אלה (assumed as √ of אֵל, (אֱלוֹהַּ) אֱלֹהִים god, God, but question intricate, & conclusions dub. It is uncertain whether אֵל & אֱלֹהִים are from the same √. Following are the chief theories: 1. a. Thes makes אֵל & אֱלֹהִים distinct, and both really primitive, but associates אֵל in treatment with אֵל strong, Pt. of √אול; strong, acc. to Thes, being derived from mng. be in front of; (different order in Lex. Man., RobGes); b. אֵל & אֱלֹהִים distinct; former fr. אול strong; latter pl. of אֱלוֹהַּ from √[אלהּ] = Arabic go to and fro in perplexity or fear, hence אֱלהַּ fear & object of fear, reverence, revered one; Arabic = פחד אל trepide confugere ad Ho 3:5; אלהים = פחד Gn 31:42 = מוֹרָא Is 8:13 DeGn 1887, 48 (cf. σέβασμα, postBHeb. יִרְאָה NHWB; Aram. דַּחֲלָא CWB); so De following Fl in De Gn ed. 4. 51, cf. MV. 2. אֵל & אֱלֹהִים possibly connected; אֵל = leader, lord, fr. √אול be in front; so Nö M8 Ak 1880, 760f; SB Ak 1882, 1175f. 3. a. אֵל & אֱלֹהִים connected, & both fr. a √אלה (= אלהּ) to which is assigned mng. strong; so Ew §146d. 178b (v. also Jahrbücher d. bibl. Wiss., x. 11, Bibl. Theol. ii. 330). b. אֵל fr. √אלה strong (not אלהּ), & אֱלֹהִים expanded from אֵל, cf. pl. אֲמָהוֹת; fr. אמה etc.; so Di on Gn 1:1; he supports mng. strong by ref. to phrase יֵשׁ לְאֵל יָדִי Gn 31:29 al.; c. similarly, אֵל, being very early & common Shemitic word, formed pl. אלהים, fr. which sing. אֱלוֹהַּ was afterwards inferred, Nes Theol. Stud. a. Württ. 1882. 243 (criticized by Nö SBA 1.c.). 4. אֵל (אֱלוֹהַּ, אֱלֹהִים disregarded) fr. √אלה stretch out to, reach after (cf. prep. אֶל, אֱלִי, also אָלָה swear), God as the one whom men strive to reach, 'das Ziel aller Menschensehnsucht und alles Menschenstrebens,' Lag Or. ii. 3; GN 1882. 173—M 96.—Cf. Spurrell Heb. Text of Gn. App. ii, where all these views are stated somewhat more fully, & briefly criticized; on the use of אֵל & אֱלהַּ in Shemitic languages vid., exhaustively, Nö MB Ak. SB Ak. i.c.).
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