How many gods are in the Hebrew word "Elohim"?
The seven names of God that, once written, cannot be erased because of their holiness are the Tetragrammaton, El, Elohim, Eloah, Elohai, El Shaddai, and Tzevaot. In addition, the name Jah —because it forms part of the Tetragrammaton—is similarly protected. Rabbi Jose considered "Tzevaot" a common name and Rabbi Ishmael that "Elohim" was.
What is the difference between Yahweh and Elohim?
What are the 12 names of Jesus?
- Jesus.
- Emmanuel.
- Christ.
- Lord.
- Master.
- Logos (the Word)
- Son of God.
- Son of man.
What does the Hebrew word Elohim mean?
The name Elohim means strength and might. It is the common Hebrew term for God. It is also used of false gods. El the singular form of Elohim is used for the three members of the Trinity. Both El and Elohim are used in combination with other words. These terms give us further understanding of the attributes of God.
What does the Bible say about Elohim?
The Jewish Scriptures teach us that ’Elohim is an honorific title, which expresses the plural of majesty. The underlying reason for the grammatically plural form ’Elohim is to indicate the all-inclusiveness of God’s authority as possessing every conceivable attribute of power.
What does the ending of the word "elohim" mean?
Grammar and etymology. Further information: El (deity), Ilah, and Allah. The word elohim or 'elohiym ( ʼĕlôhîym) is a grammatically plural noun for " gods " or "deities" or various other words in Biblical Hebrew. In Hebrew, the ending -im normally indicates a masculine plural.
What is the difference between Yahweh and Elohim?
According to the documentary hypothesis, these variations are the products of different source texts and narratives that constitute the composition of the Torah: Elohim is the name of God used in the Elohist (E) and Priestly (P) sources, while Yahweh is the name of God used in the Jahwist (J) source.
What is the Hebrew word for the God of Israel?
The letters are, right-to-left: aleph - lamed - he - yud - mem. In the Hebrew Bible, elohim ( Hebrew: אֱלֹהִים [ (ʔ)eloˈ (h)im]) usually refers to a single deity, particularly (but not always) the God of Israel. At other times it refers to deities in the plural.
What is the meaning of the word "el"?
The Canaanite pantheon of gods was known as 'ilhm, the Ugaritic equivalent to elohim . For instance, in the Ugaritic Baal Cycle we read of "seventy sons of Asherah ". Each "son of god" was held to be the originating deity for a particular people. ( KTU 2 1.4.VI.46).
What is the meaning of the phrase "bene elohim"?
The phrase bene elohim, translated "sons of the Gods", has an exact parallel in Ugaritic and Phoenician texts, referring to the council of the gods. Elohim occupy the seventh rank of ten in the famous medieval rabbinic scholar Maimonides' Jewish angelic hierarchy.
What is the plural of "behemoth"?
For example, Baalim, Adonim, Behemoth. This form is known as the "honorific plural", in which the pluralization is a sign of power or honor. A very common singular Hebrew word with plural ending is the word achoth, meaning sister, with the irregular plural form achioth.
Is Elohim plural or singular?
Elohim, when meaning the God of Israel, is mostly grammatically singular, and is commonly translated as "God", and capitalised. For example, in Genesis 1:26, it is written: "Then Elohim (translated as God) said (singular verb), 'Let us (plural) make (plural verb) man in our (plural) image, after our (plural) likeness ' ". Wilhelm Gesenius and other Hebrew grammarians traditionally described this as the pluralis excellentiae (plural of excellence), which is similar to the pluralis majestatis (plural of majesty, or "Royal we"). Gesenius comments that the singular Hebrew term Elohim is to be distinguished from elohim used to refer to plural gods, and remarks that:
What is the meaning of "elohim" and "elohei"?
Elohim and Elohei Constructs. Elohim is combined with other words to provide additional description about God. These other names or titles for God are sometimes called "construct forms," indicating that they are "constructed" from the base name (e.g., Elohei) with other designators.
How many times is Elohim in the Tanakh?
Additional comments, if applicable. God. Elohim. [The basic form] God; gods. The plural form of El, meaning "Strong One.". The Name Elohim occurs 2,570 times in the Tanakh.
What is God's name in Genesis?
In the second creation story (Genesis 2:4b-ff) the Name of God is revealed as the Sacred Name YHVH (from the semitic root that means "to be") and expresses the idea of God's closeness to humans. YHVH "breathed into his (Adam's) nostrils the breath of life" (Genesis 2:7).#N#Elohim and Elohei Constructs#N#Elohim is combined with other words to provide additional description about God. These other names or titles for God are sometimes called "construct forms," indicating that they are "constructed" from the base name (e.g., Elohei) with other designators.#N#For each name in the list below, I provide the following information: 1 The Hebrew text for the name 2 The most common English transliteration (in italics) 3 A definition for the name, references to the Tanakh, and frequency information 4 Additional comments, if applicable.
What is the name of God in Genesis 2?
In the second creation story (Genesis 2:4b-ff) the Name of God is revealed as the Sacred Name YHVH (from the semitic root that means "to be") and expresses the idea of God's closeness to humans. YHVH "breathed into his (Adam's) nostrils the breath of life" (Genesis 2:7). Elohim and Elohei Constructs. Elohim is combined with other words ...
What does Elohei Kedem mean?
Elohei Kedem. God of the beginning; Eternal God (Deut. 33:27). The God of my praise. Elohei Tehillati. God of my Praise (Ps. 109:1). From Tehillah, praise, hymn, or psalm. Tehillim is the book of Psalms in Hebrew. Our God. Eloheynu.
Is Elohim a Hebraic name?
The name Elohim is unique to Hebraic thinking: it occurs only in Hebrew and in no other ancient Semitic language. The masculine plural ending does not mean "gods" when referring to the true God of Israel, since the name is mainly used with singular verb forms and with adjectives and pronouns in the singular (e.g., see Gen. 1:26).
What does the Hebrew word "Elohim" mean?
Don Stewart :: What Does the Hebrew Term Elohim Mean? The name commonly used for God in the Old Testament is the Hebrew word Elohim. It is also found in the singular form El and Elah. Whenever we find the English word "God" used in the Old Testament, it is a translation of this Hebrew word Elohim or one of its forms.
What does the word "Elohim" mean in the Bible?
The noun Elohim is plural but it is always used with a singular verb when it speaks of the true God.
What does El Olam mean?
El-Olam means that God is the everlasting God. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God [El-Olam] ( Genesis 21:33 ). Olam expresses the eternal duration of God. The psalmist wrote.
What is Elohim used for?
Elohim Is Used Of False Gods. Elohim is used not only for the true God but also for false gods. Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold ( Exodus 20:23 ).
What does the name Elohim mean?
Summary. The name Elohim means strength and might. It is the common Hebrew term for God. It is also used of false gods. El the singular form of Elohim is used for the three members of the Trinity. Both El and Elohim are used in combination with other words. These terms give us further understanding of the attributes of God.
What is the Holy Spirit called?
The Holy Spirit is called El . The Spirit of God [ El } has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life ( Job 33:4 ). We also read in Job. From the breath of God [ El] ice is made, and the expanse of the waters is frozen ( Job 37:10 )
Is Elohim a plural or singular word?
The noun Elohim is plural but it is always used with a singular verb when it speaks of the true God. This indicates a unity and diversity within the nature of God. This unity and diversity is revealed in Scripture as the doctrine of the Trinity.
What does Elohim mean in the Bible?
As wrriten by Mike Leake on BibleStudyTools, The term "Elohim" means “supreme one” or “mighty one”. It is not only used of the one true God but is also used on occasion to refer to human rulers, judges, and even angels. If you saw one who exhibiting supreme rule and expressed mighty power the word you would use would be Elohim. That does not necessarily mean that you are referring to the one unique God. But even as one comes to understand Yahweh, you might still grab hold of this particular word, Elohim, in order to emphasize God’s power and might.
What does the name Elohim mean?
Elohim: Biblical Meaning of God's Name. What Is Elohim? Biblical Meaning of God's Name. Elohim is the Hebrew word for God that appears in the very first sentence of the Bible. We remember that he is the one who began it all. This ancient name for God contains the idea of God's creative power as well as his authority and sovereignty.
How many times is Elohim used in the Bible?
Though El is used more than 200 times in the Hebrew Bible, Elohim is used more than 2,500 times . Its plural form is used not to indicate a belief in many gods but to emphasize the majesty of the one true God. He is the God of gods, the highest of all. Christians may recognize in this plural form a hint of the Trinity —Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
What is the plural of Elohim?
Elohim (e-lo-HEEM) is the plural form of El or Eloah, one of the oldest designations for divinity in the world. The Hebrews borrowed the term El from the Canaanites. It can refer either to the true God or to pagan gods. Though El is used more than 200 times in the Hebrew Bible, Elohim is used more than 2,500 times.
What is the name of God in the Bible?
The Name of God: Elohim. Elohim is the Hebrew word for God that appears in the very first sentence of the Bible. When we pray to Elohim, we remember that he is the one who began it all, creating the heavens and the earth and separating light from darkness, water from dry land, night from day.
Is Elohim the highest God?
He is the God of gods, the highest of all. Christians may recognize in this plural form a hint of the Trinity —Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Elohim occurs thirty-two times in the first chapter of Genesis. After that the name Yahweh appears as well and is often paired with Elohim and, in the NIV, the two together are translated "the LORD God.".
Is there a higher power in the Bible?
Yet, acknowledging this is not enough. According to Scripture, everyone knows there is a higher power. We suppress that truth in our unrighteousness. This means, we morph our Elohim impulse into worship of some lesser god or we slip into vague notions of a higher power.
Overview
Elohim is a Hebrew word meaning "gods". Although the word is plural in form, in the Hebrew Bible it usually refers to a single deity, particularly (but not always) the God of Israel. At other times it refers to deities in the plural.
Morphologically, the word is the plural form of the word eloah and related to el. It is cognate to the word 'l-h-m which is found in Ugaritic, where it is used as the pa…
Grammar and etymology
The word elohim or 'elohiym (ʼĕlôhîym) is a grammatically plural noun for "gods" or "deities" or various other words in Biblical Hebrew.
In Hebrew, the ending -im normally indicates a masculine plural. However, when referring to the Jewish God, Elohim is usually understood to be grammatically singular (i.e. it governs a singular verb or adjective). In Modern Hebrew, it is often referred to in the singular despite the -im ending …
Canaanite religion
The word el (singular) is a standard term for "god" in Aramaic, paleo-Hebrew, and other related Semitic languages including Ugaritic. The Canaanite pantheon of gods was known as 'ilhm, the Ugaritic equivalent to elohim. For instance, the Ugaritic Baal Cycle mentions "seventy sons of Asherah". Each "son of god" was held to be the originating deity for a particular people (KTU 2 1.4.VI.46).
Usage
Elohim occurs frequently throughout the Torah. In some cases (e.g. Exodus 3:4, "Elohim called unto him out of the midst of the bush ..."), it behaves like a singular noun in Hebrew grammar, and is then generally understood to denote the single God of Israel. In other cases, Elohim acts as an ordinary plural of the word Eloah, and refers to the polytheistic notion of multiple gods (for example, Exodus 20:3, "You shall have no other gods before me").
Elohist
The Hebrew Bible uses various names for the God of Israel. According to the documentary hypothesis, these variations are the products of different source texts and narratives that constitute the composition of the Torah: Elohim is the name of God used in the Elohist (E) and Priestly (P) sources, while Yahweh is the name of God used in the Jahwist (J) source. Form criticism postulates the differ…
Latter Day Saint movement
In the Latter Day Saint movement and Mormonism, Elohim refers to God the Father. Elohim is the father of Jesus in both the physical and the spiritual realms, whose name before birth is said to be Jehovah.
In the belief system held by the Christian churches that adhere to the Latter Day Saint movement and most Mormon denominations, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LD…
Raëlism
The new religious movement and UFO religion International Raëlian Movement, founded by the French journalist Claude Vorilhon (who later became known as "Raël") in 1974, claims that the Hebrew word Elohim from the Book of Genesis actually refers to a species of extraterrestrial aliens.
Gnosticism
In the Gnostic text known as the Secret Book of John, Elohim is another name for Abel, whose parents are Eve and Yaldabaoth. He rules over the elements of water and earth, alongside Cain, who is seen as Yahweh ruling over the elements of fire and wind. However, the 2nd century Gnostic teacher Justin proposed a cosmological model with three original divinities. The first is a transcendental being called the Good, the second is Elohim, appearing here as an intermediate …