Theophory in the Bible

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List of names referring to El
)

Theophory is the practice of embedding the name of a god or a deity in, usually, a proper name.[note 1] Much Hebrew theophory occurs in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament
. The most prominent theophory involves names referring to:

  • Canaanites the name of the god who was the father of Baal
    .
  • Yah, a shortened form of Yahweh.
  • Levantine deities (especially the storm god, Hadad) by the epithet baal, meaning lord. In later times, as the conflict between Yahwism and the more popular pagan practices became increasingly intense, these names were censored and baal was replaced with bosheth, meaning "shame".

El theophory

The following is an alphabetical list of names referring to El and their meanings in Hebrew:

AbdielServant of God
AbielGod my Father
Abimael
A Father sent from God
Adbeel – Disciplined of God[1]
AdielWitness of God
Adirael – Magnificence of God
AdrielFlock of God
Advachiel – Happiness of God
AmbrielEnergy of God
AmmielPeople of God
Ariel, Auriel – Lion of God
Armisael
Mountain of Judgment of God
Azael
Whom God Strengthens
AzazelGod Strengthens or Arrogant to God
AzraelHelp of God
Barakiel, Baraquiel – Lightning of God
Barachiel, Bardiel – Kindness of God or Ray of God
BethelHouse of God
Betzalel
Shadow/Path of God
BithielDaughter of God
BoelGod is in Him
ChakelWisdom of God
ChamuelHe who Seeks God
CassielSpeed of God or God is my anger
Castiel - My Cover is God
Denzel – Fortress of God
DanielJudged by God or Judgement of God
EladGod Forever
ElianaMy God Answers
Eli)-(Jah
)
ElishaSalvation of God
Elishama
My God Hears
Elishua
God is my salvation
EliezerMy God Helps
Elimelech
My God is King
ElizabethMy God is Oath
ElkanahGod has Possessed, or God has Created
Emmanuel
God is with us
EzekielGod will Strengthen
Ezequeel – Strength of God
EzraelHelp of God[2]
Gabriel, Gavriel – Man of God, God has shown Himself Mighty, Hero of God or Strong one of God
Gaghiel
Roaring Beast of God
GamalielReward of God
HamalielGrace of God
Hanael
Glory of God
HarelMountain of God
IsabelGod is my oath
ImmanuelGod with us
Imriel
Eloquence of God
IruelFear of God
Ishmael, Ishamael – Heard by God, Named by God, or God Hearkens
Israel, YisraelStruggles with God or Prince of God
JekuthielGod will support
JerahmeelGod's exaltation
Jeremiel
God's mercy
Jezreel
God will sow
JoelJah is God
JegudielGlorifier of God
KatrielCrown of God
Kazbiel – He who lies to God
KushielRigid One of God
Lee-El, Lee-el, Leeel – For God
Leliel – Jaws of God [citation needed][3]
LemuelDedicated to God
MahalalelThe blessed God, The shining light of God, or The glory of God
MalahidaelKing of God
Matarael
Premonition of God
MichaelWho is like God? a question
MishaelWho is what God is? a question
Nathanael, NathanielGiven by God or God has Given or "Gift of God"
Nemuel
Day of God
NurielFire of God or Light of God
OthnielHour of God
Peniel, Penuel
, Phanuel – Face of God
PrielFruit of God
RachmielGod is my Comforter
Ramiel/RemielThunder of God
Raphael
God is Healing or Healing one of God
RazielSecret of God
Rameel
Mercy of God or Compassion of God
ReuelFriend of God
SachielPrice of God or Covering of God
SahaquielIngenuity of God
SamaelVenom of God
SamielBlind God, epithet for Baal or the Demiurge
Samuel
Name/Heard of God
SarielCommand of God
Sealtiel
Intercessor of God
ShamsielLonely Conqueror of God
ShealtielI asked God [for this child]
Suriel
Moon of God
TamielPerfection of God
TarfielGod Nourishes
Tzaphkiel
Beholder of God
Tzaphquiel
Contemplation of God
UrielSun of God, Light of God or Fire of God
UzzielPower from God
VerchielShining of God
YophielBeauty of God
Za'afielWrath of God
ZadkielRighteousness of God (rabbinic)
ZagzagelSplendor of God
ZaphkielKnowledge of God
Zeurel – Arm of God
Zophiel
Watchman of God
Zuriel
Rock of God

Incorrect El theophory

The name Abel, which appears to refer to El, in fact is not an instance of theophory. Abel can be translated as "breath", "temporary" or "meaninglessness" and is the word translated as "vanity" in Ecclesiastes 1:2 in the King James Version.

The name Jael also appears to refer to El in English, but contains ayin rather than the aleph of El.

The name

Eli also appears to refer to El in English, but contains ayin rather than aleph
.

The name Rachel also appears to refer to El in English, but contains chet.

Shaddai theophory

The following is an alphabetical list of names referring to

Shaddai
and their meanings in Hebrew:

Zurishaddai
Shaddai is my rock

Yah theophory

The following is an alphabetical list of names referring to Yah/Yahweh and their meanings in Hebrew:

Abiah
Yahweh is my father
AbijahYahweh is my father (2 Chron. 13:3)
Adaiahornament of Yahweh
Adonijahmy lord is Yahweh
Ahaziahvision of Yahweh
Ahiah
brother of Yahweh
Ahijahbrother of Yahweh
AmariahYahweh says; integrity of Yahweh
Amaziahstrength of Yahweh
AnaniahProtected by Yah
AthaliahYahweh is exalted
AzariahYahweh has helped
BatyahDaughter of Yah
Bealiah – Yahweh is Lord[4]
Dodavah(u)
Beloved of Yahweh
)
HananiahYahweh is gracious
GedaliahYahweh is great
HezekiahYahweh has strengthened
Hodiah
Give thanks to Yahweh, The splendour of Yahweh
IsaiahSalvation of Yahweh
IsshiahYahweh exists
Jaden/YahdenYahweh has heard
JeconiahYahweh has firmly established
JedaiahYah knows
Jedidiah
Beloved of Yah
JehiahYahweh lives
Jehoiachin
Yahweh is firmly established
JehoiadaYahweh knows
JehoshaphatYahweh is judge
JehoshebaYahweh is my oath
JehozadakRighteous is Yahweh
Jekamiah
Yahweh raises
JeremiahYah exalts
JeshaiahSalvation of Yahweh
JesseYahweh exists
JoabYahweh is father
JochebedYahweh is glory
JoelYahweh is El/God
JohnYahweh is gracious
Jonathangift of Yahweh
Joseph
Yah has increased
Joshua – (Yahoshua, Jesus) – Yahweh saves/is (my) Saviour/Salvation or Yahweh is lordly (Niqqud dependent)
Josiahsupported of Yahweh
MalchijahYahweh is king
MicaiahWho is like Yahweh
Matityahu
Gift from Yah
Neariah
Servant of Yahweh
Nedabiah
Yahweh impels
NehemiahYah comforts
Nethaniahgift of Yahweh
Netanyahu
gift of Yahweh
ObadiahYahweh's servant or worshiper
OdeliaThanks to Yah
Pedaiah
Redemption of Yahweh
Pelatiah
Yah has delivered
Pelaiah
Yah has distinguished
Pelaliah
Yah has judged
PekahiahYah has observed
ReaiahYahweh has seen
Rephaiah
Yah has healed
SeraiahServant/prince of Yahweh
ShecaniahOne intimate with Yahweh
Shephatiah
Judged of Yahweh
ToviahGood of Yahweh or Yahweh is Good
UriahMy light is Yahweh
UzziahYahweh is my strength
Zabdi
Gift of Yahweh
Zedekiahjustice of or righteous is Yahweh
ZephaniahYahweh hides or protects
ZechariahYahweh remembers

Baal theophory

Ba'al is a generic term meaning master; it can also be translated "Lord". In the Bible, it is frequently a reference to Hadad, although it is sometimes used to refer to other specific deities, including Yahweh, and on other occasions is used to refer to an arbitrary lord of this area.

The following is an alphabetical list of names referring Ba'al, and their meanings in Hebrew:

Baal – master; lord
Baalah – her lord; she that is governed or subdued; a spouse
Baalath – a rejoicing; our proud lord
Baalath-Beer – subjected pit
Baal-berith
– lord of the covenant
Baale – same as Baalath
Gad
, or lord of fortune/felicity
Baal-hamon
– he who rules a crowd
Baal-hanan – Ba'al is gracious
Baal-hermon
– lord of destruction / of a cursed-thing
Baali
– my lord; lord over me
Baalim
– lords; masters; (later Jewish use: false gods)
Baalis – a rejoicing/proud lord
Baal-meon – lord/master of the house
Baal-Peor
– master of Peor; master of the opening
Baal-perazim – lord of divisions
Baal-shalisha
– the lord that presides over three; the third idol
Baal-tamar – master of the palm-tree
Baal-zebub – lord of the fly (satirical corruption of Ba'al-zebul - lord of princes)
Baal-zephon – the lord/possession of the north/hidden/secret
Jerub-baal
the lord contends

Bosheth

In later biblical and Jewish writing, some of the theophories in Ba'al were

bowdlerised
, with ba'al replaced by bosheth ((the) shameful (thing)):

Ishbosheth, from
Ishba'al
, man of ba'al.
Jerubbeshet, from
Jerubbaal
"Ba'al contends"
Mephibosheth, from Mephibaal "from the mouth of Ba'al"

Yam theophory

Yam is the Canaanite god of the Sea.

Abiyam – My father is Yam (1 Kgs. 14:31)

Zedek theophory

Zedek
(or Sydyk or Sedek) was the name of a Phoenician deity worshiped in Canaan. In Hebrew, "tzedek" (from the root tz-d-k) means "righteous".

The following is an alphabetical list of names referring Zedek, and their meanings in Hebrew:

Melchi-zedek – My king is Zedek
Adoni-zedek
– My lord is Zedek
EA
170)

Hadad

Apart from oblique references to Hadad by means of the word ba'al, some theophory references him directly:

Hadadezer - Hadad is my help
Rib-Hadda - Great is Hadad

Others

Asenappar - Ashur is creator of an heir
Nebuchadnezzar - Nabu
, preserve my firstborn son
Sennacherib - Sin has replaced brothers
Shalmaneser - Shulmanu is the best

See also

  • List of Biblical names

Notes

  1. ^ From the Greek θεοφορία from θεοφόρος from Θεός "God" and φόρος "bearer" from φέρειν "to bear"; confer Φωσφόρος.

References

  1. ^ "Adbeel" retrieved from "Strong's Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicon"
  2. . Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  3. ^ A footnote would be useful because James Strong in „Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary” wrote that: "{3895} לחי — lchiy, lekh-ee'; from an unused root meaning to be soft; the cheek (from its fleshiness); hence, the jaw-bone: — cheek (bone), jaw (bone).", and: "{3915} לַיְלָ — layil, lah'-yil; or (Isaiah 21:11) לַיְלָ leyl, lale; also לַיְלָה laylah, lah'- yel-aw; from the same as 3883; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity: — ((mid-)) night (season). see SH3883".
  4. ^ Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, "Bealiah" (1915). [1]