Adonai..&..Elohim
"Let them praise the name of the LORD:
for His Name alone is excellent;
His glory [is] above the earth and heaven."
Psalm 148:13 (KJV)
Editor's Note:
As there is considerable variance among Bible scholars as to former customs,
usage, and translations of the various names of God in the Bible, the neutrality
and factual accuracy of this article may be disputed. These articles are a
summation of those ideas and conclusions on which most scholars agree.
Did you know that Adonai and Elohim are plural Hebrew nouns?
Two common names of God in the Biblia Hebraica (Hebrew Bible) are "Adonai" which is Hebrew for "Lord", and "Elohim" which expresses concepts of divinity (i.e., "God"). Technically, the word "Adonai" is the plural form of "Adon", meaning "my lord"; and the name "Elohim" is the masculine plural form of "Eloah".
The singular Adon was used by the Phoenicians for their pagan god Tammuz and is the origin of the Greek name Adonis. The ordinary feminine singular word "Eloah" refers to the pagan polytheistic notion of multiple gods, or to powerful men or judges (Exodus 21:6 "...then his master [eloah] shall bring him to God, and shall bring him to the door or to the door-post, and his master [eloah] shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.").
Since Adonai and Elohim are written in the plural form, many Christians have used this as a foundation on which to build the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. However, while these names are written in the plural form, they regularly employ singular verbs in Hebrew grammar and are singular in usage. Therefore, acting as singular nouns with singular verbs, many believe these names represent a plural of majesty, perhaps pointing out that this one God embodies all the attributes of the many pagan gods worshipped by other peoples.
Adonai (Hebrew: Adonay) was used as a substitute for the name Yahweh (YHWH).
If you'll recall, last month I told you that the Tetragrammaton YHWH appears approximately 6000 times in the Hebrew Scriptures. To avoid violating the commandment "You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain" (Exodus 20:7), sometimes Adonai was used as a substitute for Yahweh (YHWH) or the vowels "a-o-a" were inserted between the letters "YHWH" to remind people to not pronounce the name "Yahweh".
Adonai (Lord) means "master", "owner", or "sovereign ruler" and generally denotes the authority and position of God. Adonai is first used in Genesis 15:2 where Abram asked, "Lord Yahweh [Adonai], what will You give me, seeing I go childless...?" The word Adonai, in reference to God, occurs 300 times in the Old Testament — especially in Isaiah, Ezekiel (200 times), and Daniel (10 times in the 9th chapter). It is usually written "Lord" in most English Bibles, "Jehovah" in the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, and "Yahweh" or "Lord" in the online World English Bible.
Primarily, the name Adonai stresses man's relationship to God as his Master, Authority, and Provider. Some examples of where the name "Adonai" is used...
- Genesis 18:1: Yahweh [Adonai] appeared to him (Abraham) by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
- Joshua 5:14: He said, "No; but as prince of the host of Yahweh [Adonai] am I now come." Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship..."
- 1 Samuel 1:15: Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh [Adonai]."
- Psalm 68:32: Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! Sing praises to the Lord [Adonai]! Selah.
- Isaiah 6:1-4: In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord [Adonai] sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and His train filled the temple . . . One called to another, and said, "Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of Hosts! The whole earth is full of His glory!" The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of Him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
- See also Exodus 4:10; Judges 6:15; 2 Samuel 7:18-20; Psalm 8, 114:7, 135:5, 141:8, 109:21-28.
Elohim is the first name for God used in the Bible.
Elohim is the name of God that occurs first in Scripture in Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth." The name occurs 2,570 times in the Old Testament: 32 times in Genesis; and almost exclusively in Ecclesiastes, Daniel, and Jonah. Elohim was often used in place of "YHWH Adonai" to avoid duplication of the name "Adonai" whenever the Hebrew compound name "YHWH Adonai" appeared in Scripture.
The name "Elohim" is used in Scripture when emphasizing God's might, His creative power, and His attributes of justice and rulership. It denotes the power and pre-eminence (conspicuous glory) of God and is especially used in relation to God's sovereignty, creative work, and mighty works for Israel. Variations of this name include "El", "Eloha", "Elohai" (my God) and "Elohaynu" (our God). In the Pentateuch the name "Elohim" portrays God as the transcendent Being, the Creator of the universe.
Some examples where the name "Elohim" is used...
- Deuteronomy 5:24: ...Yahweh [Elohim] our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire...
- Deuteronomy 8:15: [Elohim]...led you through the great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water; who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint;
- Psalm 68:1: Let God [Elohim] arise! Let His enemies be scattered! Let them who hate Him also flee before Him.
- Isaiah 6:8-11: I heard the Lord's [Elohim's] voice, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here I am. Send me!" He [Elohim] said, "Go, and tell this people, 'You hear indeed, but don't understand; and you see indeed, but don't perceive." . . . Then I said, "Lord [Elohim], how long?" He answered, "Until cities are waste without inhabitant, and houses without man, and the land becomes utterly waste..."
- Isaiah 45:18: For thus says Yahweh [Elohim] who created the heavens, the God who formed the earth and made it, who established it and didn't create it a waste, who formed it to be inhabited: "I am Yahweh [Elohim]; and there is no one else."
- Isaiah 54:5: "For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Hosts is his name: and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth [Elohim] shall He be called."
- Jeremiah 32:27: "Behold, I am Yahweh [Elohim], the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for Me?"
- See also Genesis 17:7, 6:18, 9:15, 50:24; I Kings 8:23; Isaiah 40:1; and Jeremiah 31:33.