Jah

thumb|right|The Digrammaton, יָהּ (YH), and the Tetragrammaton, יהוה (YHWH). Jah (Hebrew: יָהּ), alternatively written Yah, is one of the names of God in the Hebrew Bible. It is a short form of the Tetragrammaton, יהוה (YHWH). It occurs at the end of the word "Hallelujah" (הַלְּלוּ־יָהּ), which means "praise Jah". The King James Version translation of the Bible translates יָהּ as "Jah" in Psalms 68:4, and the New King James Version translation translates it as "Yah". Otherwise, it is conventionally translated as "Lord", just like the Tetragrammaton. The name Jah is used by adherents of Rastafarianism to refer to God. Quotes Hebrew Bible right עׇזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ וַיְהִי־לִי לִישׁוּעָה זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי וַאֲרֹמְמֶנְהוּ׃ Exodus 15:2 (MT) Translations: יהוה is my strength and might; He is become my deliverance. This is my God and I will enshrine Him; the God of my father's [house], and I will exalt Him. JPS translation The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. KJV translation The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him. NKJV translation The Lord is my strength and song, for he saved me; He is my God whom I shall praise, my father's God whom I shall extol. AAT translation right שִׁירוּ לֵאלֹהִים זַמְּרוּ שְׁמוֹ סֹלּוּ לָרֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת בְּיָהּ שְׁמוֹ וְעִלְזוּ לְפָנָיו׃ Psalms 68:4 (MT) Translations: Sing to God, chant hymns to His name; extol Him who rides the clouds; the Lord is His name. Exult in His presence. JPS translation Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah, and rejoice before him. KJV translation Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name Yah, and rejoice before Him. NKJV translation Sing unto God; praise his name! Extol him who rides upon the storm-clouds, whose name is Yah, and exult before him! AAT translation thumb|right|The word "Hallelujah" written in Hebrew (הַלְּלוּ־יָהּ). right הַלְלוּ־יָהּ הַלְלוּ עַבְדֵי יְהֹוָה הַלְלוּ אֶת־שֵׁם יְהֹוָה׃ Psalms 113:1 (MT) Translations: Hallelujah. O servants of the Lord, give praise; praise the name of the Lord. JPS translation Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. KJV translation Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! NKJV translation Hallelujah! Praise, O servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord! AAT translation right מִן־הַמֵּצַר קָרָאתִי יָּהּ עָנָנִי בַמֶּרְחָב יָהּ׃ Psalms 118:5 (MT) Translations: In distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and brought me relief. JPS translation I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. KJV translation I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. NKJV translation When in straits, I called upon the Lord; He answered me with abundant room. AAT translation right אָמַרְתִּי לֹא־אֶרְאֶה יָהּ יָהּ בְּאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים לֹא־אַבִּיט אָדָם עוֹד עִם־יוֹשְׁבֵי חָדֶל׃ Isaiah 38:11 (MT) Translations: I thought, I shall never see Yah, Yah in the land of the living, or ever behold men again among those who inhabit the earth. JPS translation I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. KJV translation I said, "I shall not see Yah, the Lord in the land of the living; I shall observe man no more among the inhabitants of the world." NKJV translation I said, "I shall no more see the Lord in the land of the living; I shall no more look upon man among the inhabitants of the world." AAT translation Rabbinic literature right בשלשים ושתים נתיבות פליאות חכמה חקק יה יהוה צבאות אלהי ישראל אלהים חיים ומלך עולם אל שדי רחום וחנון רם ונשא שוכן עד מרום וקדוש שמו וברא את עולמו בשלשה ספרים בספר וספר וספור׃ Sefer Yetzirah, 1:1 Translation: Yah, the Lord of hosts, the living God, King of the Universe, Omnipotent, All-Kind and Merciful, Supreme and Extolled, who is Eternal, Sublime and Most-Holy, ordained (formed) and created the Universe in thirty-two mysterious paths of wisdom by three Sepharim, namely: 1) S'for סְפָר; 2) Sippur סִפּוּר; and 3) Sapher סֵפֶר which are in Him one and the same. Isidor Kalisch translation (New York, 1877) Quotes about Jah "Yah", an abbreviated form of the Tetragrammaton, occurs 23 times: 18 times in the Psalms, twice in Exodus, and three times in Isaiah. This form is identical with the final syllable in the word "Hallelujah", which occurs 24 times in the last book of the Psalms (comp. also "be-Yah", Isa. xxvi. 4 and Ps. lxviii. 5). It is transcribed by the Greek "Ia", as "Ehyeh" is represented by "Aia", thus showing that "Yah" was the first syllable of יהוה. Crawford Howell Toy and Ludwig Blau: "Tetragrammaton". Jewish Encyclopedia. The Yod (י) must be attached to the Heh (ה) to make YH (יה). This is the Inner Chamber [since these are the first two letters of the Tetragrammaton, YHVH (יהוה)]. This is the place that conceals the highest point, which is the Yod (י). Zohar 2:216a, as translated in Meditation and Kabbalah by Aryeh Kaplan, ch. 2, "Talmudic Mystics", p. 34. Weiser Books (1982). 0-87728-616-7. See also Hallelujah Names of God Tetragrammaton External links Category:God