Names of God

EL: God Almighty(“mighty, strong, prominent”) used 250 times in the OT. Elah appears in the Hebrew Bible in Jer. 10:11 (which is in Aramaic, and is plural, “gods”). In Daniel (the Aramaic sections) Elah is used both of pagan gods, and of the true God, also plural. Elah is equivalent to the Hebrew Eloah which some think is dual; Elohim is three or more. The gods of the nations are called “elohim.” Elohim is the more common plural form of El. Eloah is used 41 times in Job between 3:4 and 40:2, but fewer than 15 times elsewhere in the OT.

ELOHIM: God (a plural noun, more than two, used with singular verbs);

Elohim occurs 2,570 times in the OT, 32 times in Gen. 1. God as Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty and Strong. Eccl., Dan. Jonah use Elohim almost exclusively.

JEHOVAH: LORD in our English Bibles (all capitals). Yahweh is the covenant name of God. Occurs 6823 times in the OT. From the verb “to be”, havah, similar to chavah (to live), “The Self-Existent One,” “I AM WHO I AM” or ‘I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE” as revealed to Moses at the burning bush, Ex.3. The name of God, too sacred to be uttered, abbreviated ( . . . . ) or written “YHWH” without vowel points. The tetragrammaton. Josh., Judges, Sam., and Kings use Jehovah almost exclusively.



EL SHADDAI: God All Sufficient, or God Almighty. 48 times in the OT, 31 times in Job. The Septuagint uses Greek “ikanos” meaning “all-sufficient” or “self-sufficient.” The idols of the heathen are called “sheddim.”



EL ELYON: “Most High” (from “to go up”) “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided up mankind, he set the boundaries of the peoples, according to the number of the heavenly assembly.“ Deut. 32:8

EL ROI: “God of Seeing” The God Who opens our eyes. ‘So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!” Gen. 16:13



EL-OLAM: “Everlasting God” (God of everlasting time);,”Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the Lord, the eternal God.” Gen. 21:33

EL-BERITH: “God of the Covenant” Used of Baal in Judges 9:46. Probably used originally to refer to the God of israel. “When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard the news, they went to the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.”

EL-GIBHOR: Mighty God, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon  his shoulder, and his name shall be called  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isa. 9:6



YHWH-JIREH: “The Lord will Provide.” Gen. 22:14. From “jireh” (“to see” or “to provide,” or to “foresee” as a prophet.) God always provides, adequate when the times come.



YHWH-ROPHE: “The Lord Who Heals” Ex. 15:22-26. From “rophe” (“to heal”); implies spiritual, emotional as well as physical healing. God heals body, soul and spirit; all levels of man’s being.



YHWH-NISSI: “The Lord Our Banner.” Ex. 17:15. God on the battlefield, from word which means “to glisten,” “to lift up,”



YHWH-M’KADDESH: “The Lord Who Sanctifies” “To make whole, set apart for holiness.” The Lord says: “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.” Leviticus 20:7-8



YHWH-SHALOM: “The Lord Our Peace” Judges 6:24. “Shalom” translated “peace” 170 times means “whole,” “finished,” “fulfilled,” “perfected.” Related to “well,” welfare.” Shalom means that kind of peace that results from being a whole person in right relationship to God and to one’s fellow man.

YHWH ELOHIM: “LORD God” “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.” Gen. 2:4



YHWH-TSIDKENU: “The Lord Our Righteousness” Jer. 23:5, 6, 33:16. From “tsidek” (straight, stiff, balanced – as on scales – full weight, justice, right, righteous, declared innocent.)



YHWH-ROHI: “The Lord Our Shepherd” Psa. 23, from “ro’eh” (to pasture).

YHWH-SHAMMAH: “The Lord is There” “And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There” Ezek. 48:35

YHWH-SABAOTH: “The Lord of Hosts” The commander of the angelic host and the armies of God.

“Therefore the Lord declares, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel” Isa. 1:24

YHWH-ADONAI:

Lord in our English Bibles (Capital letter ‘L ‘, lower case, ‘ord’)

(Adonai is plural, the sing. is “adon”). “Master” or “Lord” 300 times in the OT always plural when referring to God, when singular the reference is to a human lord. Used 215 times to refer to men. Heavy use in Isaiah (Adonai Jehovah). 200 times by Ezekiel. Ten times in Dan. 9.

JUDGE:

Psa. 7:8, 96:13.

ABIR: ‘Mighty One’, (“to be strong”) Gen. 49:24; Deut. 10:17; Psa. 132:2, 5; Isa. 1:24, 49:26, 60:1.

BRANCH: (tsemach), The Branch: Zech. 3:8

KADOSH: “Holy One” Isaiah uses the expression “the Holy One of Israel” 29 times.

SHAPHAT: “Judge” Gen. 18:25

KANNA: “Jealous” (zealous). Ex. 20:5

PALET: “Deliverer” Psa. 18:2.

YESHUA: “Savior” (“he will save”). Isa. 43:3. Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew “Joshua.” The latter is a contraction of Je-Hoshua. (“Christ”, the anointed one is equivalent to the Hebrew Maschiah, or Messiah).

GAOL: “Redeemer” (to buy back by paying a price). Job 19:25; For example, the antitype corresponding to Boaz the Kinsman-Redeemer in the Book of Ruth.

MAGEN: “Shield” Psa. 3:3, 18:30.

STONE: (eben) Gen. 49:24

EYALUTH: “Strength” Psa. 22:19.

TSADDIQ: “Righteous One” Psa. 7:

MELEKH: “King” Psa. 5:2

FATHER: 2 Sam. 7:14-15;

KURIOS: (kurios) “Lord” Found some 600 times in the NT.

DESPOTES: (despotes) “Lord” 5 times: Lu. 2:29; Acts 4:24; 2 Pet. 2:1; Jude 4; Rev. 6:10.

THEOS: (yeos) “God” (equivalent to the Hebrew Elohim), 1,000 times in the NT. In the NT all the persons of the trinity are called “God” at one time or another.

I AM: Jesus upset his generation especially when He said, “Before Abraham was, I AM,” John 8:58. Note also his claim to be Jehovah in such phrases as “I AM the Light of the world,” “the bread of life,” living water,” “the Resurrection and the Life,” “the Way, Truth and the Life” in John’s Gospel. From the Hebrew OT verb “to be” signifying a Living, Intelligent, Personal Being.

THEOTES: “Godhead” Col. 2:9; Rom. 1:20.

HUPSISTOS: “Highest” Mt. 21:9.

SOTER: (Savior) “Savior” Luke 1:4 7.

LOGOS: (Word) John 1:1ff

PANTOKRATOR: (Almighty) 2 Cor. 6:18

 

(Edited from Lambert Dolphin, http://www.ldolphin.org)