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What's the Hebrew word for 'One'?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 8:59 pm
by Warrior 4 Jesus
And how do you write it in English?

Thanks!

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 9:40 pm
by Yeshua-Knight
ok, well, according to my strong's interlinear reference, the hebrew word for one is
'echad (ekh-awd'); united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 9:47 pm
by Warrior 4 Jesus
Thanks Yeshua-Knight!

So 'One God' would effectively be 'Jah Echad'?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 9:50 pm
by Yeshua-Knight
close, the term "Jah" is actually descended from the "YHWH" that God told Moses when he revealed his name, so if you wanted to be down to the original it would be more like "'echad Yehowah" or "one LORD"

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 9:53 pm
by Warrior 4 Jesus
The reason I asked this is because I have one true supreme being in my fantasy/sci-fi novel who is for all intents and purposes - God. But calling him by that name links it a lot to this world (and isn't really even his name). I wanted something that sounded a bit more exotic and since Hebrew is the Original I thought I would go with that.
Thanks mate.

So 'Jah' would be wrong?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 9:57 pm
by Yeshua-Knight
i wouldn't say it's wrong, it's just a shortened form of it, and if you were to use it in the presence of an orthodox Jew, they would know exactly who you were talking about, while at the same time not using the full version of the Lord's name that they do hold very sacred, by the way, props to you for looking to different languages for inspiration for names for a story, i'm doing the same thing for a story i'm in the midst of working on

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:05 pm
by Animus Seed
Yeshua-Knight seems more informed on this than I am, but to my knowledge, "Jah" is more of a poetic term. Which may or may not be what you were going for. YK will correct you if I'm wrong, I'm sure.

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:21 pm
by Warrior 4 Jesus
I've heard that before. Doesn't Hallelujah mean Praise God (Jah being God). I know it has Rastafarian connotations, but it also is used more commonly now in some Christian circles etc - P.O.D (the band).
If its a more poetic version of his name that's fine too I guess.

Thanks guys!

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:28 pm
by Yeshua-Knight
yeah, just keep in mind, it is for your book, i've ready christian fantasy novels that use all sorts of different terms for God, if you should choose to use "Jah" in yours, that's more than fine, and it would work because it already has a relationship to the name of God

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:34 pm
by Warrior 4 Jesus
'Jah Echad' has a nice ring to it, I think.
Thanks again.

It would be pronounced 'yah ekh-awd' wouldn't it?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:40 pm
by Yeshua-Knight
yup, sounds very scifi/fantasy-ish if you ask me

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 11:35 pm
by Syreth
It's interesting because the Hebrew word ekh-awd is used for a compound unity. For instance "one church congregation." This is in contrast to the word, yacheed, which carries the meaning of absolutely one, like the number one. In Deuteronomy 6:4, the word used for "one" is ekh-awd, which allows for the doctrine of the trinity. If the word was yacheed, there would be no basis for that doctrine, since it would be saying that God is absolutely one (commonly used for "only son," like saying, "the one and only"; see Genesis 22:2 and Psalm 25:16 -- the strong's number for yacheed is 3173, if you're interested). I thought that was pretty interesting.

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 11:52 pm
by Warrior 4 Jesus
Wow, that is interesting! Thanks for that tidbit of info Syreth. God Bless you Bro.

PostPosted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 12:04 am
by Syreth
No problem, you too man! ^^

PostPosted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:53 pm
by Warrior 4 Jesus
Uh, sorry bit late. But which one do I use then 'Jah Echad' or 'Jah Yacheed?'

PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:58 pm
by Yeshua-Knight
that is up to you

PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:15 pm
by Warrior 4 Jesus
But both refer to 'One God'?
I prefer Jah Echad, since the other one sounds like a dog choking on a bone.