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

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  1. Claire Evans profile image63
    Claire Evansposted 9 years ago

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

  2. JennyRose2 profile image58
    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.

    1. Claire Evans profile image63
      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.

  3. Joseph O Polanco profile image41
    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)

    1. Claire Evans profile image63
      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.

    2. Joseph O Polanco profile image41
      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.

    3. Claire Evans profile image63
      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.

    4. Joseph O Polanco profile image41
      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?

    5. Claire Evans profile image63
      Claire Evansposted 9 years agoin reply to this
    6. Joseph O Polanco profile image41
      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)

    7. Claire Evans profile image63
      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.

    8. Joseph O Polanco profile image41
      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.

    9. Claire Evans profile image63
      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

    10. Joseph O Polanco profile image41
      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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