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 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.
Does Elohim mean 'from the sky'?
Sometimes translated as powerful or strong, the word Elohim literally means those who come from the sky. In Hebrew, the word Elohim appears in fact as a plural of both male and female, which is a notable exception. It must be concluded that these gods creators had with them their goddesses, to which they were faithful or not, as we watch Zeus in Greek mythology. Between Elohim and the Olympians, the resemblance is great.
Is Elohim proper or pagan?
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 real meaning of Elohim?
GodElohim, singular Eloah, (Hebrew: God), the God of Israel in the Old Testament.
Why is God called Elohim?
Elohim (Hebrew: אֱלֹהִים, romanized: ʾĚlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]) 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.
Are Yahweh and Elohim the same?
There is much more than meets the eye with the terms El, translated into English as God, Yahweh, translated as the Lord, and Elohim, also translated as God. These terms are all essentially equated today.
What are the 7 names of God?
Seven names of GodYHWH.Adonai.El.Elohim.Shaddai.Tzevaot.Ehyeh.
Is Elohim Allah?
Biblical writers identified the Canaanite high god El with their own god even though he originally presided over a large pantheon. The closely related plural form elohim is used more often in the Bible, but both derive from the same Semitic root as Allah.
Which is correct Jehovah or Yahweh?
Although Christian scholars after the Renaissance and Reformation periods used the term Jehovah for YHWH, in the 19th and 20th centuries biblical scholars again began to use the form Yahweh.
What was Jesus real name?
Jesus' name in Hebrew was “Yeshua” which translates to English as Joshua.
Is Elohim feminine?
Biblical perspectives Elohim is also masculine in form. The most common phrases in the Tanakh are vayomer Elohim and vayomer YHWH — "and God said" (hundreds of occurrences). Genesis 1:26-27 says that the elohim were male and female, and humans were made in their image.
What does Elohim mean?
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 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 ...
Who is the prophet who said Yahweh is the only true Elohim?
Elijah is known as the prophet who was steadfast in proclaiming that Yahweh was the only true Elohim. Even the name Israel means “prince of El”. Another interesting aspect of the name Elohim is that it is, in fact, a plural.
What does the name Yahweh mean in the Bible?
7 Meanings of Yahweh - God's Name in the Bible. Abba Father - What it Means and Why it’s Important. God is the Alpha and Omega - Meaning & Understanding. The Meaning of Hosanna - Powerful Name of Jesus from the Bible. Jehovah Jireh: “The Lord Will Provide” Name of God.
What are some examples of names in the Old Testament?
Several names of popular OT characters have El in their name: Elijah (“El is Yahweh ”) and Samuel (“Heard by El”) are two such examples. When you remember the story of both Elijah and Samuel , you see the importance a name had in the Old Testament.
What is the name of God in the Bible?
One of these names is Elohim. Elohim is one of the most frequently used names for God in the Scriptures. It is this word which is used in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.” In fact the word appears some 2,750 times in the Old Testament.
Is Elohim a cactus?
So, just as one child might refer to a kitty as puppy, and another refer to his beagle as a puppy, so also one might refer to a cactus as Elohim and another who has full covenant knowledge of Yahweh refer to him as Elohim.
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 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 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 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 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.
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.
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 Elohim a cactus?
So, just one child might refer to a kitty cat as puppy and another refer to his beagle as a puppy, so also, one might refer to a cactus as Elohim and another who has full covenant knowledge of Yahweh refer to him as Elohim.
What does "elohim" mean?
In names אל ( 'el) usually refers to אלהים ( 'elohim ), that is Elohim, or God, also known as אלה ( 'eloah ). In English, the words 'God' and 'god' exclusively refer to the deity but in Hebrew the words אל ( 'l) and אלה ( 'lh) are far more common and may express approach and negation, acts of wailing and pointing, and may even mean oak or terebinth.
Why is Elohim called Elohim?
Though certainly much debated, the name Elohim (still most probably) has to do with the first God-experience that people had; awe or reverence for the powers of nature, and the desire to know these forces and live happily ever after in perfect and prosperous harmony with these forces of nature .
What is the Hebrew word for God?
אלה. Unlike our English word "God," the Hebrew words for God — namely אל ( 'el ), אלה ( 'eloah) and אלהים ( 'elohim) — are part of such a vast array of words that today nobody quite knows what the divine concept might have entailed to the ancients.
What does the name Elohim mean in the Bible?
The word Elohim is in the Bible even used to (probably) mean 'angels' and even 'judges' . For a list of occurrences where the word elohim does not mean God, see our article on the First Commandment. Bottom line: the Name Elohim has something to do with powers: The Powers That Be; The Many Powered.
What is the particle of motion toward in Hebrew?
The common Hebrew definite article is ה ( he ), which also serves as a particle of motion-toward. Another particle of motion-toward is אל ( 'el ), which suggests that God is that which approaches. But then again, the word אל ( 'al) is an adverb of negation.
Where does the name El come from?
Also note that the Hebrew name אל ( 'el) transliterated into Greek forms Ηλ, which constitutes the first syllable of the word ηλιος ( helios ), meaning sun and which originates in a very ancient proto Indo-European root. ע.
Where does the word "deity" come from?
Our word "deity" comes from a root in Sanskrit to mean "sky" but we do not worship a sky-god".
What does Elohim mean?
The best understanding seems to be the “strong one” or the “mighty one.”. The idea that it communicates is that of an all-powerful and sovereign God who is king over the whole world.
Who is the true elohim?
God is portrayed in Scripture as the true ‘ elohim whom all the other little 'elohim (angels) serve and answer to. True, some have rebelled against Him, but they still must answer to Him in judgment ( Ps. 82 ). Deut. 6:4 says, “Listen, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!”.
What is the Hebrew word for "master"?
The Hebrew word for “master” in these two cases is the masculine plural adone, which is surrounded by singular modifiers. Other examples are the word “enemy” in Jdg. 16:23 and “owner” in Isa. 1:3. The trinity is not introduced until the New Testament and even then it is not clearly revealed. One has to connect the dots to come to ...
Is Elohim a plural noun?
Grammatical Description. 'Elohim is a plural noun; however, in the Hebrew plural nouns do not always indicate plurality. If a noun is intended to be understood as a plural, then the verbs and adjectives that surround it will also be plural. Yet when ‘ elohim is used of the one true God, it takes singular verbs and adjectives with it.
Is Elohim a true plural?
Sometimes ‘ elohim is used as a true numerical plural, translated as “gods,” and this plurality is determined by the plural modifiers that surround the word ( Ex. 12:12 ). Other times that the true numerical plural of 'elohim shows up is with reference to the angelic host. In Gen. 3:5, “The serpent said to the woman, ‘surely you will not die, ...
What does Elohim mean in Hebrew?
To wrap it all up, we've discovered that the meaning of Elohim in Hebrew is "one who is strong and has authority ," and that the word is sometimes used to refer to God, and other times it refers to humans.
What does the root word "Elohim" mean?
What Elohim Means. The root word of "Elohim" is "El," and is used numerous times in the Scriptures to refer to Yahweh God. This root word is composed of two letters: Aleph (Hebrew א) and Lamed (Hebrew ל). The word "El" in Hebrew represents the idea of "one who is strong and has authority," or "a strong one with great authority.".
Why do some scholars believe that Elohim means humans?
Most people who hold to a mortal view of Psalm 82 don't even know that the reason why some scholars believe that elohim means humans is because that when Moses was approached by his father in law Jethro, he was advised to have other men, "Elders" do certain tasks, to free up time for Moses.
What is the root word of the Hebrew word "Eloha"?
So we get get a better grasp of ancient Hebrew words by studying the letters that compose the root words. From the root word "El" comes the word "Eloha" (translated into English as "god"), and the plural form "Elohim" (translated into English as God or gods).
What does the word "El" mean in the Bible?
The word "El" in Hebrew represents the idea of "one who is strong and has authority, " or "a strong one with great authority.". Anyone can arrive at this conclusion by studying the context of the passages in the Bible that use the word. What's also fascinating to know is the meaning behind the Hebrew letters of the word.
What does the plural form mean in Yahweh?
One perspective says that using the plural form better represents the threefold nature of Yahweh: Father , Son , and Holy Spirit. Another perspective says that using the plural form represents a higher form of strength, implying that God is the "strong est one with the most authority.".
Is a human an Elohim?
Humans are Elohim. I was completely blown away when I discovered that humans are sometimes referred to as "elohim" in the Script ures. Take Psalm 82:6 as an example: "I said, 'You are gods [elohim], all of you are sons of the Most High.'".
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.
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.
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 ...
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.
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).
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 …