Bible Lexicons

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. Prayer of Manasseh , 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 Hosea 3:5; אלהים = פחד Genesis 31:42 = מוֺרָא Isaiah 8:13 De ^{Genesis 1887,48} (compare σέβασμα, post-Biblical Hebrewיִרְאָה NHWB; Aramaic דַּחֲלָא CWB); so De following Fl in De ^{Gn ed. 4,57}, compare MV.

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

3. a.אֵל & אֱלֹהִים connected, & both from a √ אלה (= אלהּ) to which is assigned meaning strong; so Ew^{§ 146d, 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 Genesis 1:1; he supports meaning strong by reference to phrase יֵשׁ לְאֵל יָדִי Genesis 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}.).

4אֵל (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; Genesis 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}.).