View source for Elyon

{{Short description|Honorific title of Jewish God}}
{{redirect|Most High|the song by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant|Most High (song)}}
{{pp-protected|small=yes}}
{{Other use|the Most High (disambiguation){{!}}the Most High}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2016}}
'''Elyon''' or '''El Elyon''' ({{langx|he|{{Script/Hebrew|אֵל עֶלְיוֹן}}}} ''ʼĒl ʻElyōn''), is an [[epithet]] that appears in the [[Hebrew Bible]]. ''{{lang|he-Latn|[[El (deity)|ʾĒl]] ʿElyōn}}'' is usually rendered in English as "God Most High", and similarly in the [[Septuagint]] as {{lang|grc|ὁ Θεός ὁ ὕψιστος}} ("God the highest"). The title ''{{lang|he-Latn|ʿElyōn}}'' is a common topic of scholarly debate, sometimes interpreted as [[Names of God#Abrahamic and Abrahamic-inspired religions|equal to the Abrahamic God]], and otherwise theorized as a reference to a separate deity of its own kind, potentially above that of [[Yahweh]].

Outside of biblical context, the term also has mundane uses, such as "[[wikt:upper|upper]]" (where the ending in both roots is a [[locative case|locative]], not [[superlative]] or [[comparative]]), "top", or "uppermost", referring simply to the position of objects (e.g. applied to a basket in [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 40:17 or to a chamber in [[Book of Ezekiel|Ezekiel]] 42:5).

==Hebrew Bible==

=== ''ʼĒl ʻElyōn'' ===
The compound name ''ʼĒl ʻElyōn'' 'God Most High' occurs in [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 14:18–20 as the God whose priest was [[Melchizedek]], king of [[Salem (Bible)|Salem]].{{sfn|McLaughlin|2000|p=515}} The form appears again almost immediately in verse 22, used by [[Abraham]] in an oath to the king of [[Sodom and Gomorrah|Sodom]]. In this verse the name of God also occurs in apposition to ʼĒl ʻElyōn in the [[Masoretic Text]] but is absent in the Samaritan version, in the Septuagint translation, and in [[Symmachus (translator)|Symmachus]].{{sfn|Elnes|Miller|1999|p=297}} Its occurrence here was one foundation of a theory first espoused by [[Julius Wellhausen]] that ʼĒl ʻElyōn was an ancient god of Salem ([[Jerusalem]]), later equated with God.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} The only other occurrence of the compound expression is in {{Bibleref2|Psalms|78:35|9}}: "And they remembered that God [ʼĒlōhīm] ''was'' their rock, and the high God [ʼĒl ʻElyōn] their redeemer." The name is repeated later in the chapter, but with a variation: verse fifty-six says ʼElohim ʻElyōn.

It has been suggested that the reference to {{"-}}ʼĒl ʻElyōn, maker of [[heaven]] and earth" in [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 14:19 and 22 reflects a Canaanite background.{{sfn|Elnes|Miller|1999|p=297}} The phrasing in Genesis resembles a retelling of Canaanite religious traditions in [[Philo of Byblos]]'s account of [[Phoenicia]]n history, in which ʻElyōn was the progenitor of [[Uranus (mythology)|Ouranos]] ("Sky") and [[Gaia]] ("Earth").<ref name="Day2010">{{cite book|author=John Day|title=Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2xadCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA21|date=2010|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-0-567-53783-6|page=21}}</ref>

===''ʽElyōn''===
The name ''ʽElyōn'' (Most High) standing alone is found in many poetic passages, especially in the Psalms. It appears in [[Balaam]]'s verse oracle in [[Book of Numbers|Numbers]] 24:16 as a separate name parallel to Ēl. It also appears in [[Moses]]' final song in [[Book of Deuteronomy|Deuteronomy]] 32:8 (a much-discussed verse). A translation of the Masoretic text:

{{poemquote|When the Most High (''ʽElyōn'') divided nations,
he separated the sons of man (''Ādām'');
he set the bounds of the masses
according to the number of the [[Israelites|sons of Israel]]}}

Many Septuagint manuscripts have ''angelōn theou'' (angels of God) in place of "sons of Israel", while a few others have ''huiōn theou'' (sons of God). The [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] fragment 4QDeut<sup>j</sup>, however, reads ''bny ’lwhm, (''[[sons of God]], or sons of ’Elohim). The [[New Revised Standard Version]] translates this as "he fixed the boundaries&nbsp;... according to the number of the gods."<ref>{{bibleverse|Deuteronomy|32:8|NRSV|Deuteronomy 32:8 (NRSV)}}</ref> However, the identification of ʽElyōn in the passage is disputed.

This passage appears to identify ʽElyōn with ’Elohim, but not necessarily with [[Yahweh]]. It can be read to mean that ʽElyōn separated mankind into 70 nations according to his [[Generations of Noah|70 sons]] (the 70 sons of Ēl being mentioned in the [[Ugaritic]] texts), each of these sons to be the [[tutelary deity]] over one of the 70 nations, one of them being the God of Israel, Yahweh. Alternatively, it may mean that ʽElyōn, having given the other nations to his sons, now takes Israel for himself under the name of the [[Tetragrammaton]]. Both interpretations have support,{{sfn|Elnes|Miller|1999|p=296}} although viewing ʽElyōn as a higher deity than Yahweh may be against most [[Abrahamic religions#Monotheism|monotheistic standards of modern Abrahamic dogmas]].

[[Michael Heiser]] argues that separating El and Yahweh is 'internally inconsistent' within the Book of Deuteronomy (e.g. {{Bibleverse|Deuteronomy|4:19-20}}, {{Bibleverse|Deuteronomy|32:6-7}}). According to Heiser, it also raises the question on why the Deuteronomists would be so careless to introduce this error, especially a few verses later, and why they didn't quickly remove them as 'intolerant monotheists'.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Heiser |first=Michael |date=2006 |title=Are Yahweh and El Distinct Deities in Deut. 32:8-9 and Psalm 82? |url=https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1277&context=lts_fac_pubs |journal=HIPHIL Novum |via=Liberty University}}</ref>

In [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 14:13–14, ʽElyōn is used in a very mystical context in the passage providing the basis for later speculation on the fall of [[Satan]] where the rebellious prince of [[Babylon]] is pictured as boasting:
{{poemquote|I shall be enthroned in the mount of the council in the farthest north [or ''farthest Zaphon'']
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will be like the Most High.}}

In some cases, ʽElyōn is used in reference to Yahweh, such as in Psalm 97:9:

{{poemquote|For you, Lord [''YHWH''],
are Most High [''ʽelyōn''] over all the earth;
you are raised high over all the gods.}}

==Non-biblical use==
Outside of the Biblical texts, the epithet "Most High" occurs on several occasions.{{sfn|Elnes|Miller|1999|p=295}}

===Sefire I Treaty===
{{main|Sefire steles}}
The most controversial of these uses outside the Bible is in the earliest of three Aramaic treaty inscriptions found at [[al-Safirah]] {{convert|16|miles}} southeast of [[Aleppo]].<ref>''The Ancient Near East: An Anthology of Texts and Pictures,'' p305. James B. Pritchard, Daniel E. (FRW) Fleming - 2010 "The block of basalt on which the portion of the treaty designated Sfire I is inscribed was broken horizontally into two parts, with the loss of a few lines in between. In addition to the text inscribed upon the front and the back of the "</ref>

The "Sefire I" inscription (''[[Kanaanäische und Aramäische Inschriften|KAI]]'' 222.I.A.8–12; ''[[Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament|ANET]]'' p.&nbsp;659), which dates to about 750 BCE, lists the major patron deities of each side, all of them in pairs coupled by "and", in each case a male god and the god's spouse when the names are known. Then, after a gap comes ''’l wʽlyn''
* This possibly means "’Ēl and ʽElyōn", seemingly also two separate gods, followed by further pairs of deities.
* It is possible also that these indicate two aspects of the same god.
* It might be a single divine name. The [[Ugaritic]] texts contain divine names like ''[[Kothar-wa-Khasis|Kothar waḪasis]]'' "Skillful-and-Clever", ''[[Mot (god)|Mot waShar]]'' "Death-and-Prince" (or possibly "Death-and-Destruction'), ''[[Nikkal|Nikkal-and-Ib]]'', which is in origin the name of the [[Mesopotamian myths|Sumerian]] goddess [[Ningal]] combined with an element of unknown meaning. Therefore, ''Ēl waʽElyōn'' might be a single name 'God-and-Highest' identical in meaning with Biblical ''ʼĒl ʽElyōn'', even though this would be unique.

[[Frank Moore Cross]] (1973) accepts all three interpretations as possibilities.{{sfn|Cross|1973|p=51}}

===Sanchuniathon===
In [[Eusebius]]' account of [[Philo of Byblos]] (c. 64–141 CE) record of [[Sanchuniathon]]'s [[Euhemerism|euhemeristic]] account of the Phoenician deities, ''Elioun'', whom he calls ''[[Hypsistos]]'' 'the highest' and who is therefore likely ʿElyōn,{{sfn|Zernecke|2022|p=80}} is quite separate from his Elus/[[Cronus]] who is the supreme god Ēl. Sanchuniathon tells only:
<blockquote>In their time is born a certain Elioun called "the Most High," and a female named [[Berith (god)|Beruth]], and these dwelt in the neighbourhood of [[Byblos]].

And from them is born [[Autochthon (ancient Greece)|Epigeius]] or Autochthon, whom they afterwards called Sky; so that from him they named the element above us Sky because of the excellence of its beauty. And he has a sister born of the aforesaid parents, who was called Earth, and from her, he says, because of her beauty, they called the earth by the same name. And their father, the Most High, died in an encounter with wild beasts, and was deified, and his children offered to him libations and sacrifices.</blockquote>
According to Sanchuniathon it is from Sky and Earth that Ēl and various other deities are born, though ancient texts refer to Ēl as creator of heaven and earth. The [[Hittites|Hittite]] theogony knows of a primal god named [[Alalu]] who fathered Sky (and possibly Earth) and who was overthrown by his son Sky, who was in turn overthrown by his son [[Kumarbi]]. A similar tradition seems to be at the basis of Sanchuniathon's account.{{sfn|Zernecke|2022|pp=81–82}}

As to Beruth who is here ʿElyōn's wife, a relationship with Hebrew ''b<sup>ə</sup>rīt'' 'covenant' or with the city of [[Beirut]] have both been suggested.{{citation needed|date=May 2011}}

===Hasmonean dynasty===
The [[Mishnah]] recounts that [[Hasmonean dynasty|Hasmonean]] rulers used to identify themselves as "High Priest of El Elyon": "When the Hasmonean kingdom became strong and defeated the Greeks, they instituted that people should mention the name of Heaven even in their legal documents. And therefore they would write: In year such and such of [[John Hyrcanus|Yoḥanan the High Priest]] of the God Most High."<ref>{{cite Talmud|b|Rosh Hashanah|18b|nobook=yes}}</ref> Scholars have observed that the Hasmoneans used Melchizedek's example of monarch-priest to justify occupying both offices.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Longenecker |first1=Richard N. |title=Studies in Hermeneutics, Christology and Discipleship |date=2004 |publisher=Sheffield Phoenix Press |isbn=978-1-905048-05-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8M4fCLIdjuEC&pg=PA191 |access-date=22 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Bokedal |first1=Tomas |last2=Jansen |first2=Ludger |last3=Borowski |first3=Michael |title=Scripture and Theology: Historical and Systematic Perspectives |date=21 August 2023 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG |isbn=978-3-11-076841-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jlXPEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA77 |access-date=22 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Walton |first1=John H. |title=The Lost World of Adam and Eve: Genesis 2-3 and the Human Origins Debate |date=23 February 2015 |publisher=InterVarsity Press |isbn=978-0-8308-9771-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UMnYBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA97 |access-date=23 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Al-Ala]]
* [[El (deity)|El]]
* [[Enlil]]
* [[Helios]]
* The [[Hypsistarians]], worshippers of the Most High God (Theos Hypsistos), were a distinct non-Jewish monotheistic sect which flourished in Asia Minor and Greece from about 200 BC to about AD 400.
* [[Illiyin]]
* [[Names of God in Judaism]]

==References==

===Citations===
{{Reflist |colwidth=30em}}

===Bibliography===
* {{Cite book
|last             = McLaughlin
|first            = John L.
|chapter          = God in the Old Testament, names of
|editor1-last     = Freedman
|editor1-first    = David Noel
|editor2-last     = Myer
|editor2-first    = Allen C.
|title            = Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible
|publisher        = Eerdmans
|year             = 2000
|isbn             = 9789053565032
|chapter-url      = https://books.google.com/books?id=qRtUqxkB7wkC&pg=PA515
}}
* {{cite book
|last = Cross
|first = Frank Moore
|author-link = Frank Moore Cross
|title = Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic: Essays in the History of the Religion of Israel
|publisher = Harvard University Press
|year = 1973
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=-eOycxXAoHMC
|isbn = 0-674-09176-0
}}
* {{Cite encyclopedia |last1=Elnes |first1=E. E.|title=Elyon|last2=Miller |first2=P. D. |editor1-last=Van der Toorn |editor1-first=Karel |editor2-last=Becking |editor2-first=Bob |editor3-last=Van der Horst |editor3-first=Pieter |encyclopedia=Dictionary of deities and demons in the Bible |publisher=Brill |year=1999 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yCkRz5pfxz0C&pg=PA293 |isbn=9780802824912}}
* "The treaty between ''KTK'' and Arpad" (1969). Trans. Frans Rosenthal in ''Ancient Near Eastern Texts'', 3rd ed. with Supplement. Princeton: Princeton University Press. {{ISBN|0-691-03503-2}}.
* {{cite book |title=Naming and Mapping the Gods in the Ancient Mediterranean: Spaces, Mobilities, Imaginaries |last=Zernecke |first=Anna Elise |publisher=De Gruyter |year=2022 |isbn=978-3-11-079843-2 |pages=71–88 |editor-last=Galoppin |editor-first=Thomas |chapter=Nomina nuda tenemus: The God Elyon (ʿlyn) |doi=10.1515/9783110798432-004 |editor-last2=Guillon |editor-first2=Elodie |editor-last3=Luaces |editor-first3=Max |editor-last4=Lätzer-Lasar |editor-first4=Asuman |editor-last5=Lebreton |editor-first5=Sylvain |editor-last6=Porzia |editor-first6=Fabio |editor-last7=Rüpke |editor-first7=Jörg |editor-last8=Rubens Urciuoli |editor-first8=Emiliano |editor-last9=Bonnet |editor-first9=Corinne |doi-access=free}}

== External links ==
{{wikiquote|El Elyon}}

{{Names of God}}{{Middle Eastern mythology}}
[[Category:Deities in the Hebrew Bible]]
[[Category:Hebrew words and phrases]]
[[Category:Names of God in Judaism]]
[[Category:Superlatives in religion]]
[[Category:West Semitic gods]]
[[Category:El (deity)]]