# **Barbelo and Bara Elohim: Etymology and Linguistic Connections**
## **Elohim and the Act of Creation**
The term *Elohim* is a plural noun that is often used with singular verbs in the Hebrew Bible. This construction has led to varied interpretations regarding its meaning and function. One such interpretation suggests that *Elohim* refers to a collective of divine powers or mighty ones. This perspective is reinforced by the Book of Jubilees, which describes the creation as involving multiple angelic beings who serve before God.
> "For on the first day He created the heavens which are above and the earth and the waters and all the spirits which serve before him—the angels of the presence, and the angels of sanctification, and the angels [of the spirit of fire and the angels] of the spirit of the winds, and the angels of the spirit of the clouds, and of darkness, and of snow and of hail and of hoar frost, and the angels of the voices and of the thunder and of the lightning, and the angels of the spirits of cold and of heat, and of winter and of spring and of autumn and of summer and of all the spirits of his creatures which are in the heavens and on the earth, (He created) the abysses and the darkness, eventide <and night>, and the light, dawn and day, which He hath prepared in the knowledge of his heart." (*Jubilees* 2:2)
This passage supports the idea that the term *Elohim* encompasses these spiritual beings, collectively referred to as "mighty ones." The phrase *bara Elohim* (ברא אלהים) in Genesis 1:1 is traditionally translated as "God created," but given the plural nature of *Elohim*, it can also be read as "Powers He created," indicating a collective aspect of divine agency.
## **Barbelo in Gnostic Tradition**
In Sethian Gnosticism, *Barbelo* is a fundamental concept referring to the first emanation of the divine. According to *The Apocryphon of John*, Barbelo is described as follows:
> "The first thought, the image of the invisible Spirit, the first emanation of the Father, the womb of everything, through whom all things take shape."
This description positions Barbelo as a generative principle, analogous to the *Elohim* of Genesis. The text further elaborates on Barbelo’s creative role:
> "She, Barbelo, asked the virgin Spirit for Incorruptibility.
> The Spirit agreed.
> Incorruptibility came forth and stood by Thought and Foreknowledge.
> Incorruptibility gave glory to the Invisible Virgin Spirit
> And to Barbelo,
> For She was the reason that it had come into being.
> She asked for everlasting Life.
> The Spirit agreed.
> Everlasting life came forth and they all stood together.
> They gave glory to the invisible Spirit
> And to Barbelo,
> For She was the reason that it had come into being.
> She asked for Truth.
> The Spirit agreed.
> Truth came forth and they all stood together.
> They gave glory to the invisible Spirit
> And to Barbelo,
> For She was the reason that it had come into being."
This sequence of emanations mirrors the creative process attributed to *Elohim* in Genesis. Furthermore, *The Apocryphon of John* describes Barbelo as a fivefold realm:
> "This is the fivefold realm of the Father:
> The First Man who is
> The Image of the Invisible Spirit who is
> Providence who is
> Barbelo who is
> Thought.
> And
> Foreknowledge - Incorruptibility - Life Everlasting - Truth."
Because these emanations are androgynous, they form a tenfold structure, further reflecting the multiplicity inherent in *Elohim*.
## **Etymological and Linguistic Connections**
The term *Barbelo* has been the subject of various etymological theories. Some scholars suggest that it derives from the Hebrew *baba' ‘eloh* ("in the four is God"), referring to the four letters of the Tetragrammaton (יהוה). However, an alternative interpretation connects it to Aramaic and Hebrew roots.
- *Bar* (בר) in Aramaic means "son" or "child of." However, it can also be understood collectively, as seen in *Bar Adam* (Son of Man), which can signify "humanity."
- *Belo* or *El* (אל) is a term for God, often used in Hebrew names and divine titles.
- Therefore, *Barbelo* can be interpreted as "offspring of God" or "sons of God," which closely aligns with the collective meaning of *Elohim*.
If *Barbelo* means "Sons of El," it suggests that *Elohim* and *Barbelo* are synonymous concepts. This interpretation is further supported by the role of Barbelo as the generative principle through which divine emanations arise, just as *Elohim* represents a plurality of divine beings involved in creation.
## **Barbelo, the Holy Spirit, and the Angels**
In Gnostic thought, Barbelo is often associated with the Holy Spirit, a concept that aligns with the angelic hosts described in *Jubilees*:
> "All the spirits which serve before him—the angels of the presence, and the angels of sanctification..." (*Jubilees* 2:2)
These angels, which include forces of nature and divine messengers, correspond to the emanations from Barbelo. This reinforces the connection between *Elohim* and *Barbelo*, as both terms encapsulate the collective divine presence that brings forth creation.
## **Conclusion**
The linguistic and etymological parallels between *Bara Elohim* and *Barbelo* suggest a shared conceptual foundation. Both terms represent a collective divine agency responsible for creation, whether in the Hebrew Bible or Gnostic texts. The plural nature of *Elohim* aligns with the androgynous structure of Barbelo, and both are associated with the Holy Spirit and the angelic host.
- *Elohim* in Genesis refers to a plurality of divine powers, aligning with the description in *Jubilees* of angelic beings involved in creation.
- *Barbelo* in Sethian Gnosticism is the first emanation, through whom all things come into being, a function similar to *Elohim*.
- Etymologically, *Barbelo* can be interpreted as "sons of El," making it synonymous with *Elohim*.
- The androgynous nature of Barbelo as a tenfold realm reflects the multiplicity of *Elohim* in the Hebrew Bible.
Thus, Barbelo and *Bara Elohim* are deeply connected through both linguistic analysis and theological parallels, offering a broader understanding of divine creation as a collective process.
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