cyberjosh
Member
The Hebrew language is rich with words that represent physical imagery because it is a concrete language (having no abstract words) and even its earliest Semitic root language used a pictograph alphabet that explains/depicts the meanings of the Hebrew words if examined carefully. Hebrew is an organized language steming mainly from 3-letter root words, with the occasional 2-letter root, and the rare 4-letter root words. When the pictographs are put together in these short strings of letter arrangements they tell a story (like Egyptian Heiroglyphics) and reveal the concrete meaning of the word behind it. Because of this Hebrew is a very rich language.
Before I go too much further I would like you to examine this for yourself and look here to see the ancient Hebrew alphabet in an explanatory chart, and also here to see the evolution of the ancient hebrew letters into the modern day letters (just click on the letters you want to see).
Now to proceed with the topic. The word for God in the Hebrew language stems from the word El, the plural of which is Elohim. The Hebrew letters that El is composed of are aleph and lamed, thus better written Al (how ironic, and annoying, then is it that the Muslim's God is named Allah). Nonetheless, these two letters in their pictograph form are as follows: The aleph is the picture of an ox head (
), and denotes strenth, prestige, or power because the ox is the most powerful of the livestock. For further proof (other than just the appearance of the pictogram) the word aleph appears in Hebrew and means ox. The same goes for almost all of the Hebrew letters (their meaning can be found in the phonetical/expanded written form of their name in Hebrew). The lamed is the picture of a shepherds staff (
), and it denotes authority (over the flock) and a guiding force.
Placed together (as above) these letters give the meaning "strong authority" (or 'mighty power'), El/Elohim. This is the litteral meaning of the word God. And so you don't think that I'm just blowing off a bunch of hot air, I can prove this too you by means of a translation of a Bible verse. In Joshua 22:22 there is a rare pairing of two forms of El attached to YHWH in close proximity: El and Elohim. Either of these two (three if you count the form Eloah in other passages) translated by themselves, if isolated from one another, would simply be translated "God", not revealing the Hebrew connotation behind it. But since in Joshua 22:22 they appear side by side the translator cannot merely say "God, God, the LORD". Instead translators of more literal versions (I will use the NASB in this example) translate the passage, "The Mighty One, God, the LORD." We finally see here one of the only instances in the Bible where the Bible translates "El" literally. The only other occurance of this triplet title for God is in Psalms 50:1.
If you would like to see a more visual and proficient demonstration of the construction of El with the original pictographs read here and here.
What's more the Hebrew can also reveal interesting things about the form Elohim from the root El. The plural ending 'im can be treated quantitatively or qualitatively on almost any hebrew word. For example the plural for of the Hebrew word for a tree can refer to either many trees (a forest) or a very large tree (like our modern red oaks). So Elohim can refer to a large, all powerful God as opposed to multiple 'gods'. See here for a short yet better treatment of what I just said.
P.S. I hope this was elightening and helped you see how rich the Hebrew language is. It should also help you visualize God in a proper context and see Him as more of an interpersonal diety who guides us (as with a staff) with his strong authority, as opposed to a cold removed God who is too far away to touch or interact with. The picture can also denote, as one the earlier links I gave above mentions, a yoke (the staff) being put on a younger, less experienced ox with a stronger ox on the other end who will guide the both of them. Remember Jesus said "My yoke is easy, and my burden light." God is a personal God who will excercise His authority and power in your life to help you. Praise God for his wonderful power!
Before I go too much further I would like you to examine this for yourself and look here to see the ancient Hebrew alphabet in an explanatory chart, and also here to see the evolution of the ancient hebrew letters into the modern day letters (just click on the letters you want to see).
Now to proceed with the topic. The word for God in the Hebrew language stems from the word El, the plural of which is Elohim. The Hebrew letters that El is composed of are aleph and lamed, thus better written Al (how ironic, and annoying, then is it that the Muslim's God is named Allah). Nonetheless, these two letters in their pictograph form are as follows: The aleph is the picture of an ox head (
Placed together (as above) these letters give the meaning "strong authority" (or 'mighty power'), El/Elohim. This is the litteral meaning of the word God. And so you don't think that I'm just blowing off a bunch of hot air, I can prove this too you by means of a translation of a Bible verse. In Joshua 22:22 there is a rare pairing of two forms of El attached to YHWH in close proximity: El and Elohim. Either of these two (three if you count the form Eloah in other passages) translated by themselves, if isolated from one another, would simply be translated "God", not revealing the Hebrew connotation behind it. But since in Joshua 22:22 they appear side by side the translator cannot merely say "God, God, the LORD". Instead translators of more literal versions (I will use the NASB in this example) translate the passage, "The Mighty One, God, the LORD." We finally see here one of the only instances in the Bible where the Bible translates "El" literally. The only other occurance of this triplet title for God is in Psalms 50:1.
If you would like to see a more visual and proficient demonstration of the construction of El with the original pictographs read here and here.
What's more the Hebrew can also reveal interesting things about the form Elohim from the root El. The plural ending 'im can be treated quantitatively or qualitatively on almost any hebrew word. For example the plural for of the Hebrew word for a tree can refer to either many trees (a forest) or a very large tree (like our modern red oaks). So Elohim can refer to a large, all powerful God as opposed to multiple 'gods'. See here for a short yet better treatment of what I just said.
P.S. I hope this was elightening and helped you see how rich the Hebrew language is. It should also help you visualize God in a proper context and see Him as more of an interpersonal diety who guides us (as with a staff) with his strong authority, as opposed to a cold removed God who is too far away to touch or interact with. The picture can also denote, as one the earlier links I gave above mentions, a yoke (the staff) being put on a younger, less experienced ox with a stronger ox on the other end who will guide the both of them. Remember Jesus said "My yoke is easy, and my burden light." God is a personal God who will excercise His authority and power in your life to help you. Praise God for his wonderful power!
