“A MODERN JEW’S ANSWER.” ⁱ Disbelieving Jews offer all kinds of answers for explaining away the plural of Jehovah in the Old Testament. ⁱⁱ I have selected one who admits the plural is used for God in the Hebrew Scriptures. My review of his opinion is given below.

Review. The word for an individual God in the ancient Old Testament Hebrew language was el ^H410 . Americans are familiar with the word “el.” First of all, you have heard of the nation of Israel. If so, you are acquainted with its ending of "-el." The name Israel is derived from the Hebrew words, "yisra," which means "to struggle", and "el," which stands for "God." Incidentally, EL was borrowed for the fanciful story of Superman in the Twentieth Century. The scientist El on the dying planet Krypton sends his son to Earth to save both his child along with the destined planet Earth (or at least the USA).

Plural and revelation. The Hebrew plural form for God is Elohim; that is, el ^H410 with a Hebrew plural ending “im” which is equivalent to our English “s”. The mystery is why God made "Himself" known to the Hebrews as a plural Elohim in the Old Testament instead of the singular “El”? And since this is true, why shouldn't Christians be able to use it too in explaining the Trinity being referred to in the Old Testament. We might also ponder why the Old Testament translators thought it expedient to hide the use of the plural from the English reader. This includes both the Jewish scholars' translation of the Old Testament into the Greek and modern translators into English.

It is very clear that the original text makes a distinction between singular and plural God. The writers (prophets) distinguish between singular and plural with scrutiny. Around 200 times the Old Testament Hebrew Biblical text indeed uses the singular EL; e.g., with Melchizedec, “priest of El” (God, Genesis 14:18-20); with Hagar (Genesis 16:13); with Abram (Genesis 17:1); with Jacob (Genesis 31:13); with Joseph (Genesis 43:14); with Moses on the Mount (Exodus 34:5); with the Psalmist (Psalm 84:1,2). The plural reference Elohim, on the other hand, is used for “God” over 2400 times in the Old Testament . Beginning in Genesis 1:1 God as the creator is designated Elohim .

A JEWISH EXPLANATION FOR THE PLURAL. My proposition is that the use of the plural for God in Genesis 1 proves the Trinity of the Godhead in the beginning. The Jews would have known their Creator by the plural "GODS". In answer to such a proposition, a Jewish writer online admits the plural being used. But he explains “the Jewish Scriptures teach us that ’Elohim is an honorific title, which expresses the plural of majesty. The underlying reason for the grammatically plural form ’Elohim is to indicate the all-inclusiveness of God’s authority as possessing every conceivable attribute of power.” ⁱⁱⁱ

As I have pointed out that even some Christians have criticized me for referring to the Trinity in the plural as Gods in my illustrated book. But the Jewish writer referred to above, supposes that there are some Trinitarians that do. So I’m not alone in my plural reference to "Gods."

ERROR: EXPLAINING “ELOHIM AS A TITLE OF POWER.” The writer referenced above believes the use of the PLURAL was for MAJESTY. In this Jew’s article the Hebrew plural Elohim for God is explained simply as “an honorific title.” But of course that simply is what he has been told. No where in the texts do the prophets or Moses claim this. This is what’s important: Only heaven’s inspired revelation can explain why the prophets used the plural Elohim “for Gods created” (Genesis 1:1).

2 Peter 1:21 (CEV), “The prophets did not think these things up on their own, but they were guided by the Spirit of God.”

The period of history before the flood had to be delivered through the prophets. To my knowledge no archeological finding reveals any secular history recorded by men before the flood. Genesis 1:1 was delivered to men (attributed by some to the prophet Moses, e.g., Exodus 34:27)^iv but with no explanation for either the plurality or the plural speech in verse 26, “Let us make.” The creation scenes had to be revealed from Heaven to the Jews by some means. The identity of the plural name for the Creator was given without explanation.

HIS MAJESTY? The Jewish article, referred to above, admits that the Hebrew word Elohim in the translated English versions is supposed to be plural. But to him the plural was used to emphasize majesty and every attribute of power. But how would he know this? He does not attribute this knowledge being from God. His only explanation is from a commentator "Rashi" who defines El and Elohim as denoting holiness and strength for the God of Israel who is “the sum of all powers.”

MY QUESTION: If the plural was required for the expression of power for our Creator to the Jews, why is the word not so translated in the plural in English for us to marvel also? Surely God’s power is not to be diminished by the English reader? The same applies to God’s majesty. Is God’s majesty to be diminished in the Gentile world by reducing God to a singular when plural is preferred in the original?

Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries defines for us how the word elohim was understood by the ancients.

'elo^hi^ym^H430 Plural --gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative

Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions`

'e^l. ^H410 [Singular] 1) god, god-like one, mighty one; 2) mighty things in nature; 3) strength, power.

Please note that the singular 'e^l is sufficient to indicate “power.” The plural is not required for this.

If the plural was to give the true God extra glory, the people surely diminished it by their using it for the enemy’s gods which, by the way, is correctly translated. It is more reasonable to believe that the Israelites had been simply taught by the prophets to use the plural for the true deity and they just applied it themselves to any religion.

The above protagonist also writes, "In biblical Hebrew, many singular abstractions are expressed in the plural form, e.g., rachamim, 'compassion' (Genesis 43:14, Deuteronomy 13:18); zekunim, 'old age' (Genesis 21:2, 37:3, 44:20); n‘urim, 'youth' (Isaiah 54:6, Psalms 127:4)." ^v Such an argument appears irrelevant. Hebrew words related to deity appear consistently plural or singular whereas the mentioned illustrative words take on specific identifiable meanings with the "im" ending. For example, 1) rachamim according to Strong's Hebrew and Greek dictionary's H7356 means "compassion (in the plural)"; 2) zekunim H2208 means "Properly passive participle ... (used only in the plural as a noun); old age"; n‘urim, H5271 "(only in plural collectively or emphatically) youth." The word Elohim, on the other hand, changes meaning in the prejudicial eye of the beholder (reader).

Throughout the Old Testament “God” (elohim) is known by the plural “gods” in the Hebrew text. English interprets its application via the translators with a capital "G" or a small "g". This also is not in the original. The Hebrew word for God is plural (Gods) in Genesis 1:1 while the action word “created” is singular. This is what we could expect for the Trinity’s action: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit "create" TOGETHER (only identified in the New Testament; e.g., Matthew 28:19).

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND THE PLURAL ELOHIM.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. “And Elohim spoke” (Exodus 20:1). “I am Jehovah thy Elohim” (20:2). “… have no other Elohim” (20:3). “For I the Jehovah thy Elohim am a jealous El” (20:5). “Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy Elohim in vain” (20:7). “But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Jehovah thy Elohim” (20:10). “For in six days the Jehovah made” (20:11). “… the land which the Jehovah^H3068 thy Elohim^H430 giveth thee” (20:12).

“And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not Elohim^H430 speak with us, lest we die.” And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for Elohim^H430 is come to prove you …” (Exodus 20:19,20).

In the repetition of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5, the plural Elohim^H430 is likewise used.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 is the commandment to the Jews. Deuteronomy 6:4&5,  "Hear, O Israel: The LORD (yeho^va^h) our God ('elo^hi^ym) is one LORD (yeho^va^h):  And thou shalt love the LORD (yeho^va^h) thy God ('elo^hi^ym) with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."  The word for “one” in this passage is “echad." "Echad is a numerical adjective and naturally enough is sometimes found modifying a collective noun - one family, one herd, and one bunch." ^vi In this passage, “one Lord” does not speak of a singular “one,” but a plural “one" since "God" (Elohim) is admittedly plural.

It is plain to see that the Deity is certainly referred to in the Old Testament in the plural without explanation in the inspired text. It is a mystery as to why until we get to the New Testament which completely reveals who Deity is, along with its example for the uniting of Jew and Gentile in the church. Just as the plural God unites as one in creation, the church plural are to unite in divine service as Jesus prayed in John 17:21.

MY CONCLUSION: The confusion with the plurals and their meanings come from the preconceived notion that the Bible’s source is from men; specifically the Jews. And hence, Jews can explain what is meant by the strange use of the language. If this were to be true then the Bible would not be from God and nothing more than man’s attempt to record history of a particular nation and their belief in a particular god. If this were true then we would be allowed to go to the “receivers” to acquire commentary on their religion.

And if this were true then the entire Bible would not be reliable in any sense and a fraud made upon the hopes of mankind.

If we accept the premise that the Bible is the actual and true Word of God then the Hebrew message would transcend the theories of man. Therefore, if the message speaks of the plural of gods creating the world, then the plural gods created the world. The language could not be explained away. The language is only a vehicle to make known Heaven’s Truth. If the word normally meant a plural then that’s what God meant. If He wanted to convey a singular Creator, there is a way to do that in the Hebrew language and He is able to use that word.

Consequently, the question is not can we interpret God’s words to fit our theology but why did the Bible's Old Testament use the plural for God and what does it mean from Heaven’s viewpoint. Why did God use the plural to represent Himself. And why did He use the same word to compare or contrast with “other” gods?

GAYLON WEST :::: CONTINUE TO PART 3 by tapping on the link under the image above or the link below.