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Igziabeher (Amharic: እግዚአብሔር; /əɡziˈɑːbəhɛr/) means literally "Lord of a nation" or "tribe", i.e. God, in the Ethiopian or Ge'ez language, as well as modern Ethiosematic languages including Amharic.[1]

Igziabher in Ge'ez is composed of `əgzi (Lord or ruler), plus a euphonic -'a added to the vowel to signify the possessive construct (i.e., "ruler of"), followed by bihier ("nation, tribe). Today, bihier, when directly translated into English, means ethnic group. Another, more generic Ethiopian word meaning "God" (including the deities of any other religion) is አምላክ (`amlak) which is descended from the Proto-Semitic term for "king" or "ruler."

Igziabher is also used within the Rastafari movement as a name of Jah (God). It may be heard in the reggae music of artists such as Peter Tosh (who recorded a song named "Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)" on his album Legalize It), The Abyssinians, Third World and Midnite.

In the fourth century, King Ezana ruled a large part of modern-day North Ethiopia. People in his realm worshipped several gods, called Beher, Astar, and Maher. Igziabeher is possibly a variant of the name Beher.[2][3][4]

References

  1. ^ AmharicDictionary. "God". SelamSoft. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  2. ^ Mokhtar, G (1990). Ancient Civilizations of Africa, page 376. California: University of California Press.
  3. ^ Milkias, P (2011). Ethiopia, page 170. ABC-CLIO: Westport, CT.
  4. ^ Phillipson, DW (2014). Foundations of an African Civilisation, page 96.New York: Boydell and Brewer, Ltd.
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