BDB427

I. אלה (assumed as √ of אֵל, (אֱלוֺהַּ) אֱלֹהִים god, God, but question intricate, & conclusions dubious It is uncertain whether אֵל & אֱלֹהִים are from the same √. Following are the chief theories:

1. a. Thes makes אֵל & אֱלֹהִים distinct, and both really primitive, but associates אֵל in treatment with אֵל strong, Participle of √ אול; strong, according to Thes, being derived from meaning be in front of; (different order in Lex. Man., Rob-Ges);
\ \ b. אֵל & אֱלֹהִים distinct; former from אול strong; latter plural of אֱלֹהַּ from √ [אלהּ] = () go to and fro in perplexity or fear, hence אֱלֹהַּ fear & object of fear, reverence, revered one; = פחד אל trepide confugere ad Hos 3:5 אלהים = פחד Gen 31:42 = מוֺרָא Isa 8:13 De^{Gn 1887,48} (compare σέβασμα, post-Biblical Hebrewיִרְאָה NHWB; Aramaic דַּחֲלָא CWB); so De following Fl in De^{Gn ed. 4, 57}, compare MV.

2. אֵל & אֱלֹהִים possibly connected; אֵל = leader, lord, from √ אול be in front; so Nö^{MBAk 1880, 760 f; SBAk 1882, 1175 f.}

3. a. אֵל & אֱלֹהִים connected, & both from a √ אלה (= אלהּ) to which is assigned meaning strong; so Ew^{§ 146 d, 178 b (see also Jahrbücher d. bibl. Wiss. x. 11, Bibl. Theol. ii. 330)};
\ \ b. אֵל from √ אלה strong (not אלהּ), & אֱלֹהִים expanded from אֵל, compare plural אֲמָהוֺת from אמה etc.; so Di on Gen 1:1 he supports meaning strong by reference to phrase יֵשׁ לְאֵל יָדִי Gen 31:29 and elsewhere;
\ \ c. similarly, אֵל, being very early & common Shemitic word, formed plural אלהים, from which singular אֱלוֺהַּ was afterwards inferred, Nes^{Theol. Stud. a. Württ., 1882, 243} (criticized by Nö^{SBA 1.c}.).

4. אֵל (אֱלוֺהַּ, אֱלֹהִים disregarded) from √ אלה stretch out to, reach after (compare preposition אֵל, אֱלִי, also אָלָה swear), God as the one whom men strive to reach, 'das Ziel aller Menschensehnsucht und alles Menschenstrebens,' Lag^{Or. ii. 3; Gn 1882:173 = M 96}. — compare Spurrell^{Hebrew Text of Genesis, App. ii}, where all these views are stated somewhat more fully, & briefly criticized; on the use of אֵל & אֱלֹהַּ in Shemitic languages see, exhaustively, Nö^{MBAk, SBAk, 1.c}.).

The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon
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Source: provided by Tim Morton, the developer of Bible Analyzer