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Overview of the Names of God in Scripture
I. Elohim:
The plural form of EL, meaning “strong one.” It is used of false gods, but when used of the true God, it is a plural of majesty and intimates the trinity. It is especially used of God’s sovereignty, creative work, mighty work for Israel and in relation to His sovereignty (Isa. 54:5; Jer. 32:27; Gen. 1:1; Isa. 45:18; Deut. 5:23; 8:15; Ps. 68:7). Bible: God; LORD. (Linguistically the singular form, Eloha, takes the feminine form while the plural, Elohim, takes the masculine form)
COMPOUNDS OF "EL"
El: "God," Eloha, Elohai (My God), and Elohaynu (Our God).
El Shaddai: “God Almighty, All Sufficient God” The derivation is uncertain. Some think it stresses God’s loving supply and comfort; others His power as the Almighty one standing on a mountain and who corrects and chastens (Gen. 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; Ex. 6:1; Ps. 91:1, 2).
El Elyon: “The Most High God.” Stresses God’s strength, sovereignty, and supremacy (Gen. 14:19; Numbers 24:16; Ps. 9:2; Dan. 7:18, 22, 25).
El Roi: "God who sees."
El Olam: “The Everlasting God.” Emphasizes God’s unchangeableness and is connected with His inexhaustibleness. (Olam: world, universe, everlasting time and/or space) (Gen. 16:13; 21:33; Psalms 90:1-3; 93:2; Isaiah 26:4).
El Echad: "The One God." Malachi 2:10
El Hanne'eman, "The Faithful God." Deuteronomy 7:9
El Emet: "The God of Trueh." Psalms 31:5
El Tsaddik: "The Righteous God." Isaiah 45:21
El Yeshurun: "The God of righteous people." Deuteronomy 32:15; 33:5, 26; Isaiah 44:2).
El Gibbor: "The Mighty God." Isaiah 9:6 (as in strong or mighty warrior / champion).
El De'ot: "The God of Knowledge." (1 Samuel 2:3)
El Haggadol: "The Great God." (Deuteronomy 10:17)
El Hakkavod: "The God of Glory." (Psalms 29:3)
El Hakkadosh: "The Holy God." (Isaiah 5:16)
El Hashamayim: "The God of the Heavens." (Psalms 136:26)
El Chaiyai: "The God of my life." (Psalms 42:8)
El-Channun: "The Gracious God." (Jonah 4:2)
El-Yisrael: "The God of Israel." (Psalms 68:36) Israel comes from the verb sara, to contend, and associates El with YHVH (Genesis 32)
El Sali: "The God of my strength." (Psalms 42:9) Sala means cliff or crag in Hebrew, used poetically like rock.
El Erekh Apayim avi ha-tanchumim: "The God of Patience and Consolation." Romans 15:5; Isaiah 57:18)
El Rachum: "The God of Compassion." (Deuteronomy 4:31) (Rachum means womb)
El malei Rachamim: "All Merciful God."
El Yeshuati: "The God of my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2) (from yeshuah, meaning salvation, deliverance, and victory)
El-Kanno: "The Jealous God." (Exodus 20:5; 34:14; Numbers 5:14, 30; Deuteronomy 4:24; 5:9; 6:15; Joshuah 24:19; 1 Kings 19:10, 14; Ezekiel 39:25; Joel 2:18; Nahum 1:2; Zecherah 1:14; 8:2)
ImmanuEL: "God with us." (Isaiah 7:14)
El Hannora: "The Awsome God." (Nemehiah 9:32)
II. Yahweh (YHWH) - Jehovah[1]: (The Hebrew letters: Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh).
Comes from a verb which means “to exist, be.” This, plus its usage, shows that this name stresses God as the independent and self-existent God of revelation and redemption (Gen. 4:3; Ex. 6:3 (cf. 3:14); 3:12) (known as the Tetragrammaton[2]). Bible: Lord, except when appearing beside Adonai, then, God, to avoid confusion. The Lockman foundation states (NASB), "It has been known that for many years YHWH has been transliterated as Yahweh. No complete certainty attaches to this pronunciation. However, it is felt by many who are in touch with the laity of our churches that this name conveys no religious or spiritual overtones. It is strange, uncommon, and without sufficient religious and devotional background. No amount of scholarly debate can overcome this deficiency. Hence, it was decided to avoid the use of this name in the translation proper.
COMPOUNDS OF "Yahweh (Jehovah)":
These compounds are designations or titles which reveal additional facts about God’s character.
Yahweh Jireh (Yireh): “The Lord will provide.” Stresses God’s provision for His people (Gen. 22:14).
Yahweh Nissi: “The Lord is my Banner.” Stresses that God is our rallying point and our means of victory; the one who fights for His people (Ex. 17:15).
Yahweh Shalom: “The Lord is Peace.” Points to the Lord as the means of our peace and rest (Jud. 6:24).
Yahweh Sabbaoth: “The Lord of Hosts.” A military figure portraying the Lord as the commander of the armies of heaven (1 Sam. 1:3; 17:45).
Yahweh Maccaddeshcem: “The Lord your Sanctifier.” Portrays the Lord as our means of sanctification or as the one who sets believers apart for His purposes (Ex. 31:13).
Yahweh Ro’i (or Raah): “The Lord my Shepherd.” Portrays the Lord as the Shepherd who cares for His people as a shepherd cares for the sheep of his pasture (Ps. 23:1).
Yahweh Tsidkenu: “The Lord our Righteousness.” Portrays the Lord as the means of our righteousness (Jer. 23:6).
Yahweh Shammah: “The Lord is there.” Portrays the Lord’s personal presence in the millennial kingdom (Ezek. 48:35).
Yahweh Elohim Israel: “The Lord, the God of Israel.” Identifies Yahweh as the God of Israel in contrast to the false gods of the nations (Jud. 5:3.; Isa. 17:6).
Yahweh Rapha: "The God that Heals." (Exodus 17:15
Yahweh Tzva'ot: "The Lord of Hosts." (Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi)
Other Scripture Names of God
III. Adonai:
Like Elohim, this too is a plural of majesty. The singular form means “master, owner.” Stresses man’s relationship to God as his master, authority, and provider (Gen. 18:2; 40:1; 1 Sam. 1:15; Ex. 21:1-6; Josh. 5:14). Bible: Master; Lord.
IV. Theos:
Greek word translated “God.” Primary name for God used in the New Testament. Its use teaches: (1) He is the only true God (Matt. 23:9; Rom. 3:30); (2) He is unique (1 Tim. 1:17; John 17:3; Rev. 15:4; 16:7); (3) He is transcendent (Acts 17:24; Heb. 3:4; Rev. 10:6); (4) He is the Savior (John 3:16; 1 Tim. 1:1; 2:3; 4:10). This name is used of Christ as God in John 1:1, 18; 20:28; 1 John 5:20; Tit. 2:13; Rom. 9:5; Heb. 1:8; 2 Pet. 1:1.
V. Kurios:
Greek word translated “Lord.” Stresses authority and supremacy. While it can mean sir (John 4:11), owner (Luke 19:33), master (Col. 3:22), or even refer to idols (1 Cor. 8:5) or husbands (1 Pet. 3:6), it is used mostly as the equivalent of Yahweh of the Old Testament. It too is used of Jesus Christ meaning (1) Rabbi or Sir (Matt. 8:6); (2) God or Deity (John 20:28; Acts 2:36; Rom. 10:9; Phil. 2:11).
VI. Despotes:
Greek word translated “Master.” Carries the idea of ownership while kurios stressed supreme authority (Luke 2:29; Acts 4:24; Rev. 6:10; 2 Pet. 2:1; Jude 4).
VII. Father:
A distinctive New Testament revelation is that through faith in Christ, God becomes our personal Father. Father is used of God in the Old Testament only 15 times while it is used of God 245 times in the New Testament. As a name of God, it stresses God’s loving care, provision, discipline, and the way we are to address God in prayer (Matt. 7:11; Jam. 1:17; Heb. 12:5-11; John 15:16; 16:23; Eph. 2:18; 3:15; 1 Thess. 3:11).
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[1] Some Christian scholars render the four-letter Name as "Jehovah," but this pronunciation is a construct. The word "Jehovah" comes from the fact that ancient Jewish texts used to put the vowels of the Name "Adonai" (the usual substitute for YHVH) under the consonants of YHVH to remind people not to pronounce YHVH as written. A sixteenth century German Christian scribe, while transliterating the Bible into Latin for the Pope, wrote the Name out as it appeared in his texts, with the consonants of YHVH and the vowels of Adonai, and came up with the word JeHoVaH, and the name stuck.
[2] The tetragrammaton (from Greek τετραγράμματον, meaning "four letters") is the Hebrew theonym יהוה, commonly transliterated into Latin letters as YHWH. It is one of the names of the God of Israel used in the Hebrew Bible. While YHWH is the most common transliteration of the tetragrammaton in English academic studies, the alternatives YHVH, JHVH and JHWH are also used. Although Yahweh is favored by most Hebrew scholars and is widely accepted as the vocalization of the Tetragrammaton, Jehovah is still used in some translations of the Bible. The Samaritans understood the pronunciation to be iabe. Some patristic sources give evidence for a Greek pronunciation iaō. As religiously observant Jews are forbidden to say or write the Tetragrammaton in full, when reading the Torah they use the word Adonai. And although most Christians have no prohibition on vocalizing the Tetragrammaton, in most Christian translations of the Bible, "LORD" is used in place of the Tetragrammaton, after the Hebrew Adonai, and is often written with small capitals (or in all caps) to distinguish it from other words translated as "Lord". The name may be derived from a verb that means "to be, to exist".
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