title: Theophory in the Bible
text: # Theophory in the Bible
  
  Theophory is the practice of embedding the name of a god or a deity in, usually, a proper name. 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
      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, Bardiel – 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
      Castiel - My Cover is God
      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
      Isabel – God is my oath
      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
      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
      Nuriel – Fire of God or Light of God
      Othniel – Hour of God
      Peniel, Penuel, Phanuel – Face of God
      Priel – Fruit of God
      Rachmiel – God is my Comforter
      Ramiel/Remiel – 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
      Sahaquiel – Ingenuity of God
      Samael – Venom of God
      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
      Yophiel – Beauty of God
      Za'afiel – Wrath of God
      Zadkiel – Righteousness of God (rabbinic)
      Zagzagel – Splendor of God
      Zaphkiel – Knowledge 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
      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
      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
      Jehiah – Yahweh lives
      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
      Joshua – (Yahoshua, Jesus) – Yahweh saves/is (my) Saviour/Salvation or Yahweh is lordly (Niqqud dependent)
      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
      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)):
  
      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
      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:
  
      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
  