🔼The name Jaaziel: Summary
- Meaning
- God Strengthens
- Etymology
- From (1) the verb עזז ('azaz), to be strong, and (2) the word אל ('el), God.
🔼The name Jaaziel in the Bible
The name Jaaziel occurs just once in the Bible. Jaaziel is a second rank Levitical musician who played during the Ark's transport from the house of Obed-edom of Gath to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:18).
🔼Etymology of the name Jaaziel
The name Jaaziel consists of two components. The final part is equal to the name אל El, the abbreviated form of אלהים Elohim, denoting the genus God.
אל אלה
In names אל ('el) usually refers to אלהים ('elohim), that is Elohim, or God, also known as אלה ('eloah). In English, the words 'God' and 'god' exclusively refer to the deity but in Hebrew the words אל ('l) and אלה ('lh) are far more common and may express approach and negation, acts of wailing and pointing, and may even mean oak or terebinth.
Where the first part of the name Jaaziel comes from is not agreed upon. Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names believes it has to do with a Arabic verb meaning to comfort.
NOBSE Study Bible Name List and BDB Theological Dictionary and probably anyone among a Hebrew audience believe the name Jaaziel to come from the verb עזז ('azaz), meaning to be strong:
עזז
The verb עזז ('azaz) means to be strong. Adjective עז ('az) means strong, mighty or fierce and adjective עזוז ('izzuz) means mighty or powerful. Nouns עז ('oz) and עזוז ('ezuz) mean strength, might or fierceness.
Noun עזניה ('ozniya) denotes some kind of bird of prey (this word may actually be a convenient import from another language) and noun עז ('ez) denotes a she-goat (this word may actually derive from a verb that means to be wayward or perhaps strong-headed).
Verb עוז ('uz) means to bring into refuge or to seek safety. Noun מעוז (ma'oz) describes a place or agent of safety.
🔼Jaaziel meaning
For a meaning of the name Jaaziel, Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names proposes a somewhat liberal He Is Comforted Of God. NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads God Strengthens. BDB Theological Dictionary reports that the name Jaaziel is probably an error for the name Uzziel, takes the intermediate yod to be possessive, and reads My Strength Is El.