In English we call the 2nd book in the Bible Exodus – after the great Exodus of the Hebrews out of Egypt.  However!  The original Hebrew name for every book, is based on the 1st word or sentence used in each book.  So in Hebrew this book is actually called SHEMOT – which means NAMES.

In our western culture.. we don’t give much thought to names.. names.. why names?  We see chapters in the Bible with genealogy.. and we rather just skip over them.  But names are incredibly a big deal for YHVH.  HIS NAME is a big deal.  And even our names are a big deal!  Every name has meaning, and every time you say a name, you are pronouncing something that has meaning.  We have already seen how peoples’ names have specific meaning, like the tribe of Judah – their names have prophetic meaning. 

Some names have double meaning – like Esauw(Edom) which means red.  Because he was born red, and prophetically he loved red lentils which had him sell his birthright.   Even Moses’ name Ex 2:10 “And she called his name Mosheh, saying, “Because I have drawn him out of the water.””  In Egyptian, Moshe means son, and there are many Egyptians pharaohs and leaders who used Moshe in their names.  The word draw (she drew him out of the water) in Hebrew is Masa (for Moses) H4871 – māšâ. Prophetically, Moses drew the Israelites out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, the desert and the Jordan. He was placed in an ark by his mother (Ex 2:5), and he was instructed to create the Ark of the Covenant.

Consider these two beautiful verses about our YHVHs’ name and our names:

• Psalm 45:17 “I cause Your Name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the people praise You forever and ever.”
• Revelation 3:5 “He who overcomes shall be dressed in white robes, and I shall by no means blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I shall confess his name before My Father and before His messengers.”