The Names of God: Jehovah Nissi | Blue Letter Bible: The Blog

The Names of God: Jehovah Nissi | Blue Letter Bible: The Blog

(yeh-ho-vaw’ nis-see’)


The Lord My Banner, The Lord My Miracle

Use in the Bible: In the Old Testament Jehovah-Nissi occurs only once in Exd 17:15.

Variant spellings: Jehovah Nisi; Jehovahnissi

TWOT Reference: None

Strong’s Reference: 3071

Jehovah Nissi in the Septuagint: kurios kataphugê mou…the Lord is my refuge

Meaning and Derivation

Jehovah is translated as “The Existing One” or “Lord.” The chief meaning of Jehovah is derived from the Hebrew word Havah meaning “to be” or “to exist.” It also suggests “to become” or specifically “to become known”…this denotes a God who reveals Himself unceasingly. Nes (nês), from which Nissi derived, means “banner” in Hebrew. In Exd 17:15, Moses, recognizing that the Lord was Israel’s banner under which they defeated the Amalekites, builds an altar named Jehovah-Nissi (the Lord our Banner). Nes is sometimes translated as a pole with an insignia attached. In battle opposing nations would fly their own flag on a pole at each of their respective front lines. This was to give their soldiers a feeling of hope and a focal point. This is what God is to us: a banner of encouragement to give us hope and a focal point.

Further references of the name Jehovah Nissi in the Old Testament: Exd 17:15

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