El-Elohe-Israel
The name Jacob gave to an altar at Shechem, meaning “God, the God of Israel” or “El is the God of Israel” (Gen. 33:20). It is a personal confession that the God who had preserved Jacob was truly his covenant God.
At a Glance
A one-time altar name in Genesis 33:20.
Key Points
- Given by Jacob near Shechem
- Expresses worship and covenant confession
- Highlights God's faithfulness to Israel's patriarch
- Should be read in its immediate narrative setting
Description
El-Elohe-Israel is the name Jacob assigned to an altar near Shechem after God had safely brought him back into the land (Gen. 33:18-20). The phrase is usually translated “God, the God of Israel,” though the sense may also be rendered, “El is the God of Israel.” In context, the name is a worshipful confession: the God who had met Jacob, renamed him Israel, and preserved him on his journey was truly his God. The altar thus marks gratitude, covenant faithfulness, and public acknowledgment of the Lord's care. Because the title occurs only in this setting and is tied to an altar, it should not be pressed beyond what the text clearly says.
Biblical Context
Jacob returned from Paddan-aram, reconciled with Esau, and settled near Shechem. There he built an altar and named it El-Elohe-Israel, publicly confessing the God who had protected him and fulfilled His promises (Gen. 33:18-20).
Historical Context
In the patriarchal period, altar naming often served as a memorial of divine encounter or deliverance. Jacob's act fits the broader pattern of marked places of worship and remembrance in Genesis.
Jewish and Ancient Context
In ancient Israel, personal and place names often carried theological meaning. Jacob's altar name would have functioned as a testimony that his life and future belonged to the God who had renamed him Israel.
Primary Key Texts
- Genesis 33:18-20
Secondary Key Texts
- Genesis 32:28
- Genesis 35:1-7
Original Language Note
Hebrew: אֵל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (El ʾElohe Yisra'el). The phrase is usually understood as “God, the God of Israel” or “El is the God of Israel.”
Theological Significance
The name underscores God's covenant faithfulness, Jacob's response of worship, and the connection between God's promise and Israel's identity. It is a testimony name, not a new revelation of deity beyond Scripture's broader teaching.
Philosophical Explanation
As a naming act, the altar functions as a public sign that meaning is anchored in God's prior action. Jacob does not create God by naming the altar; he confesses in words what God has already shown in history.
Interpretive Cautions
Do not overstate the phrase as though it establishes a separate doctrine or divine title detached from Genesis 33. Its meaning should be drawn from the narrative and from Jacob's life as a whole.
Major Views
Most interpreters understand the phrase as an altar name expressing Jacob's confession that the God of Israel is truly his God. Minor translation differences affect wording more than meaning.
Doctrinal Boundaries
This entry should be read as a narrative altar name and confession of faith, not as a standalone doctrine of God or a proof-text for speculative theological systems.
Practical Significance
Believers may note Jacob's example of public gratitude, memorial worship, and confession that the Lord who preserves His people is worthy of acknowledgment.
Related Entries
- Jacob
- Israel
- altars
- Shechem
- names of God
See Also
- Bethel
- El Bethel
- Adonai
- El Shaddai