The word "Elohim"

[Evan600]

Hello everyone,

First I just want to say hi to everyone, because I haven't been on much lately.  I still peek from time to time to see what everyone is chatting about.  I hope that everyone is continuing to learn, as I know that I am.  I hope that all of you are well too, physically and spiritually.

I have a question, and was looking for some more insight.  I have been studying Who God is, as our Father and Jesus being One.  Ever since Nashville this is something that fascinates me.  Just to know Him more.

Anyway, when we look at the different times that the word "elohim" is used in the Hebrew old testament, that it is used as a title.  I have always understood Elohim to be in the plural form.  Plural for the word El.  Then, as I looked more into the Scripture, I can't seem to find the word El alone.  As far as the Hebrew language goes, I know that the "im" at the end of Hebrew words is plural.  However, I noticed a spot in the old testament where elohim is referred for one god, Dagon (Jud 16:23). 

The main question that I have is about this word.  Has anyone done extensive studying on this word, and the Hebrew language that can offer insight?

In Christ,

Jason

[Kat]

Hi Jason,

I found this and thought there was some good info. here.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)

One of the oldest and most widely distributed terms for Deity known to the human race is 'Ēl, with its derivations 'Ēlīm, 'Ĕlōhīm, and 'Ĕlōaȟ.
Like theos, Deus and God, it is a generic term, including every member of the class deity. It may even denote a position of honor and authority among men. Moses was 'Ĕlōhīm to Pharaoh (Exo 7:1) and to Aaron (Exo 4:16; compare Jdg 5:8; 1Sa 2:25; Exo 21:5, Exo 21:6; Exo 22:7; Psa 58:11; Psa 82:1).

It is, therefore, a general term expressing majesty and authority, and it only came to be used as a proper name for Israel's God in the later period of abstract monotheism (belief that there is only one deity) when the old proper name Yahweh was held to be too sacred to be uttered.
The meaning of the root 'Ēl, and the exact relation to it, and to one another, of 'Ĕlōhīm and 'Ĕlōah, lie in complete obscurity.
By far the most frequent form used by Old Testament writers is the plural 'Ĕlōhīm, but they use it regularly with singular verbs and adjectives to denote a singular idea. Several explanations have been offered of this usage of a plural term to denote a singular idea - that it expresses the fullness and manifoldness of the Divine nature, or that it is a plural of majesty used in the manner of royal persons; other cognate (same or similar) expressions are found in Gen 1:26; Gen 3:22; 1Ki 22:19; Isa 6:8.
These theories are, perhaps, too ingenious to have occurred to the early Hebrew mind, and a more likely explanation is, that they are survivals in language of a polytheistic (belief in or worship of many gods) stage of thought. In the Old Testament they signify only the general notion of Deity.
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Hope this is helpful 

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[Evan600]

Thank you very much Kat!

[Nelson]

Hi Jason,

Interesting study. Although the word 'El' is generally used in combination with other words (beth-El), it used alone in the Hebrew scriptures. Here's some examples,

• "and blessed is God [El] Most High, who hath delivered thine adversaries into thy hand;' and he giveth to him a tenth of all. And the king of Sodom saith unto Abram, `Give to me the persons, and the substance take to thyself,' and Abram saith unto the king of Sodom, `I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah, God [El] Most High, possessing heaven and earth" (Gen 14:20-22)
  
  "And she calleth the name of Jehovah who is speaking unto her, `Thou art , O God [El], my beholder;' for she said, `Even here have I looked behind my beholder?'" (Gen 16:13)
  
  "Thou dost not bow thyself to them, nor serve them: for I, Jehovah thy God, am a zealous God [El], charging iniquity of fathers on sons, on the third generation , and on the fourth, of those hating Me" (Ex 20:5)
  
  "For a Child hath been born to us, A Son hath been given to us, And the princely power is on his shoulder, And He doth call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God [El], Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace" (Isa 9:6)

There are many other occurrences but those few should suffice. The Hebrew language is not the same in 'thought' as English. In the west we tend to think in a linear manner, sort of chronologically (as in one thing follows another) but in middle eastern thought things are looked at in a collective manner and are written as such (eg. Consider eating meals: "I had breakfast, then lunch followed by dinner and rounded off with a tasty supper." This looks as if I ate one meal after another, but in reality I did many other things in between but which were not associated with eating meals, so the subject of eating meals is clumped together as one subject rather than written chronologically or linear. We might say, "I had breakfast, then I went to the local shop for a newspaper and sat down on a park bench to read it. When I finished I went home and had lunch...etc")

This is but one example of the differences between Hebrew and English thought as well as language. It's the same regarding tense and so things are spoken differently (eg. "You have baked a cake..." could mean that a cake is being made has been made. "I have baked a cake..." can be used to refer to "I am going to make a cake...") and so translating into English is a very difficult thing because our thought processes are different.

So Elohim, El, Eloah etc. would be better understood when applying the Hebrew thought process rather than our linear thinking.

Sorry to waffle on a bit but it does help to understand the need to approach the scriptures from such a standpoint.

Ultimately the spirit of the word is more important than the words themselves. Certainly it requires digging deeper into the meanings of original language words to understand the scriptures, but don't let such study become an idol for knowledge. May the Gracious Lord give us understanding and wisdom concerning the things of the spirit.

Grace and peace to you and yours

Nelson

[Evan600]

Hi Nelson,

Thanks for the insight.  This is what I'm looking for.  It's almost like trying to understand the difference between "linear" and "digital."  I have to program digital hearing aids and I understand how they differ from "analog" or "linear" aids.  I'm trying to kind of apply what you said here with what I understand about the different languages and the different hearing aids

Thanks, and sorry about the delay on the reply to this post.  I haven't checked in, in a while.

- Jason

[Grateful]

Hi!!

I enjoyed reading everyone's remarks about the word 'Elohim'.   I just wanted to chip in and say what I discovered in my Rotherham's Emphasized Bible, about that passage that says God is "Wonderful, Counselor".....actually, there is no comma in between those two words.....hence it actually comes out as saying that God is a "Wonderful counselor".....how's that for a good clarification by Rotherham??      That Bible, and my Scofield KJV are my two favorite Bibles, although I do NOT adhere to Scofield's insistence on Hell and the generally-accepted-by-Fundamentalist-Christians idea of the Rapture.   Cruelty did NOT create the Universe!!!

Love and BLESSINGS to ALL !!

Linda