אֵלִי
Eli
My God
At the darkest moment in human history, as Jesus hung on the cross, He cried out in Hebrew: 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' — 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (Matthew 27:46). He was quoting Psalm 22:1, and the word Eli (אֵלִי) reveals something profound: even in His agony, Jesus didn't say 'God' — He said 'MY God.' The possessive suffix 'i' transforms the universal Creator into a personal Father. Eli is the most intimate way to address God in Hebrew. It's the cry of a child to a parent, a beloved to a lover, a soul to its Maker. When you learn to say Eli, you learn to make your faith personal.
“About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'”
Etymology & Root Letters
Eli combines 'El' (God) with the possessive suffix 'i' (my). It transforms the universal name for God into something deeply personal — 'MY God.'
How Eli Is Used in Scripture
Eli appears in some of the most emotional moments in Scripture. Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1 from the cross: 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' — showing that even in His darkest hour, He maintained a personal relationship with the Father.
Cultural & Modern Context
The name 'Eli' was also the name of the High Priest who mentored Samuel (1 Samuel 1-4). Many Hebrew names contain 'El' or 'Eli': Elijah (My God is Yahweh), Elisha (My God saves), Elizabeth (My God is an oath).
How to Use Eli in Prayer
Call out 'Eli!' in prayer when you need to make your faith personal. God is not just 'God' in the abstract — He is YOUR God, personally present, personally caring, personally involved in your life.
People Also Ask About Eli
Did Jesus speak Hebrew or Aramaic on the cross?
Matthew 27:46 records 'Eli, Eli' (Hebrew), while Mark 15:34 records 'Eloi, Eloi' (Aramaic). Both are quoting Psalm 22:1. Jesus likely spoke both languages. The Hebrew 'Eli' is more personal and intimate. Some scholars believe Jesus deliberately used the Hebrew to connect His suffering to David's psalm and to signal that He was fulfilling prophecy.
What biblical names contain 'El' or 'Eli'?
Many beloved biblical names contain 'El' (God) or 'Eli' (my God): Elijah (Eliyahu = 'My God is Yahweh'), Elisha (Elisha = 'My God saves'), Daniel (Dani-el = 'God is my judge'), Michael (Micha-el = 'Who is like God?'), Emmanuel (Immanu-el = 'God is with us'), Elizabeth (Elisheva = 'My God is an oath'), and Israel (Yisra-el = 'wrestles with God').
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