Jah
/dʒɑː/noun
A shortened form of Yahweh or Jehovah, especially used in Rastafari and some biblical or religious contexts.
Did you know?“Jah” appears in the biblical expression “Hallelujah,” meaning “Praise Jah,” preserving an ancient shortened form of the Hebrew divine name.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Hebrew
Hebrew
יָהּ (Yāh)
“A shortened form of the divine name YHWH, used as a name for the God of Israel.”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
הַלְלוּ־יָהּ (Hallū-Yāh)
““Praise Yah,” the source of the later word Hallelujah.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἁλληλούϊα (Hallēlouïa)
“A transliteration of the Hebrew praise formula “Praise Yah.””
Late Latin
Latin
Iah
“A Latin-script rendering of the shortened Hebrew divine name.”
17th Century
English
Jah
“An English spelling associated with biblical forms of the divine name and with the word Hallelujah.”
20th Century
Jamaican English
Jah
“A central name for God in Rastafari, expressing the divine presence and authority.”
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