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Elohim

(Encyclopedia)Elohim ĕlōhēmˈ, ēlōˈhĭm, ĕlˈōhēm [key], term used to designate the God of Israel. The use of Elohim in Israel's religious texts is an attempt to treat the particular Hebrew God, Yahweh, in...

Aphrah

(Encyclopedia)Aphrah ăfˈrə [key], in the punning passage of the Book of Micah, apparently the name of a town. The name meant “dust” in Hebrew or sounded like a word meaning “dust,” hence probably the use...

Asmodeus

(Encyclopedia)Asmodeus ăsˌmōdēˈəs [key], demon of Hebrew story. He plays an important role in the Book of Tobit. ...

Old Testament

(Encyclopedia)Old Testament, Christian name for the Hebrew Bible, which serves as the first division of the Christian Bible (see New Testament). The designations “Old” and “New” seem to have been adopted af...

Jonas

(Encyclopedia)Jonas jōˈnəs [key], Greek form of Hebrew Jonah. St. Peter's father is called Jonas and Jona (KJV) and John (RSV). ...

Nebo

(Encyclopedia)Nebo nēˈbō [key], in the Bible. 1 Town of Moab, near Mt. Pisgah and S of Heshbon. 2 City of Judah of postexilic times. 3 Hebrew name for Babylonian god of knowledge, literature, and agriculture. ...

Kiddush

(Encyclopedia)Kiddush kĭdˈəsh [key] [Heb.,=sanctification], Jewish ceremonial blessing indicating the beginning of the Sabbath or any other Hebrew festival. Kiddush is also said at mealtime and consists of a pra...

Schechter, Solomon

(Encyclopedia)Schechter, Solomon shĕkhˈtər [key], 1847–1915, Jewish scholar. Born in Romania, he was educated in Vienna and at the Univ. of Berlin. He went to England in 1882 and in 1890 he was made lecturer i...

J

(Encyclopedia)J, 10th letter of the alphabet, a Western European medieval development of I, with which it was formerly quite interchangeable in writing. It is pronounced as a consonant in English and often as a y i...

Yahweh

(Encyclopedia)Yahweh yäˈwĕ [key], modern reconstruction of YHWH, the ancient Hebrew ineffable name for God. Other forms are Jah, Jahve, Jahveh, Jahweh, Jehovah, Yahve, Yahveh, and Yahwe. ...