It all started with an email that my younger sis sent me of the Hebrew names for God. I couldn't help but notice that the first four names all started with the syllable "EL" - El Shaddai (The All-Sufficient One), El Elyon (The Most High God), El Olam (The Everlasting God), and Elohim (Creator).
This got me curious. I got out my Bible Dictionary to find out what "EL" meant. This is what it said: "God, the primitive, generic word for God in the Semitic languages." (The New Compact Bible Dictionary by Zondervan)
I couldn't help but think of human names that began with "El". So, using my little dictionary again, I looked up some of them. Here are a few of them:
ELiezer - means "God is help". God certainly helped him as he picked out a wife for Abraham's son, Isaac. (Eliezer is first mentioned in Genesis 15:2, and I am assuming this is the same man in Genesis 24.)
ELkanah - means "God has possessed me". He was the father of the prophet Samuel, who was given to the LORD's service at a very young age. (1 Samuel chapters 1&2)
ELijah - means "Jehovah is God". This brings to mind the contest between Jezebel's priests of the god Baal and Elijah's God, Jehovah. (1 Kings 18) By the way, Jehovah God won hands down!
ELisha - means "God is my salvation". He was a prophet who definitely lived up to his name, with twice as many miracles recorded as his predecessor Elijah.
There were more names that began with "El" than this - all of them interesting to me, but I'll not make this post that long. This little study made me wonder how much the name that we are given at birth affects the outcome of our lives. My name is Esther, which means "a star". .....Hmmm - am I shining as brightly as God intended?
What is your name? And what does it mean? Are you living up to it?
If you don't know the meaning of your name, you can find it on this link: ThinkBabyNames.
Sharing this link with Spiritual Sundays and Jenny @ Alphabet Thursdays.
To see my companion blog on this, go to The Rock 4 Today.
This got me curious. I got out my Bible Dictionary to find out what "EL" meant. This is what it said: "God, the primitive, generic word for God in the Semitic languages." (The New Compact Bible Dictionary by Zondervan)
I couldn't help but think of human names that began with "El". So, using my little dictionary again, I looked up some of them. Here are a few of them:
ELiezer - means "God is help". God certainly helped him as he picked out a wife for Abraham's son, Isaac. (Eliezer is first mentioned in Genesis 15:2, and I am assuming this is the same man in Genesis 24.)
ELkanah - means "God has possessed me". He was the father of the prophet Samuel, who was given to the LORD's service at a very young age. (1 Samuel chapters 1&2)
ELijah - means "Jehovah is God". This brings to mind the contest between Jezebel's priests of the god Baal and Elijah's God, Jehovah. (1 Kings 18) By the way, Jehovah God won hands down!
ELisha - means "God is my salvation". He was a prophet who definitely lived up to his name, with twice as many miracles recorded as his predecessor Elijah.
There were more names that began with "El" than this - all of them interesting to me, but I'll not make this post that long. This little study made me wonder how much the name that we are given at birth affects the outcome of our lives. My name is Esther, which means "a star". .....Hmmm - am I shining as brightly as God intended?
What is your name? And what does it mean? Are you living up to it?
If you don't know the meaning of your name, you can find it on this link: ThinkBabyNames.
Sharing this link with Spiritual Sundays and Jenny @ Alphabet Thursdays.
To see my companion blog on this, go to The Rock 4 Today.
23 comments:
My name is Constance which means "constant or steadfast". My middle name is Joy. Therefore I should be a person of "constant joy". I too must say Hmmmm, am I bringing joy to my Lord and others, "constantly?
I loved this post! I absolutely believe that the meaning of a name has power. My name is Carrie and it means 'strength.' My parents had absolutely no idea how much strength I would need to weather some of the storms I've had in my short 33 years, but I think of it often. I have strength! It's my name!
In the Hebrew culture, the meaning of names was of great importance.
My name, Joan, means "God is gracious". It goes without saying that He certainly extended grace to me and saved me.
I enjoyed reading this post.
Blessings,
Joan
This is so interesting,thank-you for sharing this with us.
Blessings,
Ginger
How interesting. I had a 2nd cousin named Elwood. Wonder what that meant? I've heard the meaning for Charlotte but couldn't remember exactly what it was so I just looked it up on the computer. It is feminine for Charles which means free man. So I guess I'm a free woman. I like that. I am free in Christ.
Blessings,
Charlotte
What a fun and thought-provoking post! My name means "Just." I definitely seek fairness, so that would be true! I was made just by Jesus. :)
My real name means victorious...overcomer and in Him....I definitely am. Great post.
Pamela means "all honey." I think it is in Proverbs that says, "Your good name goes before you." The names of God bless me each time I read their meaning. I'm so happy you posted this today. This book has a companion journal. Well worth the investment.
http://www.amazon.com/Praying-Names-God-Daily-Guide/dp/0310253535/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1305509870&sr=1-1
Pamela, I did the "Look Inside" on the book you mentioned above. Looks like a great book. I have been studying the names of God for about 5 years and never get tired of them. Lately it's just been blessing me to begin my day by meditating on them and on Who He is. It just seems to put everything in perspective!
I really enjoyed reading the posts on your blog. I would like to invite you to come on over to my blog and check it out. God bless, Lloyd
My given name is Judith, and I have no middle name. In Hebrew, the name Judith has two meanings. The first is "he will be praised" and the second is "woman of Judea." In the 40's and 50's, my name was very popular, but that popularity has dwindled over the years. Was I named for Judy Garland? She was certainly popular when I was born. No, I was named for a witch! I kid you not. When my grandmother was a young girl in school, she took a class called "elocution" and was required to learn by memory poetry and prose. One of the epic poems she learned was "As The Moon Rose" by Pauline Phelps. It was a poem about the Revolutionary War. The heroine was a woman called "the witch-girl Judith." My mother and her siblings heard this poem all their lives, as did I before my grandmother died. I have tried to find the complete poem over the years but have had no luck. Does anyone out there know about this piece????
my name means bee or honey, I'm sure it suited lot people but for me, it didn't make any sense. though I do like honey in my tea now and then.
I like the meaning of Esther - sounds nice to be a star.
have a lovely day.
Anne means "Grace". It is difficult somedays. I am fairly gracefully as a person but in my Christian walk "grace" is often tough because of the wickedness in this life and the temptations that surround us. I try to be full of grace and I work at it! Your post was wonderful. Thank you for sharing. My post is phamily post but I hope youw ill come by. Anne
My name means sorrow. It was taken from an Irish legend. I hope it doesn't mean a bring sorrow.
Victorious doesn't fit me too often. Guess I could look up the nickname:) This was interesting.
Great mine means warlike hope its not right lol
My name is Susan, "A lily."
I hope it's a calla lily.
;)
Ps. Enjoyed reading about the El names.
Great ‘E’ post! I've learned so much about the different meaning of names!
Have a great weekend ahead,
LOLA:)
Btw Alphabe-Thursday
Hmmm.... my name means 'fair, smooth' and 'white wave'. Not quite sure about that - ha!
The only EL name I know is ELmer.
But yours are a lot more impressive.
Thanks for a fascinating link this week.
It looks like everyone enjoyed finding out what their names mean!
A+
I enjoyed your E post. My name is Ellen which means Light, torch, or bright. I hope I'm shining bright for my El Shaddai!
I love looking up the meaning of names! These are great to know.
One of my favorite songs of Amy Grant's (way back when) is El Shaddai, where she sings of the many names of the Lord. I love looking and learning the meaning of names and origins of words/phrases/colloquial expressions, etc :o) I liked the link that you shared with us, since...there the meaning for Maria was "star of the sea"...other places, I have seen it to mean "bitterness" as in the herbs ("star of the sea" sounds so much nicer :o) ...as a newlywed, I had a book of baby names with me as my hubby drove us around the Big Island of Hawaii (to show me some of his "stomping grounds"). We were not expecting at all yet, but I already was thinking of the names for our future babies :o)
Blessings & Aloha!
(I have limited time with blogging...barely squeeze in my one post a week and then get to my "thank you" visits to those that stop by :o) I'm heading to work, but wanted to say thank you for stopping by and I really appreciate you looking around :o) Please stop by again, anytime. & send a big thank you to your niece's family and her hubby's military service.)
I found Rabbi Lawrence Kushner's thoughts fascinating on the subjest of Gods name as well, the letters of the name of God in Hebrew are yod, hay, vav, and hay. They are infrequently pronounced Yahweh. But in truth they are inutterable. “This word is the sound of breathing. The holiest name in the world, the Name of Creator, is the sound of your own breathing. That these letters are unpronounceable is no accident. Just as it is no accident that they are also the root letters of the Hebrew verb ‘to be’… God’s name is name of Being itself.”
Taking a deep breath, I Inhale: YWHW.Exhale: YWHW.We breathe…. And call His name. A whole new meaning for me.
Post a Comment