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 (Hebrew Bible). 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 the 70 Sons of God, including Yahweh and 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

Adriel – Flock of God

Ammiel – People of God

Ariel, Auriel – Lion of God

Azael – Whom God Strengthens

Azazel – God Strengthens or Arrogant to God

Azrael – Help of God

Barachel – Blessed of God

Bethel – House of God

Betzalel – Shadow/Path of God

Daniel – Judged by God or Judgement of God

Elead – God Forever

Eliana – My God Answers

Elijah – My God is 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

Gabriel – Man of God, God has shown Himself Mighty, Hero of God or Strong one of God

Gamaliel – Reward of God

Hanniel – Glory of God

Immanuel – God with us

Ishmael – 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

Jezreel – God will sow

Joel – Jah is God

Lemuel – Dedicated to God

Mahalalel – The blessed God, The shining light of God, or The glory 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

Raphael – God is Healing or Healing one of God

Reuel – Friend of God

Samuel – Name/Heard of God

Shealtiel – I asked God [for this child]

Uriel – Sun of God, Light of God or Fire of God

Uzziel – Power from 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

Bathiah – Daughter of Yah

Bealiah – Yahweh is Lord

Dodavah(u) – Beloved of Yahweh

Elijah – My God is 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

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

Joab – Yahweh is father

Jochebed – Yahweh is glory

Joel – Yahweh is El/God

John – Yahweh is gracious

Jonathan – gift of Yahweh

Joshua – 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

Obadiah – Yahweh's servant or worshiper

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:

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

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

Ben-hadad – Son of Hadad

Others

Asenappar – Ashur is creator of an heir

Belshazzar – Bel, protect the king

Chedorlaomer – Servant of Lagamar

Nebuchadnezzar – Nabu, preserve my firstborn son

Sennacherib – Sin has replaced brothers

Shalmaneser – Shulmanu is the best

See also

• List of Biblical names