There are various words for God in Aramaic Eli or Elahi (Biblical Aramaic) and alaha or aloho in Syriac depending on the dialect.
The word sounds almost identical to the Arabic 'allah'.
Alternatively Aramaic speakers referred to God as 'maran' our Lord hence the Aramaic phrase μαρανάθα (maranatha) -O Lord come! from the Greek New Testament.
A handful of Aramaic phrases are included in the Greek New Testament amidst the Greek text. It's what Jesus said in Aramaic his native language.
Jesus spoke Galilean Aramaic a dialect spoken natively north of Judaea .There is evidence that this dialect sounded harsh and distorted to the ears of Jerusalem Aramaic speaker. The distinct accent would immediately give away a Galilean in Jerusalem.
In the New Testament Jesus uses the following names when he refers to God.
abba (αββα)-father
Eli (ηλί) or Elohi (ελόΐ)- when being on the cross.
And maranatha ,a phrase which contains the word mar (Lord).
Jesus's last words on the cross were Εlohi,Εlohi lama sabbachtani?-God,God,why have you forsaken me?
This phrase is from the New Testament the original being in Greek-Ηλί,Ηλί λαμά σαβαχθανί;In the same book there is another version of the same phrase-Ελοί,Ελοί λαμά σαβαχθανί;
Here is the word Elahi with the vowels (the dots).
Now let us take a look how eli and alaha are written in the Syriac Estrangela script.
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elahi-God in the Aramaic Square script (Hebrew) |
Here is the word Elahi with the vowels (the dots).
Now let us take a look how eli and alaha are written in the Syriac Estrangela script.
![]() | |
eli or ʾyl alaha or ʾlhʾ |
Aramaic gods
Aramaic is a language that was spoken in the ancient Near East, and it was used by various peoples throughout the region, including the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians. As such, there were many different gods worshipped by various Aramaic-speaking peoples, and the nature of these gods varied depending on the specific culture and time period in question.
One of the most well-known Aramaic gods is Baal, who was worshipped by the ancient Canaanites, Phoenicians, and Carthaginians. Baal was considered the god of storms, fertility, and agriculture, and he was often associated with the bull or the thunderbolt. Another important Aramaic god was Hadad, who was worshipped by the Assyrians and Babylonians. Hadad was also associated with storms and rain, and he was sometimes depicted holding a lightning bolt.
Other Aramaic gods include Tammuz, who was associated with the cycle of life and death, and Astarte, who was associated with fertility, sexuality, and war. In addition, there were many local gods worshipped by various Aramaic-speaking peoples, such as Nergal, who was the god of the underworld in Mesopotamia, and Nebo, who was the god of wisdom and writing. It's important to note that the specific beliefs and practices associated with these gods varied widely depending on the time and place in which they were worshipped.
Read also
Son of God in Aramaic.
Son of God in Aramaic.