אלה

(assumed as √ of אֵל, (אֱלוֹהַּ) אֱלֹהִים god, God, but question intricate, & conclusions dub. 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, Pt. of √אול; strong, according to Thes, being derived from meaning be in front of; (different order in Lex. Man., RobGes); b. אֵל & אֱלֹהִים distinct; former from אול strong; latter pl. of אֱלֹהַּ from √[אלהּ] = أَلِهَ (وَلِهَ) go to and fro in perplexity or fear, hence אֱלֹהַּ fear & object of fear, reverence, revered one; أَلِهَ إِلَى = פחד אל trepide confugere ad Ho 3:5; אלהים = פחד Gn 31:42 = מוֹרָא Is 8:13 DeGn 1887, 48 (cf. σἐβασμα, postB. Heb. יִרְאָה NHWB; Aramaic דַּחֲלָא CWB); so De following Fl in DeGn ed. 4, 57, cf. MV. 2. אֵל & אֱלֹהִים possibly connected; אֵל = leader, lord, from √ אול be in front; so Nömbak 1880, 760 f; sbak 1882, 1175 f. 3. a. אֵל & אֱלֹהִים connected, & both from a √ אלה (= אלהּ) to which is assigned meaning strong; so Ew§ 146 d, 178 b (v. also Jahrbücher d. bibl. Wiss. x. 11, Bibl. Theol. ii. 330); b. אֵל from √אלה strong (not אלהּ), & אֱלֹהִים expanded from אֵל, cf. pl. אֲמָהוֹת from אמה etc.; so Di on Gn 1:1; he supports meaning strong by ref. to phrase יֵשׁ לְאֵל יָדִי Gn 31:29 al.; c. similarly, אֵל, being very early & common Shemitic word, formed pl. אלהים, fr. which sing. אֱלוֹהַּ was afterwards inferred, NesTheol. Stud. a. Württ., 1882, 243 (criticized by NöSBA l.c.). 4. אֵל (אֱלוֹהַּ, אֱלֹהִים disregarded) from √אלה stretch out to, reach after (cf. prep. אֶל, אֱלֵי, also אָלָה swear), God as the one whom men strive to reach, ‘das Ziel aller Menschensehnsucht und alles Menschenstrebens,’ LagOr. ii. 3; GN 1882, 173 = M 96.—Cf. SpurrellHeb. Text of Gn., App. ii, where all these views are stated somewhat more fully, & briefly criticized; on the use of אֵל & אֱלֹהַּ in Shemitic languages vid., exhaustively, Nömbak, sbak, l.c.).