אלוהים טוב
Elohim tov/ʔiloːˈhiːm tˤoːb/word by word
In Hebrew, "God is good" is said as אלוהים טוב (Elohim tov).
אלוהים טוב is used as a direct statement of fact or belief, whereas the more common liturgical exclamation of praise is 'Baruch Hashem' (Blessed be the Name).
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase אלוהים טוב, the Hebrew copula (the verb "to be") is omitted in the present tense, meaning there is no explicit word for "is".
How do you pronounce it?
Elohim tov
Did you know?
- While אלוהים is the generic word for 'God', many observant Jews avoid saying it aloud in casual speech to prevent taking the name in vain.
- The word אלוהים ends with a plural suffix, yet it is used with the singular adjective טוב to refer to one God.
- The root of טוב is a cognate with the Arabic word طَيِّب, which describes something that is not only good but also 'pure' or 'sweet'.
Examples in context
- אלוהים טוב מאוד.Elohim tov me'od.God is very good.
- אני מאמינה שגם אלוהים טוב.Ani ma'amina she'gam Elohim tov.I believe that God is also good.
Example conversation
Noa and Daniel are talking about their gratitude after a difficult day.
- נועה Noaדניאל, אני מרגישה שהכל יסתדר.Daniel, ani margisha she'hakol yistader.Daniel, I feel that everything will work out.
- דניאל Danielנכון, אלוהים טוב.Nachon, Elohim tov.True, God is good.
- נועה Noaהוא תמיד דואג לנו.Hu tamid do'eg lanu.He always takes care of us.
- דניאל Danielאל תדאגי, נועה, הכל יהיה בסדר.Al tid'agi, Noa, hakol yihye beseder.Don't worry, Noa, everything will be okay.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (אלוהים, טוב) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries אלוהים, טוב, CC BY-SA 4.0.
