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God, god, mighty one
El is the ancient Semitic word for "god" or "deity," appearing across all Semitic languages. In Hebrew, it is used: 1. As a name/title for the true God of Israel 2. In compound divine names (El Shaddai, El Elyon, El Olam) 3. As a general term for deity or divine beings 4. Occasionally of mighty men or angels BDB notes El's use in the singular distinguishes it from the plural Elohim, though both refer to the same God when applied to the God of Israel. In Canaanite religion, El was the head of the pantheon, the father of the gods. The Hebrew use of El asserts that YHWH is the true El—the authentic deity that Canaanite El only distortedly represents.
God (the true God)
The God of Israel
god (generic deity)
Any divine being
mighty, power
Expressing power or ability
“priest of God Most High (El Elyon)”
“I am God Almighty (El Shaddai)”
“the Everlasting God (El Olam)”
“Mighty God (El Gibbor)”
“My God, my God (Eli, Eli)”
El in its various compound forms reveals divine attributes: - **El Shaddai** (God Almighty): Patriarchal divine name (Exodus 6:3) - **El Elyon** (God Most High): Emphasizes supremacy - **El Olam** (Everlasting God): Eternal nature - **El Roi** (God Who Sees): Hagar's name for God - **El Gibbor** (Mighty God): Isaiah 9:6's messianic title These compound names were not seen as distinct deities but as revelations of different aspects of the one God.
El is significant apologetically: 1. **Isaiah 9:6**: The messianic title "El Gibbor" (Mighty God) is applied to the child who will reign on David's throne—a divine title for the Messiah. 2. **Canaanite Parallels**: Understanding El in its ancient Near Eastern context helps address claims that Israelite religion was merely borrowed Canaanite religion. 3. **Psalm 22:1**: Jesus's cry "Eli, Eli" (My God, My God) on the cross quotes this Psalm, linking his suffering to the suffering servant tradition.
Ugaritic texts (discovered 1929, after BDB) have greatly illuminated El: 1. El was the chief god of the Canaanite pantheon, called "Father of the Gods" 2. He was portrayed as aged, wise, and authoritative 3. The Hebrew appropriation of El asserts YHWH's identity as the true "El" 4. The relationship between El and YHWH in Israelite religion is debated—were they originally distinct deities later merged? Modern scholarship sees the El compound names as assertions that YHWH possesses all the attributes Canaanites ascribed to El and more.
| Language | Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ugaritic | il | ʾil | El, the chief god |
| Akkadian | ilu | ilu | god |
| Arabic | إله | ʾilāh | god |
| Aramaic | אל | ʾēl | god |
אל
ʾl
god, might, power