ʾl

God.

I. Common Semitic basic form *ʾil-, god.

1.

a. Azazel, from Hebrew ʿăzāʾzēl, perhaps corrupt for ʿăzaz-ʾēl, God has been strong (personal name);

b. bethel, from Hebrew bêt ʾēl, house of God;

c. Daniel, from Hebrew dānīʾēl, dānīyēʾl, my judge (is) God (alternatively, God has judged);

d. Ezekiel, from Hebrew yəḥezqēʾl, God has strengthened;

e. Gabriel, from Hebrew gabrîʾēl, my strong one (is) God (see gpr);

f. Ishmael, from Hebrew yišmāʿēʾl, God has heard (see šmʿ);

g. Israel, from Hebrew yiśrāʾēl, God has striven, God has saved;

h. Joel, from Hebrew yôʾēl, Yahweh (is) God;

i. Michael, from Hebrew mîkāʾēl, who (is) like God?;

j. Nathanael, from Hebrew nətanʾēl, God has given (see ntn);

k. Raphael, from Hebrew rəpāʾēl, God has healed (rəpāʾ, he has healed; see rpʾ);

l. Samuel, from Hebrew šəmûʾēl, name of God (alternatively, the name (is) God; see šm);

m. schlemiel, perhaps from Hebrew personal name šəlūmîʾēl, my well-being (is) God. a-m all from Hebrew ʾēl, God;

n. Elijah, from Hebrew ʾēlîyāhû, my God (is) Yahweh, from ʾēlî, my God, from ʾēl (see above) + -î, my;

o. Elisha, from Hebrew ʾĕlîšāʿ, God (is) salvation, from ʾĕl, shortened form of ʾēl, God (see above; -îšāʿ, salvation; see wṯʿ);

p. Elizabeth, from Hebrew ʾĕlîšebaʿ, my God (is) an oath, from ʾĕlî, reduced form of ʾēlî, my God (see above; -šebaʿ, oath; see šbʿ);

q. Lazarus, from Hebrew ʾelʿāzār, God has helped, from ʾel, reduced form of ʾēl, God (see above; ʿāzār, he has helped; see ʿḏr).

2.

a. Babylon, from Akkadian bāb ili, gate of the god, from ilu, god;

b. Babel, from Hebrew bābel, from Akkadian bāb ili, Babylon (see above).

3. Enlil, from Sumerian refashioning of Semitic *ʾilil, probably “god of gods,” reduplication of *ʾil-.

II. Central Semitic extended form ʾilāh-, god.

1. Elohim, from Hebrew ʾĕlōhîm, God, plural (used as singular) of ʾĕlōah, god.

2.

a. Allah, from Arabic allāh, the god, God, from al-, the + ʾilāh, god;

b. ayatollah, from Arabic ʾāyatu llāh, sign of God;

c. Bahaullah, from Arabic bahāʾu llāh, splendor of God;

d. olé, from Spanish, perhaps from Arabic wa-llāh, by God!. b-d all from Arabic llāh, elided form of allāh (see above).

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