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From Deuteronomy 4:24 of the Hebrew language bible:

For Yähwè thy ´Élöhîm [is] a consuming fire, [even] a jealous ´Ël

Whereas the translation states:

For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Why is it that the translation states GOD 2 times whereas in the original version It states that Elohim is a jealous El, which are 2 different words though they share the same root?

Also, why is GOD jealous? GOD is mighty and compassionate and a feelings such as jealousy shouldn't be of his.

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    Related: "What is the meaning of “Jealous” in Exodus 20:5?"
    – Dɑvïd
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 20:21
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    You're asking about two things here. You really should only ask one thing in each question.
    – curiousdannii ♦
    Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 1:58
  • @FabrizioMazzoni I see your question about the Name and Nature of God as being consistant, since you are using the same text, and one can make the case for the other :)
    – Tau
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 0:08
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    You can't see my comment on the answer below that's been deleted, but you can see it here in the chat room instead if you wish.
    – Jack Douglas
    Commented Jul 20, 2015 at 8:51

2 Answers 2

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  1. The Tetragrammaton (YHWH, pronounced Yahweh) was a name for God, but is often written as LORD in English translations.
  2. 'Elohim is a plural form of 'El and therefore means gods, except when used with a singular verb or in a singular context, when it becomes a name for God. Here, the verb is singular and the context is reference to YHWH, so the correct translation is God.
  3. The last word, 'El, is correctly tranlated as 'god', but 'God' is preferred.

Thus, we have "The LORD, thy God, is a jealous God.

The reason for his jealousy can be found in the following verse:

Deuteronomy 4:25: When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger:

The Deuteronomist was writing at a time when the people of Judah still accepted the existence and power of other gods, and was therefore warning them not to worship these gods.

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  • Why is 'god' preferred over 'God' as a translation of El?
    – Sola Gratia
    Commented Jun 12, 2017 at 19:50
  • @SolaGratia In biblical Hebrew, the singular 'El' is not used to denote God. However, reading this as 'god' implies monolatry, whereas 'God' hides this.
    – Dick Harfield
    Commented Jun 12, 2017 at 21:32
  • What about El Shaddai, El Elyon?
    – Sola Gratia
    Commented Jun 13, 2017 at 16:07
  • @SolaGratia These are used more rarely in the OT. El Shaddai literally 'God of the fields', but often read as 'God Almighty'. El Elyon = 'Most High God'.
    – Dick Harfield
    Commented Jun 13, 2017 at 21:35
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English typically doesn't translate the plural noun Elohim as "Gods". The translators would have to explain why this is the case, though today it probably owes more to tradition than technical accuracy.

As for jealousy, the key is in the difference of meaning between "jealous" and "envious". Jealousy means to be unwilling to let go of what belongs to you, while envy means to lust after what belongs to someone else. So jealousy in God's case simply means that he guards what is His.

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  • Interesting explanation for jealousy. It has actually enlightened me. I should have actually looked it up on the dictionary before including it in the question. It does make sense this way.
    – Fabrizio Mazzoni
    Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 20:16

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