Theophory in the Bible
Theophory is the practice of embedding the name of a god or a deity in, usually, a proper name.[1] Much Hebrew theophory occurs in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. The most prominent theophory involves names referring to:
- El, a word meaning might, power and (a) god in general, and hence in Judaism, God and among the 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:
- Abdiel – Servant of God
- Abiel – God my Father
- Abimael – A Father sent from God
- Adbeel – Disciplined of God[2]
- Adiel – Witness of God
- Adirael – Magnificence of God
- Adriel – Flock of God
- Advachiel – Happiness of God
- Ambriel – Energy of God
- Ammiel – People of God
- Ariel, Auriel – Lion of God
- Armisael – Mountain of Judgment of God
- Azael – Whom God Strengthens
- Azazel – God Strengthens or Arrogant to God
- Azrael – Help of God
- Barakiel, Baraquiel – Lightning of God
- Barachiel – Kindness of God or Ray of God
- Bethel – House of God
- Betzalel – Shadow/Path of God
- Bithiel – Daughter of God
- Boel – God is in Him
- Chakel – Wisdom of God
- Chamuel – He who Seeks God
- Cassiel – Speed of God or God is my anger
- Denzel – Fortress of God
- Daniel – Judged by God or Judgement of God
- Elad – God Forever
- Eliana – My God Answers
- Elijah (Elias) – Whose God is Jah, God Jah, The Strong Jah, God of Jah, My God is Jah. Reference to the meaning of both (Eli)-(Jah)
- Elisha – Salvation of God
- Elishama – My God Hears
- Elishua – God is my salvation
- Eliezer – My God Helps
- Elimelech – My God is King
- Elizabeth – My God is Oath
- Elkanah – God has Possessed, or God has Created
- Emmanuel – God is with us
- Ezekiel – God will Strengthen
- Ezequeel – Strength of God
- Ezrael – Help of God
- Gabriel, Gavriel – Man of God, God has shown Himself Mighty, Hero of God or Strong one of God
- Gaghiel – Roaring Beast of God
- Gamaliel – Reward of God
- Hamaliel – Grace of God
- Hanael – Glory of God
- Harel – “Mountain of God”
- Immanuel – God with us
- Imriel – Eloquence of God
- Iruel – Fear of God
- Ishmael, Ishamael – Heard by God, Named by God, or God Hearkens
- Israel, Yisrael – Struggles with God or Prince of God
- Jekuthiel – God will support
- Jerahmeel – God's exaltation
- Jeremiel – God's mercy
- Jezreel – God will sow
- Joel – Jah is God
- Jegudiel – Glorifier of God
- Jophiel, Lophiel, Yofiel, Zophiel - Beauty of God
- Katriel – Crown of God
- Kazbiel – He who lies to God
- Kushiel – Rigid One of God
- Lee-El, Lee-el, Leeel – For God
- Leliel – Jaws of God
- Lemuel – Dedicated to God
- Mahalalel – The blessed God, The shining light of God, or The glory of God
- Malahidael – King of God
- Matarael – Premonition of God
- Michael – Who is like God? a question
- Mishael – Who is what God is? a question
- Nathanael, Nathaniel – Given by God or God has Given or "Gift of God"
- Nemuel – Day of God
- Othniel – Hour of God
- Peniel, Penuel, Phanuel – Face of God
- Priel – Fruit of God
- Rachmiel – God is my Comforter
- Ramiel/Ramiel – Thunder of God
- Raphael – God is Healing or Healing one of God
- Raziel – Secret of God
- Rameel – Mercy of God or Compassion of God
- Reuel – Friend of God
- Sachiel – Price of God or Covering of God
- Salatheel – I have asked God
- Sahaquiel – Ingenuity of God
- Samael, Sammael – Severity of God, see also Samael (disambiguation)
- Samiel – Blind God, epithet for Baal or the Demiurge
- Samuel – Name/Heard of God
- Sariel – Command of God
- Sealtiel – Intercessor of God
- Shamsiel – Lonely Conqueror of God
- Shealtiel – I asked God [for this child]
- Suriel – Moon of God
- Tamiel – Perfection of God
- Tarfiel – God Nourishes
- Tzaphkiel – Beholder of God
- Tzaphquiel – Contemplation of God
- Uriel – Sun of God, Light of God or Fire of God
- Uzziel – Power from God
- Verchiel – Shining of God
- Za'afiel – Wrath of God
- Zadkiel – Righteousness of God (rabbinic)
- Zagzagel – Splendor of God
- Zaphkiel – Knowledge of God
- Zeruel – Arm of God
- Zophiel – Beauty of God
- Zuriel – Rock of God
False 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
- Abijah – Yahweh is my father (2 Chron. 13:3)
- Adaiah – ornament of Yahweh
- Adonijah – my lord is Yahweh
- Ahaziah – vision of Yahweh
- Ahiah – brother of Yahweh
- Ahijah – brother of Yahweh
- Amariah – Yahweh says; integrity of Yahweh
- Amaziah – strength of Yahweh
- Ananiah – Protected by Yah
- Athaliah – Yahweh is exalted
- Azariah – Yahweh has helped
- Batyah – Daughter of Yah
- Bealiah – Yahweh is Lord[3]
- Dodavah(u) – Beloved of Yahweh
- Elijah – My God is Yah, God Yah. Reference to the meaning of both (Eli)-(Yah)
- Hananiah – Yahweh is gracious
- Gedaliah – Yahweh is great
- Hezekiah – Yahweh has strengthened
- Hodaviah/Hodiah – Give thanks to Yahweh, The splendour of Yahweh
- Isaiah – Salvation of Yahweh
- Isshiah – Yahweh exists
- Jaden/Yahden – Yahweh has heard
- Jeconiah – Yahweh has firmly established
- Jedaiah – Yah knows
- Jedidiah – Beloved of Yah
- Jehoiachin – Yahweh is firmly established
- Jehoiada – Yahweh knows
- Jehoshaphat – Yahweh is judge
- Jehosheba – Yahweh is my oath
- Jehozadak – Righteous is Yahweh
- Jekamiah – Yahweh raises
- Jeremiah – Yah exalts
- Jeshaiah – Salvation of Yahweh
- Jesse – Yahweh exists
- Joab – Yahweh is father
- Jochebed – Yahweh is glory
- Joel – Yahweh is El/God
- John – Yahweh is gracious
- Jonathan – gift of Yahweh
- Joseph – Yah has increased
- Josiah – supported of Yahweh
- Malchijah – Yahweh is king
- Micaiah – Who is like Yahweh
- Matityahu – Gift from Yah
- Neariah – Servant of Yahweh
- Nedabiah – Yahweh impels
- Nehemiah – Yah comforts
- Nethaniah – gift of Yahweh
- Netanyahu – gift of Yahweh
- Obadiah – Yahweh's servant or worshiper
- Odelia – Thanks to Yah
- Pedaiah – Redemption of Yahweh
- Pelatiah – Yah has delivered
- Pelaiah – Yah has distinguished
- Pelaliah – Yah has judged
- Pekahiah – Yah has observed
- Reaiah – Yahweh has seen
- Rephaiah – Yah has healed
- Seraiah – Servant/prince of Yahweh
- Shecaniah – One intimate with Yahweh
- Shephatiah – Judged of Yahweh
- Toviah – Good of Yahweh or Yahweh is Good
- Uriah – My light is Yahweh
- Uzziah – Yahweh is my strength
- Yehoshua (Joshua, Jesus) – Yahweh saves, Yahweh is Saviour, Yahweh is my Salvation
- Zebadiah, Zabdi – Gift of Yahweh
- Zedekiah – justice of or righteous is Yahweh
- Zephaniah – Yahweh hides or protects
- Zechariah – Yahweh 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
- Baal-gad – lord Gad, or lord of 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)):
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
- Rabi-zedki – My great one/master is Zedek (EA 170)
Hadad
Apart from oblique references to Hadad by means of the word ba'al, some theophory references him directly:
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
References
- From the Greek θεοφορία from θεοφόρος from Θεός "God" and φόρος "bearer" from φέρειν "to bear"; confer Φωσφόρος.
- "Adbeel" retrieved from "Strong's Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicon"
- Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, "Bealiah" (1915).
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