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:
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.
Levantine deities (especially the storm god, Hadad) by the epithetbaal, 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 theophoryedit
The following is an alphabetical list of names referring to El and their meanings in Hebrew:
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 theophoryedit
The following is an alphabetical list of names referring to Shaddai and their meanings in Hebrew:
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
^From the Greek θεοφορία from θεοφόρος from Θεός "God" and φόρος "bearer" from φέρειν "to bear"; confer Φωσφόρος.
Referencesedit
^"Adbeel" retrieved from "Strong's Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicon"
^Davidson, Gustav (October 1994). Dictionary of Angels. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-02-907052-9. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
^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".
^Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, "Bealiah" (1915). [1]