Job 20:15 — Word Study
WLCחַ֣יִל בָּ֭לַע וַיְקִאֶ֑נּוּ מִ֝בִּטְנ֗וֹ יוֹרִשֶׁ֥נּוּ אֵֽל׃
BSAHe swallowsbâlaʻ■ [devours, consumes] ◂wealthchayil [riches, substance] but vomits it outqôwʼ▸ [spues out, throws up] Godʼêl [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] will force ityârash▸ [cast, drive] from his stomachbeṭen [belly, womb]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| חַ֣יִל | wealth | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| בָּ֭לַע | he swallows | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| וַיְקִאֶ֑נּוּ | and he has vomited up it | Verb hiphil sequential imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| מִ֝בִּטְנ֗וֹ | from belly his | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| יוֹרִשֶׁ֥נּוּ | he drives out it | Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| אֵֽל׃ | God | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach. |
| KJV | He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly. |
| ASV | He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly. |
| YLT | Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out. |
| WEB | He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly. |
| BBE | He takes down wealth as food, and sends it up again; it is forced out of his stomach by God. |
The translations agree on the rendering of wealth and its ultimate rejection.
The verse is structured with a main clause followed by a contrasting clause, emphasizing the relationship between consumption and rejection.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֵל
verbבָּלַע
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 20:15
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Discourse on the Fate of the Wickedgenerated
Job 20:15 illustrates the futility of the wicked's pursuit of wealth, emphasizing that despite their efforts to gather riches, they will ultimately be forced to relinquish them. This verse is part of a larger argument where Job reflects on the consequences faced by the wicked, as seen in the surrounding verses, particularly Job 20:14 and Job 20:16.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 23:8 | You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words. |
| 2 | Matthew 27:3–4 | When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חַיִל, Cha.yilgenerated
The Hebrew word חַיִל (*chayil*) is a noun that conveys meanings related to strength, wealth, and power. It can refer to physical might, financial resources, or military strength, depending on the context. The parsing as a masculine singular noun indicates its role as a subject or object in the sentence.
In this verse, it describes the wealth that the wicked consume. The use of חַיִל underscores the idea that their riches are substantial but ultimately fleeting, as they will not be able to retain what they have devoured.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb בָּלַע (*bala*) governs the main action of the verse, with two clauses attached: one describing what is swallowed and another detailing what is vomited out. The structure emphasizes the contrast between consumption and rejection.
The arrangement of the Hebrew words places the wealth at the forefront, highlighting its significance in the context of the wicked's actions.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חַיִל as πλοῦτος (*ploutos*), meaning 'wealth.' This choice aligns closely with the original Hebrew meaning, reinforcing the idea of material riches.
The translation indicates a consistent understanding of the concept of wealth across both the Hebrew and Greek texts.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 20:15 tells us that the wicked consume wealth but will ultimately lose it, as God will force it from them. This highlights the futility of their greed and the consequences they face.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means they consume or gather riches, but ultimately, they cannot keep them.
This indicates that despite their efforts to accumulate wealth, it will be taken from them, illustrating the transient nature of their riches.
God is depicted as the one who enforces the loss of wealth from the wicked, emphasizing His authority over their fate.
It reflects the themes of justice and the consequences of wickedness, which are central to the discussions throughout the Book of Job.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I have seen wealth impact people's lives, both positively and negatively?
- How can I ensure that I do not let the pursuit of wealth overshadow my values?
- In what ways can I reflect on the transient nature of material possessions in my own life?
- How does understanding the fate of the wicked influence my perspective on wealth and success?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like Origen and Gregory the Dialogist reflect on the implications of this verse, discussing the nature of wealth and the consequences of greed.
What other riches are unjustly gathered but those which are in their speeches? Indeed, they are unjustly gathered. But God, in his benevolence, does not allow those mad people to keep forever their unjustly gathered riches.Early Church Fathers on Job 20 →
Ver. 15. The riches he hath swallowed down, he shall vomit up, and God shall cast them out of his belly. 17. The hypocrite desires to know the revelations of God, yet not to practise them. He would speak sagely, but not live so.Early Church Fathers on Job 20 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 20:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe hath swallowed down riches,.... Not his own, but another's, which he has spoiled him of and devoured, with as much eagerness, pleasure, and delight, as a hungry man swallows down his food; having
Read John Gill on Job 20 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly. He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 20 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHe shall vomit them up again, i.e. be forced to restore them with great shame and torment, as gluttons sometimes do loathe, and with grief and pain cast up, that meat which they have eaten and swallowed down with much greediness and delight. If no man’ s hand can reach him, God shall find him out, and punish him severely.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 20 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 20:15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.Ver. 15. He hath swallowed down riches] As wild beasts do their prey, as the greater fishes do the lesser, greedily, easily, suddenly, irrecoverably, as the fire swalloweth up the fuel, as the lean kine devoured the fat, and as the Pamphagus glutton doth his tidbits, his sweet morsels. This word, hath swallowed, showeth his infinite and insatiable desire of getting and gathering riches; and that by continual gaping after more, he loseth the pleasure of what he hath already, like as a dog at his master’ s table swalloweth the whole meat he casteth him without any pleasure, gaping…
Read John Trapp on Job 20 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 15. He shall vomit them up again] This is also an allusion to an effect of most ordinary poisons; they occasion a nausea, and often excruciating vomiting; nature striving to eject what it knows, if retained, will be its bane.
Read AdamClarke on Job 20 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15. The same general figure of a delightful food particularized. The ill-gotten riches which he amassed do not abide with him; the wealth that he swallowed up he must disgorge. The figure is perhaps that of a food which the stomach cannot retain.
Read Cambridge on Job 20 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe hath swallowed down riches - He has “glutted” down riches - or gormandized them - or devoured them greedily.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 20 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible15. Riches — One of the “Forty-two Points of Instruction,” a small Tibetan work, delivered by Buddha, is, “The man who seeks riches is like a child that, with the sharp point of a knife, attempts to
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 20 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.
He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.
He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.
The wealth that he consumed he vomits up, God will make him throw it out of his stomach.
Tyndale line
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly.
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
He hath deuoured substance, and hee shall vomit it: for God shall drawe it out of his bellie.
Strictly literal
He hath swallowed down riches, but he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
Wealth he hath swallowed, and doth vomit it. From his belly God driveth it out.
He has swallowed wealth, and vomits it. God drives it out from his belly.
The wealth which he hath swallowed, will he have to vomit up again; God will drive it out of his belly.
He swallows down riches, but he will vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his stomach.
From the Latin
The riches which he hath swallowed; he shall vomit up, and God shall draw them out of his belly.
Simplified
They swallow wealth and vomit it up again; God forces it from their stomachs.
He takes down wealth as food, and sends it up again; it is forced out of his stomach by God.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint align closely in their rendering of this verse, with four out of six words matched. This correspondence suggests a strong textual agreement on the core message regarding wealth and its transient nature.
חַ֣יִל בָּ֭לַע וַיְקִאֶ֑נּוּ מִ֝בִּטְנ֗וֹ יוֹרִשֶׁ֥נּוּ אֵֽל׃
4 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 20:15
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word חַ֫יִל (*chayil*) encompasses meanings related to strength, efficiency, wealth, and army. It is derived from a root meaning force and can refer to physical might, moral virtue, or resources. The entries consistently highlight its application to soldiers and military forces, with no significant disagreement noted among the lexicons.
חַ֫יִל 244 n.m. strength, efficiency, wealth, army
strength, usu. physical
ability, efficiency, often involving moral worth
wealth
force, army
base
H2428 חַ֫יִל strength, efficiency, wealth, army
2428 chayil khah'-yil
from 2342; probably a force, whether of men, means or other
resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength:--able,
activity, (+) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great)
forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong,
substance, train, (+)valiant(-ly), valour, virtuous(-ly), war,
worthy(-ily).
see HEBREW for 02342
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army
חֵילֵךְ (che.lek) — Helech.
§ Helech = "your army"
a place near Arvad and Gammad
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength.
: strong
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army, soldiers/army
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength: rich.
: rich/wealth
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength: worthy.
: worthy
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
→ See RICHES
בָּלַע (bala) is a Hebrew verb meaning to swallow down or engulf. It encompasses various forms, including actions of devouring and being consumed, as well as figurative uses like squandering. The entries indicate that it can be used in different grammatical aspects, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hithpael, each with slightly different nuances.
בָּלַע vb. swallow down, swallow up, engulf
Qal
swallow down
swallow up, engulf
Niph. swallowed up, i.e. devastated
Pi.
swallow
swallow up, engulf
Pu. be swallowed up
Hithp. their wisdom is all gone, ‘they are at their wit’s end’
base
H1104 בָּלַע swallow down, swallow up, engulf
1104 bala` baw-lah'
a primitive root; to make away with (specifically by
swallowing); generally, to destroy:--cover, destroy, devour,
eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up).
בָּלַע (ba.la) — to swallow up.
1) to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to swallow down
1a2) to swallow up, engulf
1b) (Niphal) to be swallowed up
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to swallow
1c2) to swallow up, engulf
1c3) squandering (fig.)
1d) (Pual) to be swallowed up
1e) (Hithpael) to be ended
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
קִיא (qow') means to vomit or spue out. It is a primitive root that covers actions like disgorging, with uses in both the Qal and Hiphil forms. The Hiphil form can imply a figurative sense, such as land spewing out its inhabitants, as noted in Jeremiah 25:27.
[קִיא] vb. vomit up, spue out, disgorge
Qal but
Hiph. all vomit up
base
H6958 קִיא vomit up, spue out, disgorge
6958 qow' ko
or qayah (Jer. 25:27) {kaw-yaw'}; a primitive root; to
vomit:--spue (out), vomit (out, up, up again).
קִיא (qo) — to vomit.
1) to vomit up, spue out, disgorge
1a) (Qal) to vomit
1b) (Hiphil) to vomit up
1b1) of land spewing out its inhabitants (fig)
1b2) vomiting, disgorging
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil sequential imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHc/Vhw3ms/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word בֶּ֫טֶן (*beten*) primarily means 'belly,' 'body,' or 'womb.' It is derived from a root suggesting hollowness and encompasses various uses, including the physical abdomen and metaphorical meanings, such as the seat of hunger or mental faculties. The lexicons consistently highlight these aspects without significant disagreement.
בֶּ֫טֶן n.f. belly, body, womb
base
H990 בֶּ֫טֶן belly, body, womb
990 beten beh'-ten
from an unused root probably meaning to be hollow; the belly,
especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything:--
belly, body, + as they be born, + within, womb.
בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: abdomen.
: abdomen
1) belly, womb, body
1a) belly, abdomen
1a1) as seat of hunger
1a2) as seat of mental faculties
1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)
1b) womb
בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: womb.
: womb/pregnancy
1) belly, womb, body
1a) belly, abdomen
1a1) as seat of hunger
1a2) as seat of mental faculties
1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)
1b) womb
בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: hump.
: hump
1) belly, womb, body
1a) belly, abdomen
1a1) as seat of hunger
1a2) as seat of mental faculties
1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)
1b) womb
בֶּ֫טֶן (be.ten) — belly: body.
: body
1) belly, womb, body
1a) belly, abdomen
1a1) as seat of hunger
1a2) as seat of mental faculties
1a3) of depth of Sheol (fig.)
1b) womb
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word יָרַשׁ (*yarash*) is a verb meaning to take possession, inherit, or dispossess. It encompasses a range of actions from seizing and occupying land to impoverishing or ruining others. The entries indicate various forms of the verb, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express different nuances of possession and dispossession.
יָרַשׁ 229 vb. take possession of, inherit, dispossess
Qal
take possession of, esp. bu force, have as a possession, often with collat. idea of taking in place of others, succeeding to, inheriting
inherit, sq. acc. pers. = be one's heir
= impoverish
Niph. be (dispossessed =) impoverished, come to poverty
Pi. the fruit of thy ground shall the cricket get full possession
Hiph.
cause to possess or inherit
cause (others) to possess or inherit, then gen. dispossess
= impoverish
nearly = bring to ruin, destroy
take possession of a land
base
H3423 יָרַשׁ take possession of, inherit, dispossess .. take possession of, esp. bu force, have as a possession, often with collat. idea of taking in place of others, succeeding to, inheriting
. inherit, sq. acc. pers. = be one's heir
. = impoverish
. be (dispossessed =) impoverished, come to poverty
. the fruit of thy ground shall the cricket get full possession
. . cause to possess or inherit
. cause (others) to possess or inherit, then gen. dispossess
. = impoverish
. nearly = bring to ruin, destroy
. take possession of a land
3423 yarash yaw-rash'
or yaresh {yaw-raysh'}; a primitive root; to occupy (by
driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place);
by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel,
to impoverish, to ruin:--cast out, consume, destroy,
disinherit, dispossess, drive(-ing) out, enjoy, expel, X
without fail, (give to, leave for) inherit(-ance, -or) +
magistrate, be (make) poor, come to poverty, (give to, make
to) possess, get (have) in (take) possession, seize upon,
succeed, X utterly.
יָרַשׁ (ya.rash) — to possess: possess.
: possess/inherit
1) to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to take possession of
1a2) to inherit
1a3) to impoverish, come to poverty, be poor
1b) (Niphal) to be dispossessed, be impoverished, come to poverty
1c) (Piel) to devour
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to possess or inherit
1d2) to cause others to possess or inherit
1d3) to impoverish
1d4) to dispossess
1d5) to destroy, bring to ruin, disinherit
יָרַשׁ (ya.rash) — to possess: take.
: take/conquer/drive_out
1) to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to take possession of
1a2) to inherit
1a3) to impoverish, come to poverty, be poor
1b) (Niphal) to be dispossessed, be impoverished, come to poverty
1c) (Piel) to devour
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to possess or inherit
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVhi3ms/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word אֵל (*'el*) primarily means 'god' and conveys the idea of might or strength. It can refer to the one true God of Israel, as well as to other deities, angels, and mighty men. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including nature and power, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.
אֵל n.m. god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might
applied to men of might and rank
angels
gods of the nations
Ēl
as characterizing mighty things in nature
God, the one only and true God of Israel
אֵל strength, power
base
H410 אֵל god, but with various subordinate applications to express the idea of might . applied to men of might and rank
. angels
. gods of the nations
. Ēl
. as characterizing mighty things in nature
. God, the one only and true God of Israel
. אֵל strength, power
410 'el ale
shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty;
especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity):--God
(god), X goodly, X great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong.
Compare names in "-el."
see HEBREW for 0352
אֵל (el) — God.
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
אֵל (el) — El (Berith).
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Combined with "Berith" (berith בְּרִית H1286)
אֵל (el) — El (Elohe).
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Combined with "God" (elohim אֱלֹהִים H0430)
אֵל (el) — El (Most High).
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
This name means god, god-like one, mighty one, strength, power
Combined with "Most High" (el.yon עֶלְיוֹן H5945B)
אֵל (el) — god.
: god
1) god, god-like one, mighty one
1a) mighty men, men of rank, mighty heroes
1b) angels
1c) god, false god, (demons, imaginations)
1d) God, the one true God, Jehovah
2) mighty things in nature
3) strength, power
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
god ('Elohim, 'El, [`Elyon], Shadday, Yahweh; Theos):
I. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL IDEA
1. The Idea in Experience and in Thought
2. Definition of the Idea
3. The Knowledge of God
4. Ethnic Ideas of God
(1) Animism
(2) Fetishism
(3) Idolatry
(4) Polytheism
(5) Henotheism
(6) Pantheism
(7) Deism
(8) Semitic Monolatry
(9) Monotheism
II. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. The Course of Its Development
2. Forms of Its Manifestation
(1) The Face or Countenance of God
(2) The Voice and Word of God
(3) The Glory of God
(4) The Angel of God
(5) The Spirit of God
(6) The Name of God
(7) Occasional Forms
3. The Names of God
(1) Generic
(2) Attributive
(3) Yahweh
4. Pre-prophetic Conceptions of God
(1) Yahweh Alone Is the God of Israel
(a) His Early Worship
(b) Popular Religion
(c) Polytheistic Tendencies
(i) Coordination
(ii) Assimilation
(iii) Disintegration
(d) No Hebrew Goddesses
(e) Human Sacrifices
God
(A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew ’El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of ’Eloah_, plural _’Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “LORD,” printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Ps. 14:1).
The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:
(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.
(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and JEHOVAH, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength , as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect , and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it…
This name, the derivation of which is uncertain, we give to that eternal, infinite, perfect, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs all by his almighty power and wisdom, and is the only proper object of worship. The proper Hebrew name for God is JEHOVAH, which signifies He is. But the Jews, from a feeling of reverence, avoid pronouncing this name, substituting for it, wherever it occurs in the sacred test, the word ADONAI, Lord; except in the expression, ADONAI JEHOVAH, Lord Jehovah, for which they put, ADONAI ELOHIM, Lord God. This usage, which is not without an element of superstition, is very ancient, dating its origin some centuries before Christ; but there is no good ground for assuming its existence in the days of the inspired Old Testament writers. The proper word for God is ELOHIM, which is plural in its form, being thus used to signify…