The 72 Names of God are traditionally known as the Shem HaMephorash, a Kabbalistic system built from three consecutive verses of Exodus 14:19:21. Each verse contains 72 Hebrew letters, and a traditional alternating reading method produces 72 three letter combinations.
In later Kabbalistic and Christian Hermetic traditions, these 72 combinations became associated with 72 angels, each given a distinct name and traditional spiritual attribute. The angelic list commonly begins with Vehuiah, Jeliel, Sitael, Elemiah, Mahasiah, and Lelahel and ends with Damabiah, Manakel, Eyael, Habuhiah, Rochel, Jabamiah, Haiaiel, and Mumiah.
What Are the 72 Names of God?
The 72 Names of God are not understood as 72 separate gods. In the traditional system, they are 72 three letter combinations forming a single 72 fold divine name.
The system is connected with Exodus 14:19:21, the biblical passage describing the events at the Red Sea. Each of the three Hebrew verses contains 72 letters. When the verses are arranged one above another and read in alternating directions, they produce 72 columns, with three Hebrew letters in each column.
Why Are There 72 Names?
The number 72 comes directly from the structure of the three verses. Each verse contains 72 letters, producing 72 three letter combinations when the traditional method is applied.
Together, the combinations contain 216 letters, or 72 groups of three letters.
Are the 72 Names the Same as 72 Angels?
Not exactly.
The original 72 fold name belongs to a Jewish mystical tradition concerning divine names. The interpretation of these 72 combinations as the names of individual angels developed later, particularly through Christian Kabbalistic and Hermetic writers. Johann Reuchlin’s 1517 work is an important point in that transition.
The 72 Names of God Angels List
Different sources use slightly different spellings because the names are transliterated from Hebrew. The following is a commonly used traditional sequence of the 72 angelic names.
1:12: First Twelve Angels
- Vehuiah : Traditionally associated with will, new beginnings, and initiative.
- Jeliel : Traditionally connected with harmony, reconciliation, and affection.
- Sitael : Associated in later traditions with protection and constructive action.
- Elemiah : Traditionally linked with guidance, travel, and overcoming difficulties.
- Mahasiah : Associated with learning, harmony, and self improvement.
- Lelahel : Traditionally connected with healing, illumination, and beauty.
- Achaiah : Associated with patience, understanding, and discovering hidden knowledge.
- Cahetel : Traditionally linked with gratitude, blessings, and appreciation of creation.
- Haziel : Associated with forgiveness, friendship, and reconciliation.
- Aladiah : Traditionally connected with healing, restoration, and mercy.
- Lauviah : Associated with memory, insight, dreams, and inner understanding.
- Hahaiah : Traditionally linked with shelter, reflection, and protection.
13:24: Angels of the Second Group
- Iezalel : Associated with loyalty, friendship, and harmony.
- Mebahel : Traditionally connected with truth, justice, and freedom.
- Hariel : Associated with purification, learning, and spiritual clarity.
- Hekamiah : Traditionally linked with loyalty, leadership, and courage.
- Lauviah II : Associated with revelation, dreams, and understanding hidden matters.
- Caliel : Traditionally connected with truth, justice, and discernment.
- Leuviah : Associated with memory, understanding, and emotional strength.
- Pahaliah : Traditionally linked with spiritual learning and moral discipline.
- Nelchael : Associated with knowledge, mathematics, learning, and overcoming ignorance.
- Yeiayel : Traditionally connected with travel, exploration, and prosperity.
- Melahel : Associated with healing, nature, and protection.
- Haheuiah : Traditionally linked with protection, justice, and safety.
These associations belong mainly to later angelological traditions rather than being direct descriptions found in the biblical text itself.
25:36: Angels of the Third Group
- Nith Haiah : Traditionally associated with wisdom, mysticism, and spiritual understanding.
- Haaiah : Linked in later traditions with diplomacy, judgment, and patience.
- Yerathel : Associated with light, truth, and freedom from oppression.
- Seheiah : Traditionally connected with longevity, protection, and caution.
- Reiyel : Associated with freedom, inspiration, and devotion.
- Omael : Traditionally linked with patience, fertility, and growth.
- Lecabel : Associated with intelligence, precision, and practical knowledge.
- Vasariah : Traditionally connected with justice, mercy, and memory.
- Yehuiah : Associated with loyalty, responsibility, and protection from deception.
- Lehahiah : Traditionally linked with obedience, order, and calmness.
- Chavakiah : Associated with reconciliation, family harmony, and forgiveness.
- Menadel : Traditionally connected with work, perseverance, and finding one’s purpose.
37:48: Angels of the Fourth Group
- Aniel : Associated with courage, knowledge, and overcoming limitations.
- Haamiah : Traditionally linked with truth, ritual, and understanding sacred traditions.
- Rehael : Associated with healing, family relationships, and compassion.
- Ieiazel : Traditionally connected with creativity, liberation, and emotional renewal.
- Hahahel : Associated with faith, devotion, and spiritual commitment.
- Mikael : Traditionally linked with leadership, travel, and protection.
- Veuliah : Associated with strength, victory, and freedom from difficulties.
- Yelahiah : Traditionally connected with courage, protection, and disciplined action.
- Sealiah : Associated with motivation, vitality, and restoration.
- Ariel : Traditionally linked with nature, insight, and discovering hidden things.
- Asaliah : Associated with contemplation, truth, and understanding.
- Mihael : Traditionally connected with harmony, affection, and relationships.
49:60: Angels of the Fifth Group
- Vehuel : Associated with elevation, generosity, and spiritual aspiration.
- Daniel : Traditionally linked with eloquence, communication, and discernment.
- Hahasiah : Associated with wisdom, healing knowledge, and discovery.
- Imamiah : Traditionally connected with resilience, overcoming enemies, and personal strength.
- Nanael : Associated with meditation, knowledge, and spiritual learning.
- Nithael : Traditionally linked with stability, longevity, and dignity.
- Mebahiah : Associated with morality, understanding, and benevolence.
- Poyel : Traditionally connected with generosity, humility, and fulfillment.
- Nemamiah : Associated with courage, responsibility, and strategic thinking.
- Yeialel : Traditionally linked with intelligence, healing, and emotional balance.
- Harahel : Associated with knowledge, education, and responsible use of resources.
- Mitzrael : Traditionally connected with inner freedom, discipline, and correction.
61:72: Final Twelve Angels
- Umabel : Associated with friendship, understanding, and emotional connection.
- Iah Hel : Traditionally linked with wisdom, contemplation, and peaceful living.
- Anauel : Associated with communication, prosperity, and cooperation.
- Mehiel : Traditionally connected with writing, creativity, and inspiration.
- Damabiah : Associated with wisdom, protection, and emotional depth.
- Manakel : Traditionally linked with calmness, dreams, and understanding.
- Eyael : Associated with transformation, wisdom, and philosophical insight.
- Habuhiah : Traditionally connected with healing, agriculture, and fertility.
- Rochel : Associated with recovery, justice, and finding what has been lost.
- Jabamiah : Traditionally linked with transformation, renewal, and creation.
- Haiaiel : Associated with courage, protection, and overcoming conflict.
- Mumiah : Traditionally connected with completion, renewal, healing, and transitions.
This 72 name sequence follows a commonly transmitted Shem HaMephorash angel list. Spellings can vary considerably between sources, especially for names transliterated from Hebrew.
How Were the 72 Names Derived?
The traditional derivation is one of the most distinctive parts of the system.
Step 1: Three Biblical Verses
The source is Exodus 14:19:21. Each verse contains exactly 72 Hebrew letters in the traditional Masoretic text.
Step 2: Arrange the Verses
The three verses are placed one above another. The first and third are read in the normal Hebrew direction, while the middle verse is reversed.
This alternating method is known as boustrophedon, a term meaning that the direction changes from one line to the next.
Step 3: Create 72 Columns
The arrangement creates 72 vertical columns. Each column contains three Hebrew letters.
These three letter combinations form the foundation of the 72 fold name.
Step 4: Later Angelic Associations
Later writers added endings such as El or Yah to make pronounceable angelic names. The resulting names became associated with individual angels in Christian Kabbalistic and Hermetic traditions.
Are the 72 Angels Mentioned in the Bible?
The Bible does not provide a list of 72 angels named Vehuiah, Jeliel, Sitael, and so forth.
The biblical connection comes from Exodus 14:19:21, which provides the three verses used in the traditional construction of the 72 fold name. The specific angel by angel system developed later through mystical and esoteric traditions.
This distinction is important because it separates the original biblical passage from later interpretations built around it.
Are the 72 Names and the 72 Angels the Same Thing?
They are closely connected in later traditions, but they are not historically identical concepts.
The 72 Names refer to the 72 three letter combinations derived from Exodus. The 72 angels refer to the later tradition that treats these combinations as angelic names or intelligences.
Some modern sources use the two terms interchangeably, which is why the phrase “72 Names of God Angels” appears frequently. Historically, however, the angelic interpretation developed after the earlier Jewish mystical treatment of the divine name.
What Does Shem HaMephorash Mean?
Shem HaMephorash is commonly translated as something like “the explicit name” or “the divided:distinguished name,” depending on the interpretive tradition and translation.
The term itself has a longer history than the 72 name system. Historical sources show that “Shem HaMephorash” was used in different ways over time, including references to divine names other than the later 72 fold system.
Why Are There Different Spellings of the Angel Names?
Readers may notice that different websites spell the same angel differently.
For example, you may encounter variations such as:
- Vehuiah : Vehuiah
- Jeliel : Jiel
- Lauviah : Lauviah II
- Hahaiah : Hahaiah
- Yeiayel : Yeiaiel
- Mumiah : Mumiah
These differences usually come from transliteration. Hebrew letters do not always have one exact English equivalent, so writers may represent the same Hebrew name in different ways.
For this reason, two lists can look slightly different while referring to the same traditional system.
Do the 72 Angels Have Specific Dates?
Many later systems assign each angel a small portion of the year. A common tradition divides the zodiac into 72 five degree sections, with each angel connected to one section and approximately five days of the solar year.
However, date tables can vary between sources because different traditions use different calendars, starting points, and calculation methods.
The dates should therefore be presented as traditional correspondences, not as biblical facts.
What Are the 72 Angels Traditionally Associated With?
Later angelological systems give each name a particular set of qualities. These may include themes such as:
- Wisdom
- Protection
- Healing
- Courage
- Knowledge
- Reconciliation
- Creativity
- Justice
- Patience
- Communication
- Transformation
- Spiritual understanding
These associations belong to later mystical and esoteric interpretations. They should not be confused with direct descriptions of these 72 individual angels in the Bible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Are the 72 angels in the Bible?
No. The 72 angels commonly called the Shem HaMephorash angels are not listed as 72 angels in the Bible. They come from later Jewish mystical traditions associated with the 72 divine names.
Q2. What are the 72 divine names of God?
The 72 divine names, known as the Shem HaMephorash, are a set of 72 three letter Hebrew combinations derived through a traditional interpretation of Exodus 14:19:21. They are associated with mystical practices in Kabbalah.
Q3. How do I find my angel name?
There is no biblical method for finding a personal angel name. Some modern and esoteric systems assign an angel based on a person’s birth date, but these systems come from later traditions rather than the Bible.
Q4. Who are the top 7 most powerful angels?
There is no official biblical ranking of seven angels by power. Seven archangels appear in some Jewish and Christian traditions, but their names and roles differ between sources. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel are among the names most commonly associated with archangel traditions.
Q5. Who are the 13 fallen angels?
There is no universally accepted biblical list of 13 fallen angels. Later Jewish, Christian, and apocryphal writings give different names and lists, including figures such as Samael, Azazel, and several Watchers.
Q6. Who is God’s strongest angel?
The Bible does not explicitly identify one angel as God’s strongest. Michael is described as an archangel and a chief prince, and he is portrayed as a powerful heavenly warrior, but Scripture does not give him a formal “strongest angel” title.
Q7. Who was God’s first angel?
The Bible does not say which angel God created first. Scripture also does not provide a chronological birth order for angels.
Q8. Who is the leader of all angels?
Michael is the angel most commonly associated with leadership among the heavenly host. Jude 1:9 calls him “the archangel,” while Daniel describes him as a great prince who protects God’s people. However, the Bible does not explicitly call Michael the supreme ruler of every angel.
Conclusion
The 72 Names of God and the 72 angels of the Shem HaMephorash come from a complex history of Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah, and later Christian Hermetic interpretation. The 72 fold name is traditionally derived from Exodus 14:19:21 by arranging the three 72 letter verses into 72 three letter combinations.
Later traditions connected these names with individual angels such as Vehuiah, Jeliel, Sitael, Lelahel, Ariel, Mikael, Damabiah, Jabamiah, Haiaiel, and Mumiah. Because the angelic associations developed over time, it is important to distinguish the biblical source from later mystical interpretations.
The system remains an important subject in the study of Kabbalistic and Western esoteric traditions, with different sources offering variations in spelling, meanings, dates, and angelic correspondences.
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Hi, I’m Aaliyah Morgan, a writer at NameNexa. I’ve always loved discovering names and the stories, meanings, and ideas behind them. At NameNexa, I share name ideas that are unique, meaningful, and easy to connect with, from baby names and cultural names to creative naming inspiration.
