates that the use and avoidance of the Set-Apart Name overlapped throughout much of the Second Ahiykal (Temple) period, rather than following a simple historical progression in which everyone first pronounced the Name and then stopped using it at the same time.
This conclusion is discussed in Anthony R. Meyer’s 2017 study of the Set-Apart (Divine) Name during the Second Ahiykal (Temple) period.
Meyer’s later book, Naming Aluah (God) in Early Yahudiym (Judaism): Aramiyt (Aramaic), Abariy (Hebrew), and Yuuniy (Greek), develops this research further by examining ancient literary sources, inscriptions, and manuscript evidence concerning the use and avoidance of the four-letter Name.
The study describes how certain priestly, devout, and scribal communities restricted the use of the Creator’s Name, while other historical sources preserve evidence of differing practices. These variations were influenced by religious traditions, geographical settings, languages, and social circumstances.
Rather than identifying one specific moment when the pronunciation of the Name universally ceased, the research emphasizes the diversity of practices that existed among Yahudiy communities.
For further historical examination, see Naming Aluah (God) in Early Yahudiym (Judaism): Aramiyt (Aramaic), Abariy (Hebrew), and Yuuniy (Greek) (Brill).
What Josephus’s Testimony Reveals—and What It Does Not Establish
The following table summarizes what Josephus’s writings support and which questions remain unresolved.
| Historical Question | What Josephus’s Testimony Supports | What His Testimony Does Not Establish |
|---|---|---|
| Was the Creator’s personal Name known? | Yes. Josephus recounts its revelation to Mashah (Moses) and describes its inscription on the high priest’s golden headpiece. | The precise ancient pronunciation of the Name. |
| Was the Name treated as Set-Apart (Holy)? | Yes. Josephus expresses personal restraint concerning its disclosure, reflecting reverence for the Name. | Whether every Yahudiy (Jewish) community followed the same restrictions. |
| Did the Name consist of four letters? | Yes. Josephus describes the set-apart (sacred) inscription as consisting of “four vowels,” corresponding to the four-letter Name יהוה. | The exact vowel sounds or syllabic structure of the Name. |
| Did pronunciation cease during Josephus’s lifetime? | His testimony demonstrates that restrictions concerning disclosure of the Name existed in the first century CE. | A precise date when its spoken use ended or proof that all Yahudiym (Jews) had stopped pronouncing it. |
Why Josephus’s Personal Restraint Does Not Prove Universal Silence
The final question is particularly important because many popular discussions treat Josephus’s refusal to disclose the Name as evidence that its pronunciation had already disappeared throughout the Yahudiy (Jewish) world.
However, an individual’s refusal to speak or disclose a Name does not establish that everyone within the same religious community followed that practice.
Josephus’s statement in Antiquities of the Yahudiym (Jews) 2.12.4 reflects his understanding of the religious restrictions surrounding the Creator’s personal Name. His testimony is valuable because it demonstrates the reverence associated with the Name among at least some first-century Yahudiy circles.
Nevertheless, Josephus does not explicitly state that every Yahudiy had stopped pronouncing the Name, nor does he identify a specific historical event that brought its spoken use to an end.
It is also important to distinguish between writing the Name, reading it aloud, and pronouncing it in religious or everyday settings. Evidence of the written Name does not automatically establish how frequently it was spoken, just as evidence of restrictions in one community does not prove that the same restrictions applied everywhere.
These distinctions help explain why scholars continue to study the development of Set-apart (Divine) Name traditions rather than assigning a single date to the disappearance of its spoken use.
Josephus’s testimony provides important evidence of reverence and restraint, but it does not prove that the Creator’s personal Name had been universally forgotten or that its pronunciation had completely disappeared during his lifetime.
By examining the ancient Abariy (Hebrew) Scriptures, historical inscriptions, manuscript traditions, and scholarly research together, readers can better understand how the Creator’s Set-Apart Name was preserved, used, and treated across different periods of history.
How Flavius Josephus’s Testimony Connects to the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Set-Apart Name YAHUAH
While Flavius Josephus provides historical testimony concerning the reverence and restrictions surrounding the Creator’s personal Set-Apart (Divine) Name, YAHUAH (יהוה), the Dead Sea Scrolls offer important manuscript evidence of how the four-letter Abariy (Hebrew) Name was written and preserved during the Second Ahiykal (Temple) period.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, dating broadly from the last few centuries BCE through the first century CE, preserve numerous occurrences of the Tetragrammaton (יהוה). Some manuscripts even present the Set-Apart Name in the ancient Paleo-Abariy (Paleo-Hebrew) script, while the surrounding text is written in the later square Abariy (Hebrew) script, historically developed from the Aramiyt (Aramaic) writing tradition.
This distinctive scribal practice demonstrates that certain ancient copyists took special care in representing the Creator’s personal Name. Rather than treating the Name as an ordinary expression, they sometimes distinguished it visually from the surrounding Scriptural text.
For a deeper examination of this manuscript evidence, explore our article on YAHUAH in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Evidence of the Preserved Set-Apart Name and our study of Paleo-Abariy (Hebrew) Inscriptions of the Creator’s Name.
What the Dead Sea Scrolls Reveal About the Preservation of YAHUAH
The relationship between Josephus’s testimony and the Dead Sea Scrolls becomes particularly significant when we examine their overlapping historical contexts.
Josephus, a first-century Yahudiy (Jewish) priest and historian, expressed personal restraint concerning the disclosure of the Set-Apart Name. Meanwhile, ancient scribes continued preserving the four-letter Name יהוה in Scriptural manuscripts, sometimes using distinctive writing practices to emphasize its set-apart (sacred) status.
One important example is the Great Tahliym (Psalms) Scroll (11Q5) from Qumran Cave 11. This manuscript contains the Creator’s four-letter Name written in Paleo-Abariy (Paleo-Hebrew) letters within a text otherwise written in square Abariy (Hebrew) script.
Other manuscripts used special scribal conventions, including four dots representing the Set-Apart (Divine) Name. Such practices illustrate the different ways ancient scribes approached the writing and preservation of the Name.
These manuscript traditions provide valuable evidence that reverence for the Creator’s Set-Apart Name did not necessarily result in its disappearance from the written Scriptural text.
Instead, reverence sometimes influenced how the Name was written, distinguished, or represented within manuscripts.
However, these written practices do not establish precisely how frequently the Name was pronounced aloud. They reveal how scribes handled the Name in writing, while Josephus provides separate testimony concerning religious restrictions on its disclosure.
Both forms of evidence are important: Josephus helps us understand attitudes toward the Name, while the manuscripts demonstrate how its written form was transmitted and preserved.
How Ketiv and Qere Influenced the Reading of the Set-Apart Name
A related development in the transmission of the Abariy (Hebrew) Scriptures is the reading tradition known as Ketiv and Qere, meaning “what is written” and “what is read.”
In the later Masoretic tradition, scribes preserved the written four-letter Name יהוה (YAHUAH) while providing vowel markings associated with substitute readings, particularly Adaniy (Adonai), meaning “Lord” or “Master.”
This distinction reflects an established practice in which the Creator’s personal Name remained visible in the written text even when a different expression was pronounced during public or private Scripture reading.
Although the Masoretes formally recorded these reading conventions centuries after Josephus, the practice of substituting a title for the Set-apart (Divine) Name had much earlier historical roots.
For a detailed explanation of this important subject, read our guide to Ketiv and Qere: Understanding the Written and Spoken Forms of the Set-Apart Name.
Why the Written Name YAHUAH Was Not Erased
When the evidence from Josephus and the Dead Sea Scrolls is considered together, an important historical distinction emerges.
Restrictions concerning the pronunciation or disclosure of the Creator’s Name did not mean that the four-letter Name יהוה had disappeared from the ancient Scriptural manuscripts.
The surviving manuscript evidence demonstrates that the Name continued to be transmitted in writing, even as different Yahudiy (Jewish) communities developed varying practices concerning its spoken use.
We believe this distinction is essential to understanding the history of the Creator’s personal Set-Apart Name, YAHUAH (יהוה).
The written Name was preserved, while traditions concerning its pronunciation and public use developed across different historical periods.
For a broader examination of this subject, explore our related article, YAHUAH Wasn’t Erased: Evidence of the Set-Apart Name in Ancient Manuscripts and History.
The central lesson is clear: reverence did not erase the Creator’s Set-Apart Name from the written Scriptures. Instead, reverence sometimes shaped how scribes represented the Name and how readers approached its pronunciation.
By examining Josephus’s testimony alongside ancient manuscripts and later scribal traditions, we can better understand how the four-letter Name יהוה was preserved and why its historical transmission remains an important subject of Scriptural study.
Josephus, the Set-Apart Name, and the Bariyt Hadash
Readers often ask whether the same pattern of reverence for the Set-Apart (Divine) Name also appears in the Bariyt Hadash (New Testament). Josephus lived in the same first-century world as the Bariyt Hadash writers—the same Ahiykal (Temple), the same priesthood, and the same cultural reverence surrounding the Creator’s Name.
We examine what the manuscript evidence reveals in the Set-Apart Name in the Bariyt Hadash and in YAHUAH in the Bariyt Hadash.
A related question also appears frequently in searches: Did Josephus say that Yahusha, who is YAHUAH (Jesus), was Aluah (God) or that He was nailed to the stake (crucified)? Those questions concern the two brief passages about Yahusha, who is YAHUAH (Jesus) in Antiquities. They are separate from the subject of the Set-Apart (Divine) Name and have generated their own long-standing scholarly debate.
This study remains focused specifically on what Josephus wrote about the Set-Apart Name and what his testimony may reveal about how the Name was understood, written, and treated in the first century.
Our Perspective
We read Josephus with respect and care. He was a priest who knew the Ahiykal (Temple), and his writings show that the Name Aluah (God) revealed to Mashah (Moses) was regarded as Set-Apart (holy), known, and engraved on the high priest’s crown.
We also believe that the Set-Apart Name was meant to be known and used. The restraint Josephus describes was real, but it developed alongside a Scriptural tradition in which the Name continued to be written thousands of times in the manuscripts. Reverence is not erasure, and we believe the Scriptures themselves call people to know, honor, and call upon the Name of YAHUAH.
This is why we work from the earliest available Abariy (Hebrew) and Aramiyt (Aramaic) manuscripts, and why the Truth Scriptures™ restore the Name YAHUAH where it appears in the text rather than replacing it with a title. Josephus does not give us the syllables of the Name, and we do not claim that he does. What he does provide is important historical testimony that there was a Set-Apart Name that was known, written, and carefully guarded.
That is the same Name we want readers to be able to recognize in their own Scriptures (Bibles).
We invite you to test everything, examine the sources for yourself, and hold firmly to what the Scriptural text shows.
— Maria
Study the Set-Apart Name for Yourself
If this article has raised more questions than it answered, that is a good reason to continue studying. The Set-Apart (Divine) Name, YAHUAH, is a subject that rewards careful, source-based examination of the Scriptures and ancient manuscripts.
The Truth Scriptures Translation is our English restoration of the Ta’anak and Bariyt Hadash, drawing from ancient Abariy (Hebrew) and Aramiyt (Aramaic) manuscript sources, with the Name YAHUAH restored throughout. For digital study, the Truth Scriptures Digital Collection is also available.
For guided study, our PTT Virtual Retreats bring together manuscript evidence, the Set-Apart Name, and the Scriptural worldview through focused teaching sessions. The retreats are listed at £197 each as a one-time payment.
You can also begin with our free Truth Scriptures names and places download. For a more detailed study of the pronunciation of the four-letter Name YAHUAH (יהוה) and the evidence behind the restored form YAHUAH, read manuscript evidence for YHWH pronounced YAHUAH.
We encourage every reader to examine the evidence, compare the manuscripts, and test everything against the Scriptural text.
Reading the Josephus Passages for Yourself
You do not have to accept anyone’s summary without checking the sources for yourself, including ours. One of the best ways to study Flavius Josephus, the Set-Apart Name, and YAHUAH (יהוה) is to begin with the primary text.
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Open a standard English translation of Josephus, such as Whiston’s translation, and read Antiquities, Book 2, Chapter 12, Section 4. Examine Josephus’s retelling of the burning bush account and note the statement in which he declines to disclose the Name.
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Turn to The Yahudiym (Jewish) War, Book 5, Chapter 5, Section 7. Read Josephus’s description of the high priest’s crown and his statement that the inscription “consists of four vowels.”
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Compare both passages with Shamut (Exodus) 3 in the Truth Scriptures™, paying close attention to how the Set-Apart Name, YAHUAH (יהוה), appears in the Scriptural text.
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Also consider what Josephus does not say. He does not provide an explicit pronunciation of the Name, and he does not state that the Name had been abolished.
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Then examine the relevant scholarly discussions, compare the historical evidence, and determine what the full record supports.
This habit of reading the primary source before relying on commentary is one of the best safeguards against both overstatement and dismissal. It is also the approach we seek to follow at Promote The Truth (PTT): examine the sources, compare the manuscript evidence, and allow the text to speak for itself.
FAQ
What Was Josephus’ Real Name?
Josephus was born with an Abariy (Hebrew) name, Yusaf ban Matatiyahu, meaning Yusaf (Joseph), son of Matat (Matthias). This was the name by which he would have been known among his own Yahudiy (Jewish) people.
The name Flavius Josephus reflects his later Rumaiy (Roman) citizenship and his connection with the Flavian imperial family. After coming under the patronage of the Flavian emperors, he adopted the Rumaiy (Roman) family name Flavius while retaining Josephus, the Latinized form of his personal name.
For this reason, Flavius Josephus is a helpful way to identify him when discussing his Yahudiy background, priestly heritage, and writings about the Set-Apart Name.
Does Josephus give the pronunciation of the divine name?
No. In Antiquities 2.12.4 he says it is not lawful for him to speak the name, and in Jewish War 5.5.7 he says only that it consists of four vowels. Neither passage records the syllables, so the pronunciation has to be studied from manuscripts and other evidence.
When Did the Yahudiym (Jews) Stop Pronouncing the Set-Apart (Divine) Name?
There is no single agreed-upon date for when the Yahudiym (Jews) stopped pronouncing the Set-Apart (Divine) Name, YAHUAH (יהוה).
Research on the Second Ahiykal (Temple) period points to overlapping practices of pronouncing, restricting, and avoiding the Name, rather than one clear moment when its spoken use suddenly ended. Some priestly and scribal circles appear to have limited the pronunciation of the Name, while other evidence suggests that its use continued in certain settings.
Flavius Josephus is one important first-century witness within this broader historical picture. His writings reflect deep reverence and restraint concerning the Set-Apart Name, but they do not establish a single date when all Yahudiym stopped pronouncing it.
Where Does Josephus Mention the Name on the High Priest’s Crown?
Josephus describes the Set-Apart (Divine) Name on the high priest’s crown in The Yahudiym (Jewish) War 5.5.7. A related reference to the Name on the high priest’s golden mitre also appears in Antiquities 11.331–334.
Both passages place the Set-Apart Name, YAHUAH (יהוה), in the Ahiykal (Temple) setting—written, displayed, and worn by the high priest, rather than forgotten or erased.