The Name

You might know that modern Jews most usually refer to God as Hashem  (השם). "Baruch Hashem" is a common exclamation if they want to say, "Thank God" or "Bless the Lord."  But I've meditated on almost a hundred biblical names of God over the past three months and that wasn't one of them. Where did it come from?

Hashem literally means, "the Name." Because one of the ten commandments warns us not to misuse God's name, Jews are wary of speaking out the name of Yahweh in a disrespectful way. So, although they might use Adonai (Lord) when they pray to Him, when they speak of God in everyday conversation they usually refer to Him as Hashem, the Name. 

It doesn't really appear in the Bible as a common name of God, except in Leviticus 24: 11, where we read of a man who, "blasphemed the Name." (ha shem) Most Bible say that he blasphemed the name of the Lord, but in fact the original Hebrew text simply says, "the Name."

Of course, when Jews call God Hashem, they're primarily thinking of it as a replacement for YHWH, the name that God Himself used when He revealed Himself to Moses... but as we've seen over the past three months, God is so vast and so indescribable, that no one name is enough. And that's why the Bible contains many different names of God, In recent weeks, I've reflected on:

1. Elohim - the supreme God who created the universe
2. El Qanna - the "jealous" God who deserves our all
3. Ancient of Days - the ageless, timeless God
4. El Olam - the Eternal God
5. Shub Nephesh - the Restorer of Life
6. El Haggadol - the Great God
7. El Qadosh - the perfect, holy One
8. Yahweh Yireh - God, our Provider
9. El Roi - the God who sees me
10. Yahweh Shama - the Lord who hears me
11. El Hai - the Living God
12. Sela - the Rock
13. Tsur - the Rock
14. El Shaddai - the Almighty, all-powerful God
15. Kyrios Theos Pantokrator - the Lord God Omnipotent
16. Yahweh Ezra - the Lord my Helper
17. El Yasha/Yeshua - my Saviour, God of my Salvation
18. El Hanne'eman - the Faithful God
19. Georgos - the gifted Gardener
20. Yatsar - the Potter
21. Migdal Oz - my Strong Tower
22. Yahweh Uzzi - the Lord my Strength 
23. Elohim Qarob - the God who is near
24. El Nasa - the Forgiving God
25. Yahweh Rapha - the Lord who heals
26. Yahweh Shalom / Theos Eirene - the God of Peace
27. Sar Shalom - the Prince of Peace
28. Immanuel - God with us
29. Yahweh Nissi - the Lord my Banner
30. Yahweh Gamal - the Redeeming Lord, the Redeemer
31. Mā'ôn - Home
32. Adonai - Sovereign Lord
33. Adonai Tov, Yahweh Tov - the Good God
34. Yaweh Tseva'ot - the Lord of heaven's armies
35. Yahweh Tzidkenu/Tzedeki - the Lord our righteousness
36. YHWH - the Great "I am"
37. Ya - the pre-existent, all-sufficient One
38. El - God
39. El Elyon - God Most High
40. Yahweh lo Shanah - the Unchanging God
41. Yahweh Machsi/Misgab/Manos/Seter - the Lord my Refuge
42. Yahweh Māgēn - the Lord my Shield
43. Bara - Creator
44. El Shamayim - the God of Heaven
45. El Rachum - Compassionate, Merciful God
46. Yahweh Hannûn - the Gracious Lord
47. Māqôr Hai Mayim - Fountain of Living Water
48. Yahweh Ra'a - the Lord, my Shepherd; the Good Shepherd 
49. Ôr Olam - Everlasting Light
50. Phos o cosmos - Light of the World
51. El Gibbor - Strong and Mighty God
52. Ba'al / Ishi - Husband
53. Rûach / Pneuma  - Holy Spirit
54. Hode - Majesty
55. Melek Haggoyim - King of the nations
56. Basileus Basileon - King of Kings
57. Akal Ash - Consuming Fire
58. Yahweh Ahava / Theos Agapē - Loving God
59. Yahweh Qadash - Sanctifier, God who makes us Holy
60. Abba - Dad
61. Masûd - my Fortress
62. Yahweh Palat - the Lord my Deliverer 
63. El Mosha'ah - the God who saves
64. Entunchano - Intercessor
65. Mesitēs - Mediator
66. Parakletos - Advocate, Lawyer
67. El Yalad / El Hul - the God who gave you birth
68. El De'ah - God of Knowledge
69. Gelah Raz - Revealer of Mysteries.
70. El Kavod - God of Glory
71. Melek Kavod - King of Glory
72. Elohim Mishpat / Theos Ekdikēsis - God of Justice
73. El Neqamah - God who avenges me
74. Shaphat - Judge/ Judge of all the Earth
75. Logos - the Word
76. My Anchor
77. Theos pas Paraklesis - God of all comfort
78. Pater Oiktirmos - Father of Mercies
79. El Haiyai - God of my life
80. Elohim Yare - Awesome God
81. Rum Rosh - Lifter of my head
82. Theos Monos Sophos - the only wise God
83. Theos Alethinos - the True God
84. Yahweh Tsaddik - the Righteous Lord
85. Alpha - the First, the Beginning
86. Omega - the Last, the Ending

Today we enter the month of May, which means my journey through the names of God has spanned three months. My goal was to discover a hundred names of God and I reached this goal if I count the names that are similar: 

• sometimes there are several different Hebrew words that have the same meaning in English
• sometimes there are names that are modified slightly to make a variation - The Light of Israel, the God of Jerusalem, the Mighty One of Jacob  
• sometimes there are descriptions that are not really names: Mighty in Battle, Transcendent One

I'll reflect on some of these names over the coming weekend, but this will be my last blog post on the names of a God who is worthy to be called, The Name.