The Names of God

The Names of God
by Lambert Dolphin

Old Testament (The Hebrew Scriptures, or Tanach):

EL: God ("mighty, strong, prominent") used 250 times in the OT See Gen. 7:1,
28:3, 35:11; Nu. 23:22; Josh. 3:10; 2 Sam. 22:31, 32; Neh. 1:5, 9:32; Isa. 9:6; Ezek.
10:5. El is linguistically equivalent to the Moslem "Allah," but the attributes of Allah in
Islam are entirely different from those of the God of the Hebrews. ELAH is Aramaic,
"god." 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."
The origin of Eloah is obscure. 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. See the Catholic Encyclopedia entry on Elohim.

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.
See Gen. 17:7, 6:18, 9:15, 50:24; I Kings 8:23; Jer. 31:33; Isa. 40:1.

EL SHADDAI: God Almighty or "God All Sufficient." 48 times in the OT,
31 times in Job. First used in Gen. 17:1, 2. (Gen. 31:29, 49:24, 25; Prov. 3:27; Micah
2:1; Isa. 60:15, 16, 66:10-13; Ruth 1:20, 21) In Rev. 16:7, "Lord God the Almighty."
The Septuagint uses Greek "ikanos" meaning "all-sufficient" or "self-sufficient." The
idols of the heathen are called "sheddim."

ADONAI: Lord in our English Bibles (Capitol 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 sing. the reference is to a human lord. Used 215
times to refer to men. First use of Adonai, Gen. 15:2. (Ex. 4:10; Judges 6:15; 2 Sam.
7:18-20; Ps. 8, 114:7, 135:5, 141:8, 109:21-28). Heavy use in Isaiah (Adonai
Jehovah). 200 times by Ezekiel. Ten times in Dan. 9.

JEHOVAH: LORD in our English Bibles (all capitals). Yahweh is the
covenant name of God. Occurs 6823 times in the OT First use Gen. 2:4 (Jehovah
Elohim). 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. The love of God is conditioned upon His
moral and spiritual attributes. (Dan. 9:14; Ps. 11:7; Lev. 19:2; Hab. 1:12). Note Deut.
6:4, 5 known to Jews as the Sh'ma uses both Jehovah and Elohim to indicate one
God with a plurality of persons.

JEHOVAH-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.

JEHOVAH-ROPHE: "The Lord Who Heals" Ex. 15:22-26. From
"rophe" ("to heal"); implies spiritual, emotional as well as physical healing. (Jer.
30:17, 3:22; Isa. 61:1) God heals body, soul and spirit; all levels of man's being.

JEHOVAH-NISSI: "The Lord Our Banner." Ex. 17:15. God on the
battlefield, from word which means "to glisten," "to lift up," See Psalm 4:6.

JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH: "The Lord Who Sanctifies" Lev. 20:8.
"To make whole, set apart for holiness."

JEHOVAH-SHALOM: "The Lord Our Peace" Judges 6:24.
"Shalom" translated "peace" 170 times means "whole," "finished," "fulfilled,"
"perfected." Related to "well," welfare." Deut. 27:6; Dan. 5:26; I Kings 9:25 8:61;
Gen. 15:16; Ex. 21:34, 22:5, 6; Lev. 7:11-21. Shalom means that kind of peace that
results from being a whole person in right relationship to God and to one's fellow
man.

SHEPHERD: Psa. 23, 79:13, 95:7, 80:1, 100:3; Gen. 49:24; Isa. 40:11.

JUDGE: Psa. 7:8, 96:13.

JEHOVAH ELOHIM: "LORD God" Gen. 2:4; Judges 5:3; Isa.
17:6; Zeph. 2:9; Psa. 59:5, etc.
JEHOVAH-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.) God our Righteousness.

JEHOVAH-ROHI: "The Lord Our Shepherd" Psa. 23, from "ro'eh"
(to pasture).

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH: "The Lord is There" (Ezek. 48:35).

JEHOVAH-SABAOTH: "The Lord of Hosts" The commander of the
angelic host and the armies of God. Isa. 1:24; Psa. 46:7, 11; 2 Kings 3:9-12; Jer.
11:20 (NT: Rom. 9:29; James 5:4, Rev. 19: 11-16).

EL ELYON: 'Most High" (from "to go up") Deut. 26:19, 32:8; Psa.
18:13; Gen. 14:18; Nu. 24:16; Psa. 78:35, 7:17, 18:13, 97:9, 56:2, 78:56, 18:13;
Dan. 7:25, 27; Isa. 14:14.

ABHIR: '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, 6:12; Isa. 4:2; Jer. 23:5, 33:15.

KADOSH: "Holy One" Psa. 71:22; Isa. 40:25, 43:3, 48:17. Isaiah uses the
expression "the Holy One of Israel" 29 times.

SHAPHAT: "Judge" Gen. 18:25

EL ROI: "God of Seeing" Hagar in Gen. 16:13. The God Who opens
our eyes.

KANNA: "Jealous" (zealous). Ex. 20:5, 34:14; Deut. 5:9; Isa. 9:7; Zech. 1:14,
8:2.

PALET: "Deliverer" Psa. 18:2.

YESHA: (Y'shua) "Savior" 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: Gen. 49:24

EYALUTH: "Strength" Psa. 22:19.

TSADDIQ: "Righteous One" Psa. 7:9.

EL-OLAM: "Everlasting God" (God of everlasting time) Gen. 21:33;
Psa. 90:1-3, 93:2; Isa. 26:4.

EL-BERITH: "God of the Covenant" Used of Baal in Judges 9:46.
Probably used originally to refer to the God of israel.

EL-GIBHOR: Mighty God (Isa. 9:6)

ZUR: "God our Rock" Deut. 32:18; Isa. 30:29.
Malachi calls Messiah "The Sun of Righteousness" (Malachi 4:2).
Isaiah calls Messiah "Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God (El Gibhor), Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6).
'Attiq Yomin (Aramaic): "Ancient of Days," Dan. 7:9, 13, 22.

MELEKH: "King" Psa. 5:2, 29:10, 44:4, 47:6-8, 48:2, 68:24, 74:12, 95:3,
97:1, 99:4, 146:10; Isa. 5:1, 5, 41:21, 43:15, 44:6; 52:7, 52:10.
"The Angel of the Lord: " Gen. 16:7ff, 21:17, 22:11, 15ff, 18:1-19:1, 24:7, 40, 31:11-
13, 32:24-30; Ex. 3:6, 13:21, Ezek. 1:10-13. Seen in the theophanies, or preincarnate
appearances of the Son of God in the OT (See I Cor. 10:3 NT).

FATHER: 2 Sam. 7:14-15; Psa. 68:5; Isa. 63:16, 64:8; Mal. 1:6.

THE FIRST AND LAST: Isa. 44:6, 48:12.


New Testament Scriptures, (Greek):

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: (soter) "Savior" Luke 1:4 7.

WORD: (logos) John 1:1ff

ALMIGHTY: (pantokrator) 2 Cor. 6:18, Revelation, 9t, e.g. 19:6.

JESUS: Derived from the Hebrew "Joshua" (Y'shua) or "Je-Hoshua" meaning
JEHOVAH IS SALVATION.

CHRIST: is equivalent to the Hebrew 'Messiah' (Meshiach), "The Anointed One."

Other NT Titles for Jesus: Shepherd of the Sheep; Master; King of kings; Lord of
lords; Bishop and Guardian of our Souls; Daystar, Deliverer, Advocate, Last (or
Second) Adam, Ancient of Days, Branch, Chief Cornerstone, Immanuel, First Born,
Head of the Body, Physician, Rock, Root of Jesse, Stone, Potentate; Chief Apostle;
Great High Priest; Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith (or Author and Finisher); Lamb
of God; Lamb Slain before the Foundation of the World; Lord God Almighty.

LOGOS: "The Word of God" John l; Rev. 19:13.

SOPHIA: "The Wisdom of God," referring to Christ, refers back to Proverbs (I Cor.
1,2)

Father, Son, Holy Spirit: Christian orthodoxy has always understood God to be
One God in Three Persons (Elohim). In The NT each person of the godhead is
called "God" and "Lord" at least once.

Names for the Holy Spirit: Counselor; Comforter; Baptizer; Advocate;
Strengthener; Sanctifier; Spirit of Christ (not the same as the spirit of Christ); Seven-
Fold Spirit (Rev.); Spirit of Truth; Spirit of Grace; Spirit of Mercy; Spirit of God; Spirit
of Holiness; Spirit of Life. Symbolized in OT and NT by (l) breath or wind; (2) fire; (3)
water; (4) oil; (5) light; (6) a dove.

The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ: Most Study Bibles have notes which give
references to the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here is what the Scofield Study
Bible Notes say:
(1) In the intimations and explicit predictions of the O.T. (a) The theophanies intimate
the appearance of God in human form, and His ministry thus to man (Gen. 16:7-13;
18:2-23. especially v. 17; 32. 28 with Hos. 12:3-5; Ex. 3:2-14). (b) The Messiah is
expressly declared to be the Son of God (Psa. 2:2-9), and God (Psa. 45:6, 7 with
Heb. 1:8,9; Psa. 110. with Mt. 22:44; Acts 2:34 and Heb. 1:13; Psa. 110.4 with Heb.
5:6; 6. 20:7. 17-21; and Zech. 6:13). (c) His virgin birth was foretold as the means
through which God could be "Immanuel," God with us (Isa. 7:13, 14 with Mt. 1:22,
23). (d) The Messiah is expressly invested with the divine names (Isa. 9:6, 7). (e) In
a prophecy of His death He is called Jehovah's "fellow" (Zech. 13:7 with Mt. 26:31).
(f) His eternal being is declared (Mic. 5:2 with Mt. 2:6; John 7:42).
(2) Christ Himself affirmed His deity. (a) He applied to Himself the Jeho-vistic I AM.
(The pronoun "he" is not in the Greek; cf. John 8:24; John 8:56-58. The Jews
correctly understood this to be our Lord's claim to full deity [v. 59]. See, also, John
10:33; 18:4-6, where, also "he" is not in the original.) (b) He claimed to be the Adonai
of the O.T. (Mt. 22:42-45. See Gen. 15:2, note). (c) He asserted His identity with the
Father (Mt. 28:19; Mk. 14:62; John 10:30; that the Jews so understood Him is shown
by vs. 31, 32; John 14:8, 9; 17. 5). (d) He exercised the chief prerogative of God
(Mk. 2:5-7; Lk. 7:48-50). (e) He asserted omnipresence (Mt. 18:20; John 3:13);
omniscience (John 11:11-14, when Jesus was fifty miles away; Mk. 11:6-8);
omnipotence (Mt. 28:18; Lk. 7:14; John 5:21-23; 6. is); mastery over nature, and
creative power (Lk. 9:16. 17; John 2:9, 10:28). (f) He received and approved human
worship (Mt. 14:33; 28: 9, John 20: 28, 29).
(3) The N.T. writers ascribe divine titles to Christ (John 1:1; 20. 28; Acts 20:28; Rom.
1:4; 9:5; 2 Thess. 1:12; 1 Tim. 3:16; Tit. 2:23; Heb. 1:8; 1 John 5:20).
(4) The N.T. writers ascribe divine perfections and attributes to Christ (e.g. Mt. 11:28;
18:20, 28:20; John 1:2, 2:23-25; 3:13; 5:17; 21:17; Heb. 1:3, 11, 12 with Heb. 13:8;
Rev. 1:8,17,18; 2:23; 11. 17; 22:13).
(5) The N.T. writers ascribe divine works to Christ (John 1:3. 16:17, Col. 1:16, 17;
Heb. 1:3).
(6) The N.T. writers teach that supreme worship should be paid to Christ (Acts 7:59,
60; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 13:14, Phil. 2:9, 10; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 1:5, 6; 5. 12, 13).
(7) The holiness and resurrection of Christ prove His deity (John 8:46; Rom. 1:4).
Philippians 2 is the great Chapter on the kenosis or self-emptying of the Lord Jesus
Christ when He became a man. His equality with the Father as the Son of God is
stated here.
Note also John 5:18 "This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because
he not only broke the sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal
with God."
A well-known NT passage of mine is Romans 9:5 "...to them (the Jewish race)
belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Messiah (who
is) God who is over all, blessed for ever. Amen."

ALPHA AND OMEGA: The First and the Last, The Beginning and The End (Rev. 1).

Additional Reading: Names of God, by Nathan Stone