Why does God in the Old Testament change his name from El to Yahweh?

1. 64

   Claire Evansposted 9 years ago

   Why does God in the Old Testament change his name from El to Yahweh?

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2. 57

   JennyRose2posted 9 years ago

   I believe El is more in line with God, Creator of All Things and used among Gentiles as a title. Yahweh, however, is the name God instructs Moses to use as His identity. It is used most when communicating with the Israelites and represented God's personal relationship with His people. The Hebrews stopped using Yahweh at a certain point because it was considered to be too sacred and violated the commandment of taking the Lord's Name in vain. I believe Adonai, meaning the Lord,  was mainly used among Hebrews after that. It doesn't necessarily change, it just has two different meanings.

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   1. 64

      Claire Evansposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Did you know that El is an Canaanite deity and Yahweh is his son who was given domain of Israel? Thanks for responding.

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3. 42

   Joseph O Polancoposted 9 years ago

   "I am Jehovah. That is my name;
   I give my glory to no one else." - Isaiah 42:8
   
   Actually our Creator has never changed his name. "El," that is, "God" is merely a title like "Mr.," "Doctor," or "Teacher." God's name has been and always will be "Jehovah." ("Yahweh" in Hebrew. Here's his name rendered in other languages -
   
   Arabic - Yahwa
   Awabakal - Yehóa
   Bugotu - Jihova
   Cantonese - Yehwowah
   Danish - Jehova
   Dutch - Jehovah
   Efik - Jehovah
   Fijian - Jiova
   Finnish - Jehova
   French - Jéhovah
   Futuna - Ihova
   German – Jehova
   Greek - Iechová
   Hungarian – Jehova
   
   Igbo - Jehova
   Italian - Geova
   Japanese - Ehoba
   Maori - Ihowa
   Motu - Iehova
   Mwala-Malu - Jihova
   Narrinyeri – Jehovah
   Nembe - Jihova
   Petats - Jihouva
   Polish - Jehowa
   Portuguese - Jeová
   Romanian – Iehova
   
   Samoan - Ieova
   Sotho - Jehova
   Spanish - Jehová
   Swahili - Yehova
   Swedish - Jehova
   Tahitian – Iehova
   Tagalog - Jehova
   Tongan - Jihova
   Venda - Yehova
   Xhosa - uYehova
   Yoruba - Jehofah
   Zulu - uJehova)

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   1. 64

      Claire Evansposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      But where in the Bible did any of the Israelites call Yahweh Baal?
      
      “And in that day, declares the LORD, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’
      
      Hosea 2:16
      
      Baal was actually a Canaanite deity.  He was the son of El.

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   2. 42

      Joseph O Polancoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Except that בַּעְלִֽי (baali) in Hosea 2:16 simply means "master" or "owner." לַבַּ֖עַל (Baal), on the other hand is the proper name of a false god apostate Israelites worshiped.

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   3. 64

      Claire Evansposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      As I said, both Yahweh and Baal were Canaanite deities and were brothers.   Baal was the god the Israelites worshipped.

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   4. 42

      Joseph O Polancoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      What is your evidence that Yahweh was a Canaanite god and not the God sedulous Iraelites worshiped?

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   5. 64

      Claire Evansposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Yahweh
      
      http://www.biblicalheritage.org/God/el-goi.htm

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   6. 42

      Joseph O Polancoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      The problem with the information in your sources is that both Melchizedek and Abraham worshiped Jehovah God, not the deities of the Canaanites. (Genesis 14:18,19; cf. Psalm 83:18)

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   7. 64

      Claire Evansposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      My point is that the Canaanite god is the Jehovah god.  The Israelites adopted Yahweh as their god.  Well, Yahweh was given control of Israel so they really had no choice.

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   8. 42

      Joseph O Polancoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Which is incorrect. The facts show that the godly descendants of Abraham worshiped Jehovah not Baal or any other Canaanite deity.

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   9. 64

      Claire Evansposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      What Jehovah is a Canaanite deity! He did not want people worshiping Baal, his brother.   The Israelites confused Baal with Yahweh as they were both storm gods for example  Hosea 2:16 More: http://www.the-truth-seekers.org/yahweh.htm

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   10. 42

       Joseph O Polancoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Abraham worshiped Jehovah and Abraham wasn't a Canaanite. This is significant because the nation of Israel were his descendants ergo, they weren't Canaanites and Jehovah was never a Canaanite deity.

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