Lexical Definition
אֵל בֵּית־אֵל ʼÊl Bêyth-ʼÊl (ale bayth-ale') El-bethel N:N--L
from אֵל and בֵּית־אֵל; the God of Bethel
El-beth-el.
- § El Bethel = "The God of the House of God"
- El-Bethel, the title given to a consecrated spot by Jacob
1) the place where God revealed Himself to Jacob
Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. אֵל noun masculine (also, in proper name אֶל, אֱלִי; Samaritan אל, Phoenician אל, אלן (i.e. probably אֵלֹן), Sabean אל, DHMOr. Congr. Leiden, 1883, Assyrian ilu, Dlw; perhaps also Arabic, Aramaic compare Nöon the passage; on goddess אלת Phoenician, Palmyrene, Nabataean, Sabean (also אלהת) DHMl. c; Arabic 
(plural 
) FlKl. Schr. i. 154, Assyrian Allatu Jr66, Syriac 
, compare also BaeRel 58, 90, 97, 271, 207) god, but with various subordinate applications to express idea of might; — hardly ever in prose except with defining word (adjective or genitive); its only suffix is יִ֯; —
1. applied to men of might and rank, אֵל גוים mighty one of the nations Ezek 31:11 (of Nebuchadnezzar; ᵐ5 ἄρχων ἔθνων, איל some MSS. Co); אֵלִים mighty men Job 41:17* (אילים, many MSS. Di); אֵלֵי גִבּוֺרִים mighty heroes Ezek 32:21 (אֵילֵי MSS. Co); אֵילֵי הָאֶרֶץ Ezek 17:13; 2Kgs 24:15 (Kt אולי); אֵילִים Exod 15:15 (probably plural of III. אַיִל, q. v.) These readings are uncertain because of an effort to distinguish these forms from the divine name. אֵל גִּבּוֺר mighty hero (as above) ordivine hero (as reflecting the divine majesty) Isa 9:6*.
2. angels, בְּנֵי אֵלִים Ps 29:1; Ps 89:7* = בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים.
3. gods of the nations, אֵל אֵלִים God of gods, supreme God Dan 11:36 מִי כָמֹכָה בָּאֵלִם who is like thee among the gods Exod 15:11 idols Isa 43:10; Isa 44:10; Isa 44:15; Isa 44:17; Isa 46:6 מי אל בשמים what God in heaven Deut 3:24 אֵל אחר another god Exod 34:14 (J); אֵל זר foreign god Ps 44:21*; Ps 81:10* אל נכר Deut 32:12; Mal 2:11; Ps 81:10*.
4. El proper name אל ברית El Berith Judg 9:46 (= בעל ברית Judg 8:33; Judg 9:4) compare also
6.
(f) below
5. as characterizing mighty things in nature, חררי אל mighty mountains Ps 36:7* (literally mountains of El); also Ps 50:10 Ol Bi Che see below II. אלף; ארזי אל mighty cedars Ps 80:11* כוכבי אל lofty stars Isa 14:13.
6. God217, the one only and true God of Israel:
(a) הָאֵל the God, the true God Gen 31:13; Gen 35:1; Gen 35:3; Gen 46:3 (E) 2Sam 22:31; 2Sam 22:33; 2Sam 22:48 (= Ps 18:31*; Ps 18:33*; Ps 18:48*) Ps 68:20*; Ps 68:21*; Ps 77:15* הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן the faithful God Deut 7:9 האל הגדול the great God Deut 10:17 = Jer 32:18; Dan 9:4; Neh 1:5; Neh 9:32 האל הקדשׁ the holy God Isa 5:17 האל יהוה the God Yahweh Isa 42:5; Ps 85:9*.
(b) אֵלִי my God Exod 15:2 (poetry) Ps 18:3*; Ps 22:2* (twice in verse); Ps 22:11*; Ps 63:2*; Ps 68:25*; Ps 89:27*; Ps 102:25*; Ps 118:28; Ps 140:7*; Isa 44:17.
(c) construct אל בית אל the God of Bethel, who had his seat there Gen 35:7 (E); אל אביך God of thy fathers Gen 49:25 (poetry); אל ישראל Ps 68:36* אל יעקב Ps 146:5 אל השמים the God of heaven Ps 136:26 אל סלעי the God who is my rock Ps 42:10* אל שמחת גילי the God who is the joy of my exultation Ps 43:4 אֵל רֳאִי the God who lets himself be seen Gen 16:13 (J); אל הכבוד the God of glory Ps 29:3 אל דעות the all-knowing God 1Sam 2:3 (poetry); אֵל עוֺלָם the everlasting God Gen 21:33 (J); אל ישועתי Isa 12:2 אל חַיָּ֑י Ps 42:9* אל אמת Ps 31:6* = אל אֱמוּנָה Deut 32:4 (poetry); אל נקמות Ps 94:1 (twice in verse); אל גְּמֻלוֺת Jer 51:56.
(d) אל אֶחָד one God Mal 2:10 אל גדול a great God Deut 7:21; Ps 77:14*; Ps 95:3 אל מסתתר a God hiding himself Isa 45:15 אל רחום a compassionate God Exod 34:6 (J) Deut 4:31; Ps 86:15 אל נשא a forgiving God Ps 99:8 אל חַנּוּן a gracious God Neh 9:31; Jonah 4:2 אל קנא a jealous God Exod 20:5; Exod 34:14 (J) Deut 4:24; Deut 5:9; Deut 6:15; Josh 24:19 (D) = אל קנוא Nah 1:2 אֵל חי a living God Josh 3:10 (J) Hos 2:1*; Ps 42:3*; Ps 84:3* אל צדיק Isa 45:21 לא אֵל חפץ רשע Ps 5:5* לא אֵל Deut 32:21 (poetry) Isa 31:3; Ezek 28:2 (twice in verse); Ezek 28:9 מי אל כמוךָ Mic 7:18 (compare Exod 15:11).
(e) God (the only true God, needing no article or predicate to define him) Num 12:13 (E read אַל Di) always in poetry, Job 5:8 + (55 t. Job), Ps 7:12*; Ps 10:11; Ps 10:12; Ps 16:1; Ps 17:6; Ps 19:1*; Ps 52:3*; Ps 52:7*; Ps 55:20*; Ps 57:3*; Ps 73:11; Ps 73:17; Ps 74:8; Ps 77:10*; Ps 78:7; Ps 78:8; Ps 78:18; Ps 78:19; Ps 78:34; Ps 78:41; Ps 82:1; Ps 83:2*; Ps 90:2; Ps 104:21; Ps 106:14; Ps 106:21; Ps 107:11; Ps 118:27; Ps 139:17; Ps 139:23; Ps 149:6; Ps 150:1; Isa 40:18; Isa 43:12; Isa 45:14; Isa 45:20; Isa 46:9; Lam 3:41; Hos 11:9; Hos 12:1*; Mal 1:9 עִמָּנוּאל God is with us, as name of child in prediction Isa 7:14 compare Isa 8:8; Isa 8:10.
(f) El, a divine name אל אלהי ישראל Gen 33:20 (E); אל אלהי הרוחות Num 16:22 (P = יהוה אלהי הרוחות Num 27:16); אל אלהים יהוה Josh 22:22 (P) Ps 50:1. This is probable also in the ancient poems, Num 23:8; Num 23:19; Num 23:22; Num 23:23; Num 24:4; Num 24:8; Num 24:16; Num 24:23 (poetry Balaam || שדּי & עליון) Deut 32:18; Deut 33:26 (poetry Moses || צוּר & אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם) 2Sam 22:32; 2Sam 23:5 (poetry David || צוּר) and in the combinations אל עליון (5 t.; see עליון) & אל שדּי (10 t.; see שַׁדַּי).
7. אֵל strength, power (on connection with I. אָלָה compare Di Gen 1:1; Gen 31:29) in יֶשׁלְֿאֵל יָדִי it is according to the power of my hand = it is in my power, etc. Gen 31:29 (E; followed by לְ + Infinitive); בִּהְיוֺת לְאֵל יָדְ֯יךָ Prov 3:27 (followed by id.); יֶשׁלְֿאֵל יָדָם Mic 2:1 (absolute); negative וְאֵין לְאֵל יָדֶ֑ךָ Deut 28:32 (absolute) = thou shalt be powerless, so Neh 5:5. **See also BrockZAW xxvi (1906). 29 ff. (meaning 'might' very dubious: renders belongs to the god of (my) hand, supposing phrase a survival, with original meaning forgotten, of ancient idea, found also among other nations, of spirits conferring powers upon particular members of body).
Brown-Driver-Briggs References