On coming to know JEHOVAH'S name.

 Exodus6:3ASV"and I appeared unto Abraham,unto Isaac,and unto Jacob,as God almighty;but by my name Jehovah I was not known to them." 

Does the above quoted statement imply that the patriarchs of the ancient Hebrew nation did not call on their God by name? This is what some are claiming. What is the bible's answer

Genesis22:14ASV"And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Jireh. As it is said to this day,in the mount of JEHOVAH it will be provided."

Genesis21:33ASV"And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba,and called there on the name of JEHOVAH,the everlasting God."

Genesis49:18ASV"I have waited for thy salvation, O JEHOVAH"

The fact that this patently false claim continues to circulate,shows the importance of restoring the sacred name to its proper place in the text. But how do we reconcile the the seeming discrepancy between the Genesis texts and exodus6:3.  The Hebrew word (shem) rendered name can refer to either a proper noun identifying a specific person, place or thing or it can refer to ones reputation i.e ones fame/notoriety. That is why for instance at Genesis chapter 6:4 the expression men of renown/fame can literally be rendered men of shem/name.

So at Exodus 6:3 Jehovah was simply letting Moses know that he was about to give his people more cause to praise and exalt his sacred name than their founding fathers ever had.