Theophory in the Bible

The word theophory refers to 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 amongst the Canaanites the name of the god who was the father of Baal.
• names referring to Yah, a shortened form of tetragrammaton
• names referring to Levantine deities (especially the storm god, Hadad) by the epithet Baal, meaning lord. In later times, as the conflict between the Mosaic law and the more popular pagan practices became increasingly intense, these names were censored and Baal was replaced with Bosheth, meaning shameful one.

Notes on translating theophoric names

It is important to remember when translating Hebrew theophoric names (particularly those using the "[noun] of God" formula) that the "of" has varying meanings, depending on the name. For example, the translation of Iruel reads "Fear of God". This does not mean "God-fearing". "Feared by God", or even "a Fear belonging to God"; rather, it means "Fear (as in Fear incarnate) in the service of God".

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

Arael – Light of God or Vision of God

Ariel, Auriel – Lion of God

Armisael – Mountain of Judgment of God

Asmodel – Greatness of God

Axel – Peace of God

Azael – Whom God Strengthens

Azazel – God Strengthens or Arrogant to God

Azrael – Help of God

Barakiel, Baraquiel – Lightning of God

Barbiel – Illumination of God

Barchiel – Kindness of God or Ray of God

Bardiel – Humiliated Son of God

Bethel – House of God

Betzalel – Shadow/Path of God

Bithiel – Daughter of God

Boel – God is in Him

Camael – He who Sees God

Castiel – My cover is God

Chakel – Wisdom of God

Chamuel – He who Seeks God

Daniel – Judged by God or Judgement of God

Elad – God Forever

Eli – a variant on the name of God, or "my God"

Eliana – My God Answers

Elias, Elijah – 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

Immanuel – God with us

Iruel – Fear of God

Ishmael, Ishamael – Heard by God, Named by God, or God Hearkens

Yisrael – Struggles with God or Prince of God

Jekuthiel – God will support

Jezreel – God will sow

Joel – Jah is 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

Muriel – Fragrance of God

Nathanael, Nathaniel – Given by God or God has Given or "Gift of God"

Nemuel – Day of God

Othniel – Hour of God

Peniel, Penuel, Phanuel – Face of God

Priel – Fruit of God

Ramiel – Thunder of God

Raphael – God is Healing or Healing one of God

Raziel – Secret of God

Reuel – Friend of God

Sachiel – Price of God or Covering of God

Salatheel – I have asked God

Sahaquiel – Ingenuity of God

Samael – Venom of God

Samiel – Blind God, epithet for Baal or the Demiurge

Samuel – Name/Heard of God

Sariel – Moon of God

Satanael – Adversary of God

Shamshel – Lonely Conqueror of God

Shealtiel – I asked God [for this child]

Suriel – Command of God

Tamiel – Perfection of God

Tarfiel – God Nourishes

Tzaphquiel – Contemplation of God

Uriel – Sun of God or Fire of God

Uzziel Power from God

Verchiel – Shining of God

Za'afiel – Wrath of God

Zadkiel – Righteousness of God

Zagzagel – Splendor of God

Zaphkiel – Knowledge of God

Zeruel – Arm of God

Zophiel – Beauty of God

False 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".
The name Jael also appears to refer to El in English, but contains ayin rather than than the aleph of El.

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

Abijam – Yam is my father (Yam is another name for Yah)

Adaiah – ornament of Yahweh

Adalia – Yahweh is just

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

Athaliah – Yahweh is exalted

Hananiah – Yahweh has given

Hezekiah – Yahweh has strengthened

Hodiah – The splendour of Yahweh

Hodaviah – Give thanks to the Lord

Isaiah – Salvation of the Lord

Jabin – Son of Yahweh/Yahweh is a son

Jekamiah – Yahweh raises

Jeremiah – "Raised by YahwehYahweh exalts"Yahweh Appointed""Yahweh's Chosen"

Joab – Yahweh is father

Joel – Yahweh is El/God

Jonathan – gift of Yahweh

Josiah – supported of Yahweh

Matityahu – Gift from Yah

Neariah – Servant of Yahweh

Nedabiah – Yahweh impels

Obadiah – Yahweh's servant or worshiper

Odelia – Thanks to Yah

Pedaiah – Redemption of the Lord

Pelatiah – Yah has delivered

Pelaiah – Yah has distinguished

Pelaliah – Yah has judged

Pekahiah – Yah has observed

Seraiah – Servant/prince of the Lord

Shecaniah – One intimate with Yahweh

Shephatiah – Judged of the Lord

Yehoshua (Joshua, Jesus) – Yah saves"YAh is Savour" Yaweh is my Salvation"

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

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.

Hadad

Apart from oblique references to Hadad by means of the word ba'al, some theophory references him directly:

Hadadezer - Hadad is my help

Others

Asenappar - Ashur is creator of an heir

Nebuchadnezzar - Nabu, preserve my firstborn son

Sennacherib - Sin has replaced brothers

Shalmaneser - Shulmanu is the best

See also

• List of Biblical names