THE THIRD WORD
The Third Word of the Decalogue According to Jewish Tradition
In Jewish tradition, the Third Word (Davar Shelishi) of the Aseret HaDevarim (“The Ten Words”) is:
“You shall not take the name of YHVH your God in vain, for YHVH will not hold guiltless anyone who takes His name in vain.”
(Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11)
Explanation and Theological Significance
YHVH introduced Himself to Israel in the First Word of the Decalogue—not merely as a divine being or creator, but as “YHVH your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” This is not a general statement of power or authority—it is a personal, covenantal self-identification. The God who speaks at Sinai is not abstract or universal in a detached sense; He is THE God of Israel, and His very name—YHVH—is inseparable from that identity.
The Third Word of the Decalogue, then, takes on tremendous theological weight. It is not just a prohibition against casual or profane language; it is a commandment concerning the reverence and sanctity of the Divine Name as revealed to Israel, which now functions as the covenantal seal between God and Israel. The Hebrew phrase commonly translated as “in vain” is לַשָּׁוְא (la-shav), which means falsely, emptily, frivolously, or for deception. The command, “You shall not take the name of YHVH your God la-shav,” forbids the misuse of a name that now bears the full weight of Israel’s covenantal identity and relationship with God.
This name—YHVH—was first revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14–15). There, God disclosed a dimension of His identity that had not previously been known, even to the patriarchs. He said, “By My name YHVH I was not known to them” (Exodus 6:3). While the patriarchs knew El Shaddai, now God reveals Himself by His distinct, eternal Name—a Name that defines His essence as the self-existent, ever-present One, and binds that essence forever to His redemptive action on behalf of Israel.
From this point forward, YHVH is not merely a name for the universal God known in vague or philosophical terms. It is the specific, revealed, and covenantal Name of the God of Israel. The Name (HaShem) belongs exclusively to Israel and because of Israel—not in the sense that God is not Creator of all, but in the sense that only Israel has been entrusted with His Name. The very definition and meaning of YHVH are his acts on behalf of Israel. Israel and Israel alone are the recipients and custodians of the Divine Name. The nations do not know YHVH unless Israel reveals Him. As it is written, “You are My witnesses,” declares YHVH, “and My servant whom I have chosen” (Isaiah 43:10).
This means that you cannot think of YHVH apart from Israel. The Name is imprinted on the people, and the people are marked by the Name. The holiness of YHVH is reflected in the uniqueness of Israel’s calling. To misuse the Name—to take it la-shav—is not only a violation of God’s holiness but a violation of Israel’s identity and mission. It is a desecration of the sacred bond between the people of Israel and their God.
Therefore, the Third Word is not simply about verbal restraint; it is about guarding the sacred reality that the Name represents. To take YHVH’s Name lightly, falsely, or manipulatively is to tear at the very heart of the covenant. The Name YHVH is not a concept. It is a personally revealed reality, permanently bound to Israel’s identity, history, calling, and destiny. Any attempt to invoke, represent, or claim that Name apart from or against Israel is a distortion. The world cannot know YHVH except through the testimony, history, and identity of Israel.
In this light, the Third Word stands as a protective boundary around the Name, ensuring that it remains sanctified and never severed from the people through whom it was made known. To honor YHVH is to honor Israel, and to see, hear, or speak His Name is to remember His everlasting covenant with Israel.
Key Points in Jewish Understanding:
- Sanctity of the Name (YHVH):
- God’s Name is not a mere label; it carries the weight of His acts, presence, character, and covenant with Israel.
- To misuse it is to degrade His holiness, treat Him irreverently, or employ His name for manipulation or deceit.
- Misuse Can Include:
- False oaths or vows (e.g., swearing falsely in God’s name).
- Casual or careless use of God’s name in speech.
- Using the Name to justify wrongdoing or invoke divine authority falsely.
- Invoking God’s name in magic, curses, or vain rituals.
- Divine Consequence:
- The commandment includes a unique warning: “God will not hold guiltless” the violator.
- This expresses the seriousness of misusing God’s name, with spiritual and moral consequences.
- Jewish Practice:
- As a result, Jews traditionally avoid pronouncing the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) altogether.
- Substitutes like “Adonai” (Lord) or “HaShem” (The Name) are used in speech and prayer.
- This caution reflects the deep reverence with which God’s name is treated, stemming from this Third Word.
Comparison with Christian Tradition:
- In most Christian traditions, this is also the Third Commandment, and it is interpreted similarly:
- Not to misuse God’s name in oaths, curses, or casual language.
- In some denominations, this commandment is further applied to blasphemy, perjury, or hypocrisy.
- However, the level of reverence and linguistic avoidance of the Divine Name seen in Judaism is generally not practiced in the same way in most Christian contexts.
Conclusion: The Indivisibility of God’s Name and Israel
The Third Word in Jewish tradition is far more than a prohibition against irreverent speech—it is a commandment that guards the sanctity, authority, and covenantal integrity of the Divine Name. It affirms that the Name YHVH is not an abstract title, nor a generic reference to divinity, but a revealed, relational, and exclusive designation of the God of Israel. To bear, invoke, or even speak this Name requires awe, fear, integrity, and covenantal fidelity, not only in language but in life.
This commandment binds the holiness of God’s Name to the identity and destiny of Israel. The two are inextricably linked. YHVH is not merely the God of the universe; He is the God who brought Israel out of Egypt, who entered into covenant with them at Sinai, and who has attached His Name to them eternally. That Name belongs to Israel, not in the sense of ownership, but in the sense of relationship, representation, and responsibility.
Yet today, many who claim to worship the One True God do so without any conscious acknowledgment that He is the God of Israel. They speak of Him in universal terms, while detaching Him from the very people through whom He revealed Himself. Some even go so far as to suggest that Israel has been rejected or replaced, severed from the covenantal bond that once defined them.
But this is a theological impossibility. God cannot disassociate Himself from Israel without disassociating Himself from Himself. If He were to renounce the covenant with Israel, He would be denying the very revelation of His Name and identity as given in the Torah. To separate YHVH from Israel is to dismantle the foundational truth of Scripture. It would mean that God has broken His own word, which is not only unthinkable—it is ontologically impossible. If YHVH ceases to be the God of Israel, then He ceases to be YHVH, and thus ceases to be God.
Therefore, anyone who seeks to honor, worship, or invoke the Name of YHVH must do so with full awareness that He is, now and forever, the God of Israel. To deny Israel is to deny the Name. To strip God of His covenantal identity is to enter into false worship, even if cloaked in sincerity.
You cannot disassociate God from Israel without disassociating yourself from God. To call upon His Name while rejecting His people is to profane that Name—to take it in vain—violating the very essence of the Third Word. Reverence for the Name demands reverence for the people with whom that Name is eternally bound. This is not optional. It is covenantal. It is eternal. And it is non-negotiable.
The unique role of Israel—the Jewish people—as the only people who reverence, guard, and sanctify the Divine Name (YHVH) in the way they do, is rooted in biblical theology, historical identity, and spiritual calling:
Israel: The People Entrusted with the Name
Among all the nations of the earth, Israel alone has been entrusted with the Divine Name, not merely as a title for God, but as a sacred, covenantal reality. From the moment God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush, declaring “I AM THAT I AM” (אהיה אשר אהיה) and instructing him to tell the children of Israel that “YHVH, the God of your fathers… has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:15), the Name became inseparable from the identity of both God and Israel.
“This is My Name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.”
— Exodus 3:15
This Name—YHVH—is not simply a label; it is a revelation of God’s eternal, self-existent nature, bound specifically to His relationship with Israel. And it is Israel, and no other people, who have been commanded to sanctify, guard, and never take this Name in vain.
Unique Reverence in Practice
1. Guarding the Name
No people on earth show such careful reverence for the Divine Name as the Jewish people. In Jewish tradition:
- The Tetragrammaton (YHVH) is never pronounced aloud.
- Substitutes like “Adonai” (Lord) or “HaShem” (The Name) are used in speech and prayer.
- Even in writing, many Jews refrain from writing the full word “God” (often rendered as “G-d”) out of respect.
- Scribal traditions treat the writing of the Name with extraordinary care, including special preparation before inscribing it in a Torah scroll.
This level of reverence is not cultural—it is commanded by Torah, beginning with the Third Word of the Decalogue:
“You shall not take the name of YHVH your God in vain; for YHVH will not hold guiltless one who takes His name in vain.”
— Exodus 20:7
This reverence reflects a national responsibility: to carry the Name in holiness, never with emptiness, disrespect, or manipulation.
2. A People Called by His Name
Scripture repeatedly affirms that Israel is uniquely identified with the Divine Name:
“If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray…”
— 2 Chronicles 7:14
“You are My witnesses,” declares YHVH, “and My servant whom I have chosen…”
— Isaiah 43:10
Israel is not only called by His Name—they are His witnesses in the world. No other nation has been given this designation.
3. No Other Nation Reveres the Name Like Israel
There is no other people group or religion that:
- Avoids pronouncing the Name out of sanctity rather than superstition.
- Upholds a multi-thousand-year tradition of guarding, preserving, and sanctifying the Divine Name.
- Embeds reverence for the Name in every aspect of worship, study, writing, and speech.
While many nations and religious traditions invoke God generically or use divine names freely in song, casual speech, or even profanity, only Israel has upheld a system of protective reverence for YHVH, rooted in both fear and love, covenant and calling.
4. The Nations Will Learn the Name—Through Israel
It is through Israel that the nations are to come to know and reverence the Name of YHVH. This is the prophetic vision:
“For from Zion shall go forth the Torah, and the word of YHVH from Jerusalem.”
— Isaiah 2:3
“Then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call on the name of YHVH, to serve Him with one accord.”
— Zephaniah 3:9
But this calling on the Name by the nations is not independent of Israel. It is through Israel’s witness, through their guardianship of the Name, that the nations will come to honor it.
Conclusion: The Sacred Trust
Israel’s reverence for the Divine Name is unmatched in the world. It is a trust, a covenantal charge, and a defining marker of Jewish identity. While others may invoke God, only Israel has been called by the Name, entrusted with the Name, and charged with sanctifying the Name among the nations.
To disregard this truth is to misunderstand the heart of the covenant. As God says through the prophet:
“My Name is in him.”
— Exodus 23:21 (regarding the angelic representative of God’s presence with Israel)
And as Moses affirms:
“For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as YHVH our God is to us?”
— Deuteronomy 4:7
Only Israel carries the Name as a nation, and only through Israel will that Name be revealed to the world in holiness, truth, and righteousness.
EXPOSÉ: SACRED NAME MOVEMENTS — THE ARROGANCE OF PRONUNCIATION AND THE ASSAULT ON ISRAEL
So-called sacred name individuals, teachers, and groups not only profane the Divine Name, but they also carry with them an even more egregious offense—the denial of the Jewish people’s covenantal status, authenticity, and legitimacy as Israel. This double transgression does not merely reflect ignorance; it unmasks a deeper theological rebellion, one that seeks not only to seize what is holy but to displace the people to whom it was divinely entrusted.
It must be said without hesitation or apology: the so-called Sacred Name movements—comprised largely of Gentile sectarians, self-anointed “Torah teachers,” and ideological thieves in theological garb—represent one of the most brazen, ignorant, and spiritually reckless trends in the modern religious world. Their claims to know, vocalize, and even restore the “true” pronunciation of the Divine Name (YHVH) are not merely false—they are blasphemous, self-incriminating, and profoundly antisemitic at their core.
Let us be clear: this is not piety. This is arrogance parading as revelation. These movements are nothing less than a theological affront to the sanctity of the Divine Name and a direct assault on the people of Israel to whom that Name was entrusted.
The Arrogance of Pronunciation Claims
For outsiders—spiritually, historically, and covenantally removed from Sinai—to declare, “We know how to pronounce the Name,” is an act of outrageous audacity. It is the height of ignorance and the depth of spiritual pride, a textbook case of Dunning-Kruger Syndrome, in which those who know the least presume themselves to know the most.
Without fluency in Hebrew, without reverence for Jewish tradition, without participation in the covenant, these groups manufacture artificial pronunciations such as “Yahweh,” “Jehovah,” “Yahuah,” or “Yahusha,” patching together half-baked linguistics from Strong’s Concordance, YouTube rabbis, and spiritual hearsay. And then they dare to stand before the world and declare themselves the guardians of the “true” Name—as if 3,000 years of Jewish reverence, suffering, and Torah study were irrelevant or corrupt.
They do not elevate the Name. They drag it down into the mud of speculation and ego. They do not fear God—they use Him.
The Greater Offense: The Assault on Israel’s Legitimacy
But the offense goes deeper. These sacred name groups carry with them an egregious theological sin that cannot be ignored: the denial of the legitimacy, authenticity, and covenantal status of the Jewish people. It is not enough for them to mispronounce the Divine Name—they must also steal the inheritance of the people to whom the Name was revealed.
They routinely declare that the Jews are no longer Israel, that the covenant has passed to them, or worse, that the true Israelites are hidden among themselves—be they white supremacists, Black Hebrew Israelites, or generic “Hebraic” believers who claim “spiritual Israel” status while rejecting the physical Israel God established.
In doing so, they commit spiritual identity theft, seeking to usurp Israel’s calling, authority, and role in redemptive history while stripping the Jewish people of their divinely appointed status. This is replacement theology in its most vulgar form—wearing tzitzit while spitting on the nation that guards the Torah.
“You are My witnesses,” says YHVH, “and My servant whom I have chosen.”
— Isaiah 43:10
These are not metaphors. They are divine declarations. And the people addressed are not some spiritual abstraction—they are the Jewish people, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, bound to YHVH by blood, history, and eternal covenant.
What Their Claims Truly Reveal
The very act of claiming the “true” Name of God while rejecting the Jewish people is a contradiction so glaring it indicts itself. For the Name YHVH is inseparable from Israel.
“I am YHVH your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt…”
— Exodus 20:2
It is not: “I am YHVH, God of all nations in equal measure.”
It is: “I am YHVH, the God of Israel.”
To invoke His Name while rejecting Israel is to take the Name in vain—not just by speaking it carelessly, but by divorcing it from the very people through whom it was revealed. It is a double violation: profaning the Name and desecrating the covenant.
Conclusion: The Arrogance that Condemns Itself
Sacred name groups do not honor God—they trample His Name with their mouths and trample His people with their theology. In doing so, they expose themselves as spiritually illegitimate, theologically bankrupt, and covenantally alien.
They do not stand within the legacy of Israel—they stand against it.
They do not guard the Name—they exploit it.
They do not fear God—they manufacture Him in their own image.
Let it be said plainly: you cannot claim The Name while rejecting the people of The Name. To do so is not reverence—it is rebellion.
And that rebellion does not place you in line with Moses or the prophets. It places you in the company of Korah, who said, “We are holy too,” and was swallowed by the earth.
If these groups truly feared YHVH, they would cover their mouths in silence.
If they truly honored the covenant, they would humble themselves before the people of the covenant.
And if they truly sought truth, they would repent of the theft, the slander, and the desecration they have committed in the name of the God they do not know.
A DRAMATIC SHIFT
The Third Word of the Decalogue marks a dramatic and deliberate shift in voice that not only separates it from the previous two Words but also establishes a new pattern of communication that defines the remainder of the commandments. This shift is not merely grammatical—it is theological, experiential, and covenantal, signaling a profound transition in how the divine revelation is received and understood.
From Direct to Mediated Revelation: A Shift in Voice
The First and Second Words are spoken by God in the first person, directly addressing Israel with divine self-identification and exclusive authority:
- “I am YHVH your God…” (Exodus 20:2)
- “You shall have no other gods before Me…” (Exodus 20:3)
In these two statements, God speaks unmediated, in His own voice, using “I” and “Me.” The people hear YHVH Himself—not through Moses, not through a prophet—but through a direct encounter with the divine voice. This is the only instance in the entire Torah where an entire nation experiences God’s voice firsthand. The event is so overwhelming that the people tremble in fear and beg for it to stop (Exodus 20:18–19). They plead for Moses to speak to them instead, lest they die.
With the Third Word, the tone, structure, and speaker all change:
- “You shall not take the name of YHVH your God in vain…” (Exodus 20:7)
The voice is now in the third person—“YHVH your God”—rather than the previous “I” and “Me.” This marks the moment where the voice of direct revelation gives way to mediated instruction. The Divine Voice retreats, and Moses now becomes the one who transmits the commandments on God’s behalf. This shift becomes the defining feature for the remainder of the Decalogue.
The Significance of the Shift
1. A Change in Divine-Human Interaction
The transition reflects the limits of human capacity to endure the direct presence and voice of God. The people’s fear is not condemned—it is validated. God accepts their request and adjusts the mode of communication. The remainder of the commandments, beginning with the Third Word, come not as direct speech from God, but as covenantal instruction through a mediator.
This shift reveals a central truth in biblical theology: while God desires to reveal Himself, He also accommodates human frailty, providing structures—like mediation through Moses—to ensure that the relationship can continue without overwhelming the people.
2. A Structural Marker
The change in voice at the Third Word divides the Decalogue into two distinct parts:
- The first two Words form a divine self-revelation: God identifying Himself and demanding exclusive worship.
- The remaining eight Words, beginning with the Third, form the terms of covenantal obedience, now delivered through Moses, and no longer in the form of direct divine speech.
This literary and theological divide helps readers and interpreters recognize that the first two Words carry a unique weight—they are the core of the covenant—while the rest are the outworking of that relationship in ethical, ritual, and communal terms.
3. Theological Implications
The shift signifies that:
- The knowledge of who God is must be received directly (hence the first-person speech).
- The instructions for how to live in light of that knowledge can be mediated and taught (hence the third-person speech).
This aligns with Jewish tradition, which holds that the first two Words were heard directly from God, while the rest were delivered through Moses (see Mekhilta, Talmud Makkot 24a). It also resonates with Christian theology, which views this shift as a foreshadowing of the need for a divine mediator, ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
Conclusion: A Pivotal Transition
The Third Word occasions a turning point in the delivery of the Decalogue. It introduces a shift from the awe-inspiring immediacy of divine self-revelation to a more structured, mediated form of covenantal instruction. This change in voice—subtle yet decisive—marks the beginning of a new relational mode between God and Israel, one that preserves the holiness of divine revelation while making it accessible to human ears.
This structural and theological transition ensures that the remainder of the commandments are not disconnected from the divine voice but are firmly rooted in it, channeled through the only means the people could bear: a prophet raised from among them, who would speak the words of God—not as thunder from the mountain, but as instruction for life.
This shift in voice that occurs beginning with the Third Word of the Aseret HaDevarim (the Ten Words) is significant and has been recognized and discussed in Jewish tradition and classical commentary. This shift marks an important moment in the transmission and reception of divine revelation at Sinai.
Observation: Shift in Voice
In the first two Words:
- “I am YHVH your God…”
- “You shall have no other gods before Me…”
—God speaks in the first person, using “I” and “Me” directly. The divine speaker is addressing Israel personally and directly.
But beginning with the Third Word:
“You shall not take the name of YHVH your God in vain…”
—The voice shifts to the third person, referring to “YHVH your God” instead of “Me” or “My Name.” This pattern continues for the rest of the Decalogue.
The Significance of this Shift
The significance of this shift is theological, literary, and even experiential. It has drawn the attention of ancient Jewish commentators, Midrashic texts, and medieval exegetes.
Jewish Explanations for the Shift
1. Midrashic and Talmudic Sources: Overwhelming Revelation
According to the Midrash (Mekhilta, Exodus Rabbah) and Talmud (Makkot 24a), the first two commandments were spoken directly by God Himself, while the remaining were transmitted through Moses.
“R. Simlai taught: 613 commandments were given to Moses… Of the Ten Words, two were heard directly from the mouth of the Almighty.” – Talmud, Makkot 24a
This tradition teaches that Israel could not bear the direct voice of God beyond the first two declarations. The experience was so spiritually intense and overwhelming that they cried out in fear and asked for Moses to be their intermediary:
“You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”
(Exodus 20:19)
As a result, beginning with the Third Word, the communication transitions from direct divine speech to mediated speech through Moses. The shift from first person to third person reflects this change in the mode of transmission.
2. Theological Implication: Divine Accommodation
This change demonstrates God’s compassionate condescension or accommodation to human limitation. The people could not handle the full intensity of divine revelation, and God honored their request by allowing Moses to relay the remainder of the Decalogue. The shift in voice preserves their life and sanity—a theological principle that God meets His people where they are.
3. Literary Marker: Two Modes of Revelation
Some Jewish scholars (like R. Joseph Albo in Sefer Ha-Ikkarim) suggest the change in voice reflects two types or levels of revelation:
- The first two Words convey God’s existence and exclusivity—foundational truths that must be known directly.
- The remaining Words pertain to ethical, ritual, and social obligations, which can be understood and received indirectly, through a prophet or teacher.
This aligns with the idea that faith in God’s identity must come from direct divine imprint, whereas the practice of His will can be mediated.
Philosophical Interpretations
Some later Jewish thinkers, like Maimonides, emphasize that the first two commandments are not merely mitzvot but theological foundations. Thus, they required direct revelation, so that Israel could be witnesses to God’s reality without reliance on human testimony. The rest of the commandments, being applications of divine will, could be mediated without loss of authority.
Conclusion: A Purposeful and Profound Shift
The shift in voice at the Third Word is not arbitrary—it is:
- A historical reflection of Israel’s encounter with God at Sinai.
- A linguistic marker of the transition from direct to mediated revelation.
- A theological teaching about human limitation, divine mercy, and the nature of prophecy.
- A literary device that reinforces the unique status of the first two Words as the core of Israel’s faith.
Understanding this shift deepens our appreciation of the Decalogue not just as law, but as a multi-layered revelation, tailored by God for maximum impact and lasting imprint on His people.
Ask The Teacher 
Your voice matters. Iron sharpens iron. What insights or questions do you bring to the table?