Jah

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 יָ֥הּ 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.

Scripture

 * עׇזִּ֤י וְזִמְרָת֙ יָ֔הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה זֶ֤ה אֵלִי֙ וְאַנְוֵ֔הוּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י אָבִ֖י וַאֲרֹמְמֶֽנְהוּ׃
 * Exodus 15:2
 * 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 Jah 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 Jah 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 Jah 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


 * שִׁ֤ירוּ ׀ לֵאלֹהִים֮ זַמְּר֢וּ שְׁ֫מ֥וֹ סֹ֡לּוּ לָרֹכֵ֣ב בָּ֭עֲרָבוֹת בְּיָ֥הּ שְׁמ֗וֹ וְעִלְז֥וּ לְפָנָֽיו׃
 * Psalms 68:4
 * Translations:
 * Sing to God, chant hymns to His name; extol Him who rides the clouds; the Jah 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 Jah, 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




 * הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ הַ֭לְלוּ עַבְדֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה הַֽ֝לְל֗וּ אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה׃
 * Psalms 113:1
 * Translations:
 * Hallelujah. O servants of the, give praise; praise the name of the.
 * JPS translation
 * Praise ye the Jah. Praise, O ye servants of the, praise the name of the.
 * KJV translation
 * Praise the Jah! Praise, O servants of the, praise the name of the !
 * NKJV translation
 * Hallelujah! Praise, O servants of the ; praise the name of the !
 * AAT translation


 * מִֽן־הַ֭מֵּצַר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ עָנָ֖נִי בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ׃
 * Psalms 118:5
 * Translations:
 * In distress I called on the Jah; the Lord answered me and brought me relief.
 * JPS translation
 * I called upon the Jah in distress: the Jah answered me, and set me in a large place.
 * KJV translation
 * I called on the Jah in distress; the Jah answered me and set me in a broad place.
 * NKJV translation
 * When in straits, I called upon the Jah; He answered me with abundant room.
 * AAT translation


 * אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ לֹא־אֶרְאֶ֣ה יָ֔הּ יָ֖הּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַחַיִּ֑ים לֹא־אַבִּ֥יט אָדָ֛ם ע֖וֹד עִם־י֥וֹשְׁבֵי חָֽדֶל׃
 * Isaiah 38:11
 * 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 Jah, even the Jah, 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 Jah, the Jah 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 Jah in the land of the living; I shall no more look upon man among the inhabitants of the world."
 * AAT translation

Literature

 * "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.
 * "Tetragrammaton", Jewish Encyclopedia