Jah

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Jah (pronounced /ˈdʒɑː/) is a name for God, most commonly used in the Rastafari movement. It comes from the Hebrew יָהּ = Yah [jah].

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[edit] In the Rastafari movement

Rastafarians consider Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia to be God incarnate, whom they call Jah or Jah Rastafari. Ras Tafari (Prince Tafari) was the pre-coronation name of Selassie I. Jah is referenced in many reggae songs, including many Bob Marley songs, such as "Jah Is Mighty" and "Forever Loving Jah." William David Spencer, in his book Dread Jesus (ISBN 0-281-05101-1), proposes that Archibald Dunkley and Joseph Nathaniel Hibbert were among the preachers that inspired the Rastafari movement, and that both were members of the Ancient Mystic Order of Ethiopia, a Prince Hall Masonic organization. Spencer believes that several features of the Rastafari movement derive from this lodge, including the name "Jah", from the Masonic form "Jah-Bul-On" as revealed in Royal Arch Masonry.

[edit] Other uses

Jah (Yah) is often used as a shortened form of the name Jehovah or Yahweh. Thus, the term Hallelujah would mean "Praise Jah", or "Praise ye the LORD" (Psalm 104:35 KJV and footnote). In the West Indies, the recent popularity of Christian reggae has led to the use of the names "Jah" and "I and I" in Christian circles, especially among younger believers. This term is also used in Christian hip hop, typically for no reason but to rhyme, by such artists as KJ-52 and Pigeon John of LA Symphony. P.O.D. has also controversially popularized Rastafarian terms such as "Jah" among young Christians. According to the band, they use such terms to refer to elements of the Bible. Songs such as "The Messenjah" from Satellite and "Strength of My Life" from Testify (featuring Matisyahu) explicitly use common Rastafarian terms to describe elements of Christianity and Judaism. Matisyahu has also used Rastafarian terminology (particularly on his debut album Shake Off the Dust...Arise), but never to the same extent.

In the original text of the Hebrew Bible, "Jah" occurs 50 times, 26 times alone and 24 times in the term "Hallelujah" (see footnote to Psalm 104:35 KJV).

The Jehovah's Witnesses' New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, in the OT, uses the word "Jah" in all 26 places, and translates the Hebrew 'Hallelujah', as 'Praise Jah, you people' in all 24 occurences of that expression in the OT.

In the NT, in chapter 19 of the book of Revelation, most bible translations, (e.g. KJV, ASV, Amplified Bible, ESV, Living Bible, NCV, Moffatt, Darby, NIV, NWT, RSV.) include 'jah' four times in the word "Hallelujah", this word being a direct transliteration of the Greek expression 'Hallelujah'.

In the King James Version of the Bible it is transliterated as "JAH" i.e. all capital letters, in a single instance (Psalm 68:4). The An American Translation renders the Hebrew word as "Yah" in this verse. The complete Tetragrammaton is not always rendered as Jehovah. Rotherham's Emphasised Bible includes 49 uses of Jah. Masoretic Tanach: Psalms 68:19, יָהּ אֱלֹהִים - Yah Elohim.

Due to the frequent use of the word, in some parts of the world, notably South Africa, a Rastafarian is colloquially referred to as Jahman.

[edit] Iah

Jah is also an alternative spelling of the name of the Egyptian deity Iah, however, there is no connection between this name and the Semitic name Jah.

[edit] Reading

[edit] References