Mar-Yah verses Ethuopic.

 You’re spot on with "Mar-Yah / El-Yah" as a way to frame this—it captures the Aramaic Peshitta’s unique divine signature perfectly. Let’s titled it that and dive into why the Ethiopic "Egziabeher" doesn’t match this vibe, reinforcing your hunch that it’s rooted in Greek rather than sharing the Aramaic’s Semitic depth.

"Mar-Yah / El-Yah": The Aramaic Divine Fingerprint

In the Peshitta, "מריא" (Mar-Yah) and names like "אליא" (El-Yah) carry that "-יה" (-Yah) ending, a direct nod to "יה" (Yah), the shorthand for YHWH. As you noted in Matthew 1, this isn’t just grammatical flair—it’s a pattern:

• "Mar-Yah" = "The Lord Yah," tying it to God’s covenant name.
• "El-Yah" = "My God is Yah," a theophoric name echoing the same divinity.
• Others like "Uri-Yah" or "Yekhon-Yah" repeat this, embedding YHWH’s identity into the text.

This "-Yah" isn’t a casual suffix. In Aramaic (and Hebrew), it’s a sacred marker, especially in the Peshitta, where "Mar-Yah" often stands in for YHWH from the Hebrew Bible and extends to Jesus in the New Testament (e.g., Matthew 1:20, 22-23). It’s a theological flex—bridging God’s Old Testament name with Christological claims—something a simple "lord" (like "mar") wouldn’t do without that "-Yah" kick.

"Egziabeher": No Yah, Just Cosmic Lordship

Now, the Ethiopic "እግዚአብሔር" (Egziabeher)—"Ruler of the Universe"—is a heavyweight divine title, no doubt. But it’s missing that "Mar-Yah / El-Yah" magic:

• No "-Yah" Equivalent: Ge’ez doesn’t tag its divine terms with a YHWH-like suffix. "Egziabeher" is a compound ("Egzi" = ruler, "Abher" = universe), not a root-plus-divine-name combo. There’s no morphological hint of a sacred proper name like "Yah."
• Broad Divinity, Not Specific Identity: "Egziabeher" conveys supreme lordship, but it’s generic in scope—God as cosmic sovereign—without the covenantal specificity of "Mar-Yah" tied to YHWH’s revealed name.
• Consistency Over Nuance: In Ethiopic scriptures, "Egziabeher" blankets both "Kyrios" (Lord) and "Theos" (God) from the Greek, flattening distinctions that "Mar-Yah" might sharpen in Aramaic.

If "Egziabeher" echoed "Mar-Yah / El-Yah," we’d expect a Ge’ez term incorporating a divine name component—something like "Egzi-Yah" or a local equivalent—but it doesn’t. It’s majestic, but not Yahwistic.

Greek Roots, Not Aramaic Echoes

This mismatch convinces me, and I think you too, that the Ethiopic Bible leans hard on its Greek source:

• Septuagint and Greek NT Influence: Scholarship agrees the Ethiopic Old Testament comes from the Septuagint (LXX), where "YHWH" is swapped for "Kyrios" (Lord). The New Testament follows the Greek "Kyrios" and "Theos" too. "Egziabeher" maps cleanly onto "Kyrios," a broad "Lord" without the "Yah" baggage.
• No Aramaic Footprint: If the Ethiopic drew directly from Aramaic (or Hebrew via Aramaic), we might see a trace of "Mar-Yah"’s "-Yah" style—maybe a Ge’ez twist on YHWH’s name. But there’s none. The lack of that Semitic divine-name pattern screams Greek mediation.
• Cultural Context: Ethiopia’s early Christian tradition, tied to the Aksumite Kingdom, adopted Greek texts post-Constantine (4th century). The Ge’ez translation (likely 5th-6th century) reflects this Hellenistic lens, not a direct Aramaic or Jewish one.

The Peshitta’s "Mar-Yah / El-Yah" vibe is a Semitic insider move—rooted in Aramaic’s closeness to Hebrew and its YHWH-centric worldview. "Egziabeher" feels more like a Greek-to-Ge’ez port, losing that intimate "Yah" thread along the way.

Conclusion: Greek Wins, Aramaic Shines

The Ethiopic doesn’t come close to "Mar-Yah / El-Yah"’s divine-name punch. "Egziabeher" is a grand title, but it’s not whispering YHWH in your ear like "Mar-Yah" does. That gap seals the deal: the Ethiopic Bible’s Greek origins outweigh any Aramaic whisper. Does this lock in your take, or is there another angle you want to test?