Jehovah jireh is the way the King James version writes this name of God. Yahweh yir’eh is probably more accurate. The name means “the LORD will provide.” It is one of many names that celebrate different attributes of God. In this case, Abraham had confidently told his son Isaac that “the LORD will provide a lamb for a burnt offering” (Gen. 22:8). Seconds before Abraham plunged a knife into Isaac, Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket. Right then, he understood that God had been faithful. Abraham named the mountain Yahweh yir’eh (or Jehovah jireh) as a way of helping others to remember this part of God’s character. It is not exactly a name of God because it was given to a place, but it still points to a wonderful truth about God and many writers and Bible teachers take it as one of the biblical names for God.
The Hebrew root word ra’ah means “to see, look at, or inspect.” The same verb gives us the name El ro’i (God who sees me). God not only sees everything in our lives; He sees our needs, and He provides for us. We could paraphrase Jehovah jireh as “the LORD who sees to it.”
Yahweh yir’eh (Jehovah Jireh), “the LORD will provide” in the Hebrew text of Genesis 22:14
The LORD will provide in Hebrew
Yahweh yir’eh (or Jehovah jireh)
Strong’s Concordance numbers: 3068, 7200
Bible reference: Genesis 22:14
Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:13-14)
