Usage
Jah is often used as a shortened form of the reconstructed Tetragrammaton. The Tetragrammaton is often represented (especially in older English versions of the Bible) by the word "LORD"; and the expression "Hallelujah" by the phrase "Praise ye the LORD" (Psalm 104:35 KJV and footnote). The spelling Jah appears in the King James Version only once, in Psalm 68:1. The form also appears in the transcription of certain biblical Hebrew names such as Adonijah.
With the rise of the Reformation, reconstructions of the Tetragrammaton became popular. The Tyndale Bible was the first English translation to use the anglicized reconstruction.
In the original text of the Hebrew Bible, the Hebrew letters for "Jah" occurs 50 times, 26 times alone and 24 times in the term "Hallelujah" or the even earlier Hebrew translation of "Hallelu'yah", since the letter "J" was first brought into language around 500 years ago. Most early rooted Massianic Hebrews refrain from the use of "J" and the name "Jesus" due to the importance of not calling on to him by any other name except "Yahuah"... “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) . In the King James Version of the Bible it is transliterated as "JAH" (capitalised) in only one 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 was sometimes rendered differently, an example being the forms Yahuah (The earliest original translation of his name). Rotherham's Emphasised Bible includes 49 uses of Jah.
In the Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition Bible, the Jerusalem Bible, and the New Jerusalem Bible (prior to 1998) the Name YHWH and its abbreviated form Yah is found. The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, a Bible translation used primarily by Jehovah's Witnesses, features the word "Jah" for all 26 occurrences of the shortened name in the Hebrew-Aramaic Scriptures (Old Testament), and translates 'Hallelujah' as 'Praise Jah, you people' in all 24 occurrences of that expression in the Hebrew Scriptures as well as its 4 occurrences in the Christian Greek Scriptures.
The popularity of reggae associated with the Rastafari movement has spread the name "Jah" (derived from the KJV Psalms 68:1) beyond the West Indies. Rastafarians use the terms "Jah" and "Jah Jah" as a term for God and/or Haile Selassie I who is also known by the Amharic title Janhoy (literally "Your Majesty").
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Famous quotes containing the word usage:
“I am using it [the word ‘perceive’] here in such a way that to say of an object that it is perceived does not entail saying that it exists in any sense at all. And this is a perfectly correct and familiar usage of the word.”
—A.J. (Alfred Jules)
“Girls who put out are tramps. Girls who don’t are ladies. This is, however, a rather archaic usage of the word. Should one of you boys happen upon a girl who doesn’t put out, do not jump to the conclusion that you have found a lady. What you have probably found is a lesbian.”
—Fran Lebowitz (b. 1951)
“...Often the accurate answer to a usage question begins, “It depends.” And what it depends on most often is where you are, who you are, who your listeners or readers are, and what your purpose in speaking or writing is.”
—Kenneth G. Wilson (b. 1923)