GOD. This is the name which we give to that eternal, infinite, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs every thing by his Almighty Power and Wisdom, and is the only Object of our Worship1. God, properly speaking, can have no name; for as he is one, and not subject to those individual qualities, which distinguish men, and upon which are founded the different denominations that we give them; he has no need of any name to distinguish him from other Gods, nor to put a difference between him and any, since there are none like him. The names therefore which we ascribe to him, are descriptions, or epithets, which express his divine qualities in terms necessarily ambiguous, because they are such as are borrowed from common use, and given to the creatures as well as him; rather than true names which represent his nature, as it is.
The Hebrews give him generally the name of Jehovah, or Jao or Jaho2, which they never pronounce, but instead of it, make use of that of Adonai or Elohim, which signify Lords, Masters. They likewise call him El, which signifies Strong; or Shaddai, whereby may be meant one, who is Self-sufficient; or, according to another pronunciation, the Destroyer, the Powerful One; or Elion, the most High; or El-sebaoth, the God of Hosts; or Ja, God. In Exodus, the Angel, who spoke in God’s Exod. iii. 13, 14. גלוליםname, said to Moses; If they ask thee, what is his name who sent thee, thou shalt say, I AM hath sent me unto you: I am He who is; or, I shall be He who shall be. See the Article JEHOVAH.
Read this article in its place on the printed pages
Footnotes
-
Translators’ note. The modern Jews have a very orthodox notion of God’s Perfections; but their Rabbins are not to be justified, who attribute such actions and expressions to him, as tend to vilify his nature in the opinion of their people, and lessen their respect to the Deity, of whom we cannot conceive too great and noble Ideas. To produce one instance only of the extravagancy of their Doctors. They believe the power of God to be infinite, and illustrate it in this manner: Cæsar, they say, had a mind to see God, and R. Joshua prayed that the effects of his presence might be perceivable. Whereupon God retired 400 leagues from Rome, and bellowed so terribly, that at the noise thereof the city walls fell down, and all the women with child miscarried. God advanced 100 leagues nearer, roaring in the same manner, which so frightned Cæsar, that he fell from his throne, and all the Romans then living lost their rinders. Basnage Histoire des Juifs, l. iv. c. 2. ↩
-
יהוהJehovah. אדניAdonai. אלהיםElohim. Elion. יהJah. אלEl. שדיShaddai. אל צבאות El-Sebaoth. עליון ↩