Among taboos^ a god's name is specially so. In
olden times, names were not looked upon as mere
labels detachable from their owner ; they were viewed
as part and parcel of the person to whom they be-'
longed, as much so as his flesh and blood, and a pro-
found meaning and magical power was attached to
them. This gave rise to strange fancies. It, was
thought that any one who knew and correctly uttered
the true name of a god had magical * power over him.
Hence gods and men took the greatest care to safe-
guard their names from wrong use. The best plan
was not to let anybody know it. Thus in Gen. xxxil
29, and 27, after the wrestle between God and Jacob,
God asks Jacob his name and is told it, but when
Jacob asks : " Tell me, I pray Thee, Thy name," God's
answer is : " Why askest thou after My name ? " and
He blesses Jacob but will not tell him His name. Or
if his votaries knew their god's name, it was kept
very secret, and to be uttei-ed even by intimates only
in the most inner circles and very seldom. Thus,
even in historical times, Jehovah's name could only
be uttered on the great Day of Atonement in the
inmost temple and by the High Priest* Possibly the
Third Commandment originally had this secrecy in
view. Another plan, with' early men, to hide their
names, was to have several others, wrong names or
names not so intimately connected with them, so as

' So secret was the name of Jehovah, as we call Him, kept, that its pro-
nandation was utterly forgotten.
