The word Jehova verses the word SEÑOR

The following is an article I've written for a Spanish Magazine entitled "La Voz Bautista." They've asked me at least four or five times to submit them an article, and I've been blessed to see those printed. What I give below, I have translated into English. I believe the information is very important, especially to those who know no Spanish. For in these last days of apostasy, we have many a Missionary, Pastor, Deacon, and Evangelist, who are INCONSISTENT in their doctrines and teachings, and are HYPOCRITICAL, as they defend two very different and distinct points of view in defending their Spanish Bible reading when they are with Hispanics, but then defend their King James reading when they are with English Speakers. The facts are, however, that THEY DO NOT READ THE SAME! And as one English Pastor so nicely put it, "Things different are not the same!" Or in Sesame Street lingo for those of you who aren't that well educated, "Some of these things are kinda similar, some of this things are NOT THE SAME!"

This article will show you why the Valera 1602 Purified is superior to any other Spanish Bible on the topic of using SEÑOR (LORD) as the King James Bible does. I hope this will be informative, and help people to finally make up their minds to be either KJV only or to just tell the truth that they are really not KJV, and stop pretending to be, when they claim they are. God bless! Sincerly, Robert Breaker.

Jehova verses SEÑOR

There are many who want to vehemently attack the Valera 1602 Purified Spanish Bible by saying it does not use the word “Jehovah.” But their attacks are invalid. For the word “Jehová,” is used in the Purified in at least four different places.
Before we look at why the Purified retains the word “Jehová,” in several places, we should first investigate why the Valera 1602 Purified uses the word “Señor” everywhere else.
There are many ignorant men who attack the “Puri” in saying that it is incorrect to use “Señor” and they dogmatically scream that the text should always say “Jehová,” in every reading, as many modern versions of the Reina-Valera have it. But it is interesting that the majority of those critics that preach this in Spanish are all in favor of the King James in English, which also does not translate the Hebrew word as “Jehovah,” rather as “Lord” (Señor). How weird that their arguments and critiques are not the same! How is it posible to defend a translation of a word in English (Lord instead of Jehovah) and not defend the same translation in Spanish (Señor instead of Jehová).
No, theirs is an argument of someone who has not thought out their position. The simple truth is the word Lord is Señor in Spanish. I then want to ask, “Why is it that those who attack the 1602 Purified do not attack the King James as well for not using Jehovah in English?” That would only be consistent and logical.
The Hebrew word underlying both Señor and Jehová is:

If we try to pronounce this word, we have a problem. Many say it is “Je-ho-vah.” But there are no vowel points in this word. Because of this, others say that we ought to pronounce it as “Yah-weh” or “Yeh-wah.”
The truth is no one knows exactly how to pronounce this word. For this reason the translators of the King James, in their infinite wisdom, translated the word into English as: “LORD.” Notice that they put the word in all caps, to show that it is not only the name of the Holy God, but also his very being, which deserves much respect and reverence.
The translators of the Valera 1602 Purified were also careful to translate the word as SEÑOR (LORD) in all caps, in order to give honor and respect to God, just like the King James translators did.
Cassidoro de Reina explains in his preface to his 1569 Spanish Bible more about the Hebrew word:

“The meaning of the name is very convenient to what it signifies, because it is taken from the very first property of God, that is of his being, of which is his, and everything else in the world is, and has its being from Him. For this reason, although all other names of God are communicated to others, this name only is convenient: from where it follows evidently that if in the Scriptures are communicated to others the Messiah and Holy Spirit, (as we find it many times) the invincible argument that they are all one divine essence with the Father, then the Mesiah should also have the same human nature as us.”

El texto en Español: La significación del nombre es muy conveniente a lo que significa: porque es tomado de la primera propiedad de Dios, que es del ser, lo cual es propio suyo: y todo los demas que en el mundo es, lo tiene mendigado de él. Por esta causa aunque todos los otros nombres de Dios, son comunicados a otro, a el solo conviente: de donde se sigue evidentemente que si en la Escritura se halla comunicado al Mesias y al Espiritu Santo (como se halla muchas veces) es argumento invincible de que son de una misma escencia divina con el Padre, no obstante que el Mesías tenga también la misma naturaleza humana que nosotros”.

Thus, this Hebrew word is very important, because it not only is the name of God, but it also signifies his being, and his very essence. It also speaks of the trinity, because it shows us the Messiah (Jesus Christ) as equal to God the Father.
It is important, then, to put SEÑOR or LORD in all caps when we desire to translate this Hebrew word to another language, as it speaks not only of God the Father, but of the Son as well. (Note: No other Spanish Bible does this, as they all retain Jehová, and although they capitalize the first letter, they do not capitalize the rest of the word. How disrespectful!)
The question then arises: Why on earth did Reina in his Spanish translation of 1569 use “Jehová” instead of SEÑOR?
Let’s let Reina answer that himself. Once again from his preface we read: “We have not here determined to take this issue into question with anyone, nor pressure anyone to pronounce this name, if the superstition of the Jews seems better than the pious liberty of the Profets and pious men of the Old Testament, you may pass over the word when you read it, or instead pronounce, “Señor,” as the Jews do.”

El texto en Español: “Ni tampoco aca estamos determinados de tomar question con nadie sobre este negocio: ni constreñir a ninguno a que pronuncie este nombre, si la supersiticon Judaica le pareciere mejor que la pia libertad de los Profetas y pios del viejo Testamento: puede pasarlo cuando leyere, o en lugar de el, pronuciar, Señor, como hace los Judios...”.

Thus, according to Reina, the text ought to read “Jehová,” but he explains that it is okay to use or read “Señor,” if you so desire.
To understand better Reina’s dogmatic position on only using “Jehová,” in his text we need to remember who Reina was. Both he and Cipriano de Valera lived in the middle ages and were Catholics before they received Jesus as their Saviour. During that time, the Catholic church persecuted the Jews and hated them. And as we read the preface of Reina in his Bible, we clearly see Reina retained a little of this anti-Jewish attitude when four times he speaks of the Jews as “supersticious” as they held on to their own “superstitions,” in not pronouncing the Holy name of God.
While Reina was dogmatic in leaving the word “Jehová,” in his edition, just to be against the tradition of the Jews, we find that Valera also followed suit, when he chose to leave the word in as well in his revision of Reina’s Bible which came out in 1602. Valera says in his preface:

"And pertaining to the sacred name of Jehovah, that is the name of the divine essence...we have retained it for the many pious reasons of the first Translator [Reina] gave in his preface. I will only add two reasons here why it appears to me...the obstinant superstitions of the Jews, in pronouncing this name Jehovah. And before I add, I will note here that Jehovah is the Hebrew name of God derived from the word that gives life to all creatures. This is His own name of his divine essence...and thus is the Hebrew name of Jehovah...Our Sevillano Benito Arias doctorate in languages speaks of the names of God and makes particular mention of the essential name of Jehovah and says these words: ‘And it is lawful to show by reason of others that the pronunciation should be JEHVEH. And I think that they Fathers pronounced it: the Israelites, as others men of other nations which has notice of this name.’ The same Benito Arias after having said this, promised to try to find another place of the true prounciation of the name of Jehovah. I do not know if he ever did.
So that not in vain, but in truth, judgment, and justice I take the name of Jehovah...The Jews then deceive themselves when they do not sware by the Holy name of Jehovah, when they don’t pronounce it...The name of Jehovah...is Holy and Terrible. If it is Holy, oh poor miserable sinner, why do YOU profane it in taking it in your mouth in every other word without reverance? If it is terrible, why don’t you, you miserable worm, you dirt, you ash, not TREMBLE when you take it in your dirty mouth? Remember that God will not hold innocent the man that takes his name in vain... "

El Texto exacto en Español: “Cuanto al sacrosanto nombre Jehovah, que es el propio nombre del la escencia divina, y incomunicable a las criaturas, habemos lo retenido por las doctas y pias razónes que el primer Traductor da en su Amonestación... Solamente añadiré aquí dos razones, que me parecen muy peremptorias para confuntar la supersticiosas obstinación de los Judios, cuanto al pronucar este nombre Jehovah. Y antes que las añado notaré aquí que Jehovah es nombre Hebreo derivado del verbo que da ser a las criaturas. Este es el nombre propio de la Escencia divina, y incomunicable a las criaturas...y así es Sino del nombre Hebreo Jehovah, que habían oído ser el nombre del Dios de los Hebreos? Nuestro Sevillano Benito Arias doctísimo en lenguas, hablando de los nombres de Dios hace particular mención del nombre esencial Jehovah y así dice estas palabras: Y sí es licito mostrar por razón de otros semejantes nombres la cierta pronunciación, J E H V E H se habría de decir. Y así pienso que los Padres lo pronunciaron: así Israelitas, como otros hombres de otras naciones, que tuvieron noticia de este nombre. El mismo Benito Arias después de haber dicho lo precedente, promete que tratará en otro lugar de la verdadera pronunciación del nombre Jehovah. Si lo haya hecho, no lo sé.
Así que cuando no en vano, sino con verdad, juicio y justicia se toma el nombre Jehovah, no es pecado sino parte del culto que Dios nos demanda. Engañanse pues los Judíos cuando no solamente no juran por el sacro santo nombre Jehovah, mas ni aun lo pronuncian. Pero los santos Patriarcas y Profetas tomando gran consuelo con este nombre lo escribieron y pronunciaron, y juraron por el. Léanse sus escritos, cuantas veces dijeron: Vive Jehovah. El Psalmo 69 tiene trece versos, y en ellos el nombre Jehovah se nombra once veces. El Psalmo 29, tiene doce versos, en los cuales David nombra Jehovah diez y ocho veces. De una cosa me maravillo, que los Judíos hagan tanto escrúpulo de escribir y pronunciar Jehovah (escribiendo y pronunciando en su lugar Adonai) y sin ningún escrúpulo escriban y pronuncien Jah, que es tan propio nombre de la Esencia divina, y tan incomunicable a las criaturas como Jehovah: ninguna diferencia hay entre estos dos sacrosantos nombres sino esta, que Jehovah, se escribe con cuatro consonantes, y Jah, como abreviatura de Jehová, se escribe con dos. Habiendo probado ser licito pronunciarlo, y que los antiguos, así Hebreos como Paganos lo pronunciaron, resta ahora avisar al que lo pronuncia que cuando concibe este glorioso nombre en su mente, cuando lo escribe, o pronuncia, lo haga con la reverencia que se debe a un tan sacrosanto nombre: acuérdese de las condiciones, que poco ha habemos notado, que Jeremías capitulo 4 verso 2 de sus Profecía pone. El nombre de Jehovah (come se dice Psalmo 111:9) es santo y terrible. Si es santo, porque miserable pecador, lo profanas tomando lo sin reverencia ninguna a cada tercera palabra en tu boca? Si es terrible, porque tu miserable gusano, polvo, y ceniza, no tiemblas cuando lo tomas en tu boca sucia? Acuérdate que Dios no tendrá por inocente al que tomare su nombre en vano. Exod. 20. Acuérdate del horrendo Castigo con que Dios castigó al blasfemo, Lev. 24:14, mandó Dios que fuese apedreado. Y así lo fue. Perdonadme Cristiano Lector si he sido largo en esto: la superstición de los Judíos, y los escrúpulos de algunos Cristianos me han hecho ser prolijo.”

Here we see Valera, like Reina, also calling the Jews “supersticious” for their pious tradition of not pronouncing the word “Jehová,” However, Valera confesses that we might not know if we are pronouncing it right in saying “Jehová,” and although it is not sin to him to say “Jehová,” he is quick to call others worms, dirt, and ash, while instructing them to tremble when they take that Holy name in their mouths.
Clearly, we see the reason that both Reina and Valera chose to use the word “Jehová.” It is because they were against the Jews way of reverencing that sacred name, and they held the Jews in contempt for their practice of not pronouncing God's most Holy name. But as we read the other writings of both Reina and Valera, we find something interesting. They, like many other Spanish Protestants of their day, used the word “Señor” instead of "Jehová," in speaking of God, especially when they translated verses in the Old Testament. Why then were they not consistent in their versions of the holy scriptures to do the same? I believe it was because of their anti-Jewish sentiment that they chose to use the word “Jehová,” as a form of spite to the Jews.
As we study other old versions of the Bible, we find they did not use “Jehová,” in the Old Testament, rather Señor, or some other word. For example, in his translation of the Psalms, Juan Perez de Pineda (who put out a New Testament in 1556) wrote "Señor" instead of “Jehová,” And also we find in the Biblia de Ferrara (a work done by Jews) that they chose to use Adonay instead of “Jehová.”
For these reasons, we see that the Valera 1602 Purified is better in using SEÑOR, as it not only follows the King James in English, but also the Juan Perez de Pineda, and also is in agreement with the Jewish translation from Hebrew, and against the anti-semitism of Reina and Valera, who chose to transliterate the Hebrew word as “Jehová,” thinking that was the proper pronunciation of the word.
Again, we should ask as Valera did, “How do we know if we are pronouncing it correctly?”
Allow me to give an example of mispronuciation. My name is ROBERT. It’s spelled: R-O-B-E-R-T. What happens if I take out all the vowels, and no one knows exactly how to put them back in it to pronounce my name correctly? What if they try, but they pronounce it as ROBERTA? I would be very mad! Because my name is ROBERT (masculine) and not ROBERTA (feminine).
For this reason, then it would be better to know exactly how to pronounce my name, or else not use it at all. Would it not then be better to use SEÑOR in Spanish, as we really don’t know exactly how to prounce God's name, and we don’t know if we are saying it right with Jehová? How do we know we aren't offending God by pronouncing JEHOVAH incorrectly? (At any rate, because of Reina and Valera the use of the word Jehová and its pronunciation has been accepted by hispanic people for almost 400 years, and for this reason they use it in their versions of the Bible).
Looking back on the history of the word "Jehová" we find anti-semitism, but as we look forward to today, we find much damage being caused by the use of the word Jehová, in Spanish Bibles, instead of the King James reading of LORD (SEÑOR). For we find that the use of Jehová has lead to much false doctrine among hispanics, as Jehovah Witnesses have gained much ground in the Spanish-Speaking world because the use of the word in the Old Testament. This then gives us another reason why SEÑOR is better, as the word “Jehová,” helps the Jehovah Witnesses, who do not believe in the Trinity.
Remember that Reina said that “Jehová,” is the being of God, and that also the word speaks of the trinity and of the Messiah (Jesus Christ). We know that the same SEÑOR (LORD) in the Old Testament is the same Señor (Lord) of the New Testament. That is to say that Jesus Christ is God. The versions that use only “Jehová,” lose this important connection.
Now that we know the reasons why it is better to use SEÑOR than Jehová let’s return to our original subject, which is, “Why does the Valera 1602 Purified use the word “Jehová,” in four places, while it uses SEÑOR instead of Jehová in all other places?”
To answer this question, we need to look at where the King James uses the word “JEHOVAH” in English:

Exodus 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

Psalms 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Isaiah 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

The Valera 1602 Purified reads just like the King James in these verses in using “JEHOVÁ” (notice it’s in all caps). Here are the same verses in the Purified in Spanish:

Éxodo 6:3 Y yo aparecí a Abraham, a Isaac y a Jacob bajo el nomre de Dios Todopoderoso, mas en mi nombre JEHOVÁ no me di a conocer a ellos.

Salmo 83:18 Y conozcan todos que tú, cuyo nombre es JEHOVÁ, tú solo eres el Altísimo sobre toda la tierra.

Isaías 12:2 He aquí, Dios es mi salvación, confiaré, y no temeré; porque mi fortaleza y mi canción es el SEÑOR JEHOVÁ, el cual también se ha hecho mi salvación.

Isaías 26:4 Confiad en el SEÑOR por siempre: porque en el SEÑOR JEHOVÁ está la ROCA de la ETERNIDAD.

The question, then, is: “Why does the Valera 1602 Purified use both SEÑOR and JEHOVÁ, and not SEÑOR­ only?”
Without going into a deep study into the Hebrew, which would only confuse you, I’ll answer that question as simply as possible.
In the first two verses above, we find the NAME OF GOD in the context. For this reason, the Valera 1602 Purified translators, as well as the King James translators, chose to write JEHOVAH.
In the third and fourth verses, we again find the Hebrew word but it appears in Hebrew text twice. Because it doesn’t sound good to translate it as SEÑOR SEÑOR (LORD LORD), nor JEHOVÁ JEHOVÁ (JEHOVAH JEHOVAH), the translators of both the KJV and the 1602 Valera Purified chose to use LORD JEHOVAH (SEÑOR JEHOVÁ), which is very strong in both English and Spanish.
In closing, let me state the obvious. The critics who attack the Valera 1602 Purified for not using Jehová are not consistent. Because the Spanish versions they use do not show respect for the name of God, (as they do not put the word Jehová in all caps). They claim to be defenders of the King James, but they attack the Valera 1602 Purified, which is the only Spanish Bible in history to read exactly with the King James in using LORD (SEÑOR) in all caps.
Thus, we can dogmatically state, “An attack against the Valera 1602 Purified is nothing more than an attack against the King James Bible in English, and the use of the word LORD instead of Jehová!”

The truth is the Valera 1602 Purified is the only Spanish Bible that uses both “SEÑOR” y “JEHOVÁ” in the Old Testament. For this, it is the only Spanish Bible that Jehovah Witnesses cannot use to deceive people, as it gives us the correct reference and the glorious truth that JEHOVAH is THE LORD (EL SEÑOR)!

Which Spanish Bible do you use and why? Do you use a version that has JEHOVAH instead of SEÑOR? If you do, have you studied out the reason why? For if you study it, you’ll find the KING JAMES in English is superior for using LORD in all caps, and so is the Valera 1602 Purified for using SEÑOR in all caps, as it shows reverence for God.