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'{{Other uses}} {{refimprove|date=May 2011}} '''Hallelujah''', also spelled '''halleluiah''', '''halleluyah''', and the [[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Latin]] form ''[[alleluia]]'' are [[transliteration]]s of the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] word {{lang|he|הללו יה}} ([[Modern Hebrew|Modern]] ''halleluya'', [[Tiberian Hebrew|Tiberian]] ''halləlûyāh'') meaning "Praise ye [[Yahweh|Yah]]" or "Praise [[Jah]], you people".<ref name=EBHallelujah>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/252791/hallelujah Hallelujah, also spelled Alleluia]</ref><ref>[http://concordances.org/j/jah.htm Jah (44 Occurrences)] - ''concordances.org''. Retrieved 17 April 2012.</ref> "Praise Jah" is a shortened form of "Praise Yahweh",<ref>[http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&tbo=1&q=Holman+%22praise+Jah%22&btnG= Eugene E. Carpenter, Philip Wesley Comfort, ''Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words'' (B&H Publishing Group 2000 ISBN 978-0-8054-9352-8), p. 298]</ref><ref>[http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&tbo=1&q=Brown+%22short+form+yah%22&btnG= Michael L. Brown, ''What Do Jewish People Think about Jesus?: And Other Questions Christians Ask about Jewish Beliefs, Practices, and History'' (Chosen Books 2007 ISBN 978-0-8007-9426-2), p. 63]</ref><ref>[http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&tbo=1&q=Armentrout+%22praise+Yah%22&btnG= Donald S. Armentrout, Robert Boak Slocum, ''An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church'' (Church Publishing 2005 ISBN 978-0-89869-211-2), p. 234]</ref> or, in another transliteration of the name, "Praise [[Jehovah]]",<ref name="wt hallelujah">[http://www.watchtower.org/e/20040122/article_02.htm "Do You Know God by Name?"] - ''watchtower.org.'' Retrieved 17 April 2012.</ref> It is used in different ways in Christian [[liturgy|liturgies]].<ref name=alter>{{Cite book | publisher = W. W. Norton & Company | isbn = 978-0-393-06226-7 | last = Alter | first = Robert | title = The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary | date = 2007 }}</ref> The last syllable is from the first two letters of the name of God, [[YHWH]] (also written [[JHVH]]). ''Hallelujah'' is found primarily in the book of [[Psalms]]. The word is used in [[Judaism]] as part of the [[Hallel]] prayers, and in Christian prayer.<ref name=Woods>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Woods|first=F. H. |authorlink= |editor=[[James Hastings]] |encyclopedia=[[Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible|A Dictionary of the Bible]] |title=Hallelujah |url=http://www.ccel.org/ccel/hastings/dictv2/Page_287.html |accessdate= |year=1902 |publisher=Charles Scribner's Sons <!-- |volume=2 (Feign-Kinsman) --> |location=New York |page=287 }}</ref> It has been accepted into the [[English language]] and has a similar pronunciation in many other languages. == In the Bible == The term is used 24 times in the [[Hebrew Bible]] (mainly in the book of [[Psalms]], e.g. {{bibleverse-nb||Psalms|111–117|HE}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Psalms|145–150|HE}}, where it starts and concludes a number of Psalms) and four times in [[Greek language|Greek]] transliteration in the Christian [[Book of Revelation]].<ref name=Woods/> In the [[Hebrew Bible]] ''hallelujah'' is actually a two-word phrase, not one word. The first part, ''hallelu,'' is the second-person imperative masculine plural form of the Hebrew verb ''hallal.''<ref>Page H. Kelley, ''[[Biblical Hebrew]], an Introductory Grammar,'' page 169. Ethics & Public Policy Center, 1959. ISBN 978-0-8028-0598-0.</ref> However, "hallelujah" means more than simply "praise Yah", as the word ''hallel'' in Hebrew means a joyous praise in song, to boast in God. ''Hallel'' could also refer to someone who acts madly or foolishly.<ref>George Fohrer. ''Hebrew and Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament,'' under הלל. Walter de Gruyter, 1973. ISBN 978-3-11-004572-7.</ref><ref>Joseph Samuel C.F. Frey, ''A Hebrew, Latin, and English dictionary'', 1815, [http://books.google.com/books?id=TVwUAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA254&dq=%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9C+hebrew+dictionary&hl=en&ei=1ffDTb-mBI794Aa888i7BQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CGkQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9C&f=false entry for הלל on page 254]</ref> The second part, [[Names of God in Judaism#Yah|Yah]], is a shortened form of [[YHWH]], the name for the Creator.<ref name=Woods/> The name ceased to be pronounced in [[Second Temple Judaism]], by the 3rd century BCE due to religious beliefs.<ref>[[Stephen L Harris|Harris, Stephen L.]] Understanding the Bible: a reader's introduction, 2nd ed. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985. page 21.</ref> The correct pronunciation is not known, however, it is sometimes rendered by Christians as "[[Yahweh]]" or "[[Jehovah]]". The [[Septuagint]] translates Yah as Kyrios (the {{LORD}}), because of the Jewish custom of replacing the sacred name with "[[Adonai#Adonai|Adonai]]", meaning "the Lord". In {{bibleverse||Psalm|150:6|HE}} the Hebrew reads ''kol han'shamah t'hallel yah;''<ref>All quotes from the Hebrew are taken from ''[[Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia]]'', EDITIO FUNDITUS RENOVATA, cooperantibus H. P. Ruger et J. Ziegler ediderunt K. Elliger et W. Rudolph, Textum Masoreticum curavit H. P. Ruger MASORAM ELABORAVIT G. E. WEIL, Editio quinta emendata opera A. Schenker, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft.</ref> It appears in the Hebrew Bible as הללו-יה and הללו יה. In {{bibleverse||Psalm|148:1|HE}} the Hebrew says "הללו יה ''hallelu yah".'' It then says ''"hallelu eth-YHWH"'' as if using ''"yah"'' and "YHWH" interchangeably. The word ''"Yah"'' appears by itself as a divine name in poetry about 49 times in the Hebrew Bible (including ''hallelu yah''), such as in {{bibleverse||Psalm|68:4–5|HE}} "who rides upon the deserts by his name ''Yah"'' and {{bibleverse||Exodus|15:2|HE}} ''"Yah'' is my strength and song". It also often appears at the end of Israelite [[theophoric name]]s such as [[Isaiah]] ''"yeshayah(u),'' Yahweh is salvation" and [[Jeremiah]] ''"yirmeyah(u),'' Yahweh is exalted".<ref name=Woods/> The word ''hallelujah'' occurring in the Psalms is therefore a request for a congregation to join in praise toward God. It can be translated as "Praise Yah" or "Praise Jah, you people",<ref name=EBHallelujah/><ref name="wt hallelujah"/><ref name=alter/> and in English translations is usually rendered as "Praise the {{LORD}}". "Hallelujah" appears in Revelation 19 in Greek [[transliteration]] as "alleluia" (ἀλληλούϊα), the great song of praise to God for his triumph over the [[Whore of Babylon]].<ref name=Woods/> This transliteration also appears in the [[Septuagint]]. == Usage by Jews == {{unreferenced section|date=November 2010}} In standard modern Hebrew, the word "hallelujah" is sung as part of the Hallel Psalms (interspersed between Psalms 104-150). "Hallel" means "to praise," and "hallelu" is the imperative form. The ending "yah" is not a way of expressing magnanimity in the word Hallelujah. The word "merchav" in ({{bibleverse||Psalms|118:5|HE}}) means "a large space" by itself. What the verse is saying in Hebrew is merchav Yah, or Yah brought me into a large place. The word "shalhevet" in (Song of Songs {{bibleverse-nb||Song|8:6|HE}}) does mean flame, but "shalhevetyah" means "flame of Yahweh" as it is written. The Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia proposes "shalhavotheyha" and "shalhavoth-yah" as alternate readings, but the correct translation is "flames of Yah." The alternate reading shalhavoth-Yah is identical in construction to Hallelu-Yah and the word Yah is punctuated the same in both cases. See Gesenius' Lexicon under the word שַׁלְהֶבֶת, page 824. See also the Brown/Driver/Briggs Lexicon, page 529, where shalhevethyah is translated "Yahweh-flame = powerful flame." The article also says that the ending -yah (in this particular case) has been interpreted as an encl. part., which would possibly explain the variant reading of shalhavotheyha in Biblia Hebraica. The accepted translation of Hallelu-Yah is "praise ye Yah."<ref>Brown-Driver-Briggs (Hebrew and English Lexicon, page 238)</ref><ref>page 403, note on line 1 of Psalm 113, {{Cite book | publisher = W. W. Norton & Company | isbn = 978-0-393-06226-7 | last = Alter | first = Robert | title = The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary | date = 2007013485 }}</ref> == Usage by Christians == For most [[Christians]], "Hallelujah" is considered a joyful word of [[praise]] to God, rather than an injunction to praise him. In the [[Latin Rite]] of the [[Catholic Church]], and in many older [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denominations, the [[Alleluia]], along with the [[Gloria in excelsis Deo]], is not spoken or sung in [[liturgy]] during the season of [[Lent]], instead being replaced by a [[Lenten acclamation]], while in [[Eastern Christianity|Eastern Churches]], Alleluia is chanted throughout Lent at the beginning of the [[Matins]] service, replacing the [[Theos Kyrios]], which is considered more joyful. At the Easter service and throughout the [[Pentecostarion]], [[Paschal greeting|Christos anesti]] is used in the place where Hallelujah is chanted in the [[Latin liturgical rites|western rite]]. In [[contemporary worship]] among many Protestants, expressions of "Hallelujah" and "Praise the Lord" are acceptable spontaneous expressions of joy, thanksgiving and praise towards God, requiring no specific prompting or call or direction from those leading times of praise and singing.<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RE4aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wykEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7023,223759&dq=spontaneous+hallelujah+praise-the-lord&hl=en At Pipe Organ Pizza, a pipeline for prayers], ''[[Milwaukee Journal]]'', July 12, 1981</ref> == Usage in informal language == In modern English, "Hallelujah" is frequently spoken to express happiness that a thing hoped or waited for has happened.<ref>[http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/hallelujah Hallelujah] definition in [[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan]] Dictionary</ref> When used in this way, the word does not necessarily indicate religious belief or intentions on the part of the speaker. == See also == * [[Alhamdulillah]], similar Arabic phrase used by [[Muslim]]s and by Arabic-speaking [[Jews]] and [[Christians]] * [[Messiah (Handel)#"Hallelujah"|Hallelujah Chorus]] * [[Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen song)]] == References == {{Reflist}} [[Category:Christian prayer]] [[Category:Christian terms]] [[Category:Hebrew words and phrases in the Hebrew Bible]] [[Category:New Testament Hebrew words and phrases]] [[Category:Psalms]] [[Category:Hallel]] [[Category:Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish prayers and blessings]] [[ar:هللويا]] [[be:Алілуя]] [[ca:Al·leluia]] [[cs:Aleluja]] [[de:Halleluja]] [[el:Αλληλούια]] [[es:Aleluya]] [[eo:Haleluja]] [[fa:هله‌لویا]] [[fr:Alléluia]] [[ko:할렐루야]] [[hr:Aleluja]] [[id:Haleluyah]] [[ia:Alleluia]] [[it:Alleluia]] [[he:הללויה]] [[lt:Aleliuja]] [[ln:Aleluya]] [[mr:हॅलेलुह्या]] [[ms:Hallelujah]] [[nl:Hallelujah (transliteratie)]] [[ja:ハレルヤ]] [[no:Halleluja]] [[nn:Halleluja]] [[pl:Alleluja]] [[pt:Aleluia]] [[ro:Aleluia]] [[ru:Аллилуйя]] [[sc:Alleluia]] [[sk:Haleluja (slovo)]] [[sr:Алелуја]] [[fi:Halleluja]] [[sv:Halleluja (psalm)]] [[tl:Aleluya]] [[th:อัลเลลูยา]] [[uk:Алилуя]] [[zh:哈利路亞]] هللوله Is the best match in Arbaic because it means exactly praise the lord and sounds exactly the same in English, Latin and Hebrew.'