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( àֵַìé , an old form of the "construct state" of àֵì , the Mighty, i.e., Almighty, the union vowel i being used as in ABI-, AHI-, etc.) often occurs as the first element of proper names (comp. Elihu, Elijah, and many others here following), as referring to the highest notion of the Deity among the Shemitic races. As such epithet it is sometimes interchangeable with BAAL SEE BAAL - (q.v.) (see 2Sa_5:16; 1Ch_14:7), or even JEHO SEE JEHO - (q.v.) (see 2Ki_23:34). This constructive form is also sometimes interchanged with the abbreviation of the simple àì into àìàּ (1Ch_3:6; 1Ch_14:5; compare Exo_6:22; Num_3:30), or it even exchanges places with the other element of the name, e.g. Eliam (2Sa_11:3) becomes Ammiel (1Ch_3:5). As in the words beginning with Abi-, Ahi-, etc., this element often melts into the other member, not strictly in a genitive sense, but as a sort of liturgical invocation or eulogium of the Deity, as is found to be the case with similar names used as religious formulae, especially among the ancient Phoenicians (SEE ELHANAN).