Jah

Jah (pronounced /ˈdʒɑː/) is the shortened name for God YHWH, and Jehovah most commonly used in the Rastafari movement and the world wide preaching of Jehovah's Witnesses in upwards of 500 languages. It comes from the Hebrew יָהּ = Yah [jah].

Other uses

Jah is often used as a shortened form of the Tetragrammaton^[1]. The Tetragrammaton is often translated (especially in older English versions of the Bible) by use of the term "LORD," and the word "Hallelujah" by the phrase "Praise ye the LORD" (Psalm 104:35 KJV and footnote). Thus, partially translated and partially transliterated, the term could be rendered "Praise Jah."

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). In the King James Version of the Bible it is transliterated as "JAH" i.e. all capital letters, in only a single instance: "Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him." (Psalm 68:4). 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.

In the West Indies, the recent popularity of Reggae, and the Rastafari movement's referring to Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia as "Jah" or "God," has led to the use of the names "Jah" and "I and I" in Rastafari circles. This term is also used in Hip-Hop demonstrating the evolution of reggae to hip-hop from the dancehall in Jamaica to rhyme, by such artists as Pigeon John of LA Symphony and Seph1 of Tempo Valley, HI. Used also in popular Rastafari terms such as "Jah" among young Rastas. According to the band P.O.D., they use such terms to refer to elements of the Bible in songs such as "The Messenjah" from Satellite, "Freedom Fighters" from Payable on Death and "Praise Jah & Live" .Sizzla explicitly use common Rastafari terms to describe elements of Christianity and Judaism.

The Assemblies of Yahweh use the term Yah, which they believe sounds more accurate and would comply with the Name of YHWH. In the Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition Bible the Name YHWH and abbreviated form Yah is found. The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, a Bible translation used and distributed by Jehovah's Witnesses, features the word "Jah" in all 26 places in the Hebrew-Aramaic Scriptures, commonly known as the Old Testament, and translates the Hebrew 'Hallelujah', as 'Praise Jah, you people' in all 24 occurrences of that expression in the Hebrew Scriptures.

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

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.

Reading

• The Way home or face The Fire ISBN 0-9583011-0-7

References

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