Theophory in the Bible
# 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
