God, Names of
The Significance of Names in Biblical Culture
In the biblical world, names carried deep meaning. They were not mere identifiers but expressions of character, purpose, and destiny. This was especially true of divine names. When God revealed a name, He was disclosing something about His nature. When people called upon God's name, they were invoking His revealed character and power.
The phrase "the name of the Lord" became a way of referring to God's full revealed character (Psalm 20:7; Proverbs 18:10). To profane God's name was to dishonor His person (Leviticus 22:32). To praise His name was to worship Him for who He truly is (Psalm 113:1-3). This understanding of names provides the essential background for appreciating the richness of the divine names in Scripture.
The Primary Names of God in the Old Testament
Elohim is the most general name for God, used over 2,500 times in the Old Testament. It is the word used in the creation account: "In the beginning, God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). Though plural in form, it is used with singular verbs when referring to the God of Israel, conveying majesty and fullness of power. Elohim emphasizes God as the mighty Creator and sovereign ruler of all things.
El is a shorter, older form of the divine name, meaning "mighty one" or "strong one." It appears frequently in compound names: El Shaddai ("God Almighty," Genesis 17:1), El Elyon ("God Most High," Genesis 14:18-20), El Roi ("God who sees," Genesis 16:13), and El Olam ("Everlasting God," Genesis 21:33). Each compound reveals a specific aspect of God's character.
Adonai means "Lord" or "Master" and expresses God's sovereign authority over His creation and His people. When Abraham addressed God as "Lord God" (Genesis 15:2), he acknowledged both God's sovereignty (Adonai) and His personal covenant relationship (Yahweh).
Yahweh (often rendered "LORD" in English Bibles) is the most significant and distinctive name of the God of Israel. It was revealed to Moses at the burning bush when God declared, "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). This name, derived from the Hebrew verb "to be," expresses God's self-existence, eternal presence, and covenant faithfulness. It is the name by which God bound Himself to Israel: "This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations" (Exodus 3:15).
Yahweh became so sacred in Jewish tradition that it was eventually not pronounced aloud, with "Adonai" substituted in its place. This reverence, while preserving the holiness of the name, also obscured its intimate, relational character. Yahweh is the God who enters into covenant, who acts in history, who hears prayers, and who keeps promises.
Compound Names of Yahweh
Several compound forms of Yahweh reveal specific aspects of His character and provision:
Yahweh Jireh ("The Lord will provide") — named by Abraham at Mount Moriah after God provided a ram in place of Isaac (Genesis 22:14).
Yahweh Rapha ("The Lord who heals") — revealed after the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15:26).
Yahweh Nissi ("The Lord is my banner") — declared by Moses after victory over the Amalekites (Exodus 17:15).
Yahweh Shalom ("The Lord is peace") — named by Gideon after encountering the angel of the Lord (Judges 6:24).
Yahweh Tsidkenu ("The Lord our righteousness") — the prophetic name of the Messiah (Jeremiah 23:6).
Yahweh Shammah ("The Lord is there") — the name of the eschatological city in Ezekiel's vision (Ezekiel 48:35).
Yahweh Sabaoth ("The Lord of hosts") — emphasizing God's command over the armies of heaven and earth, used frequently in the prophets (1 Samuel 1:3; Isaiah 6:3; Malachi 1:4).
Other Descriptive Names
El Shaddai ("God Almighty") is the name by which God revealed Himself to the patriarchs (Genesis 17:1; Exodus 6:3). Its exact etymology is debated, but it conveys overwhelming power and sufficiency.
The Holy One of Israel is Isaiah's characteristic title for God, combining transcendent majesty with covenant relationship (Isaiah 1:4; 5:19; 41:14). It declares that the God who is utterly set apart from creation has nevertheless bound Himself to a specific people.
Rock appears frequently as a metaphor for God's reliability and protection (Deuteronomy 32:4, 15, 18; Psalm 18:2; Isaiah 26:4). It conveys stability, permanence, and refuge.
Names of God in the New Testament
The New Testament continues and deepens the revelation of divine names. God (Theos) corresponds to Elohim. Lord (Kyrios) translates both Adonai and Yahweh, and its application to Jesus (Romans 10:9; Philippians 2:11) makes the stunning claim that Jesus shares in the identity of Yahweh.
Father becomes the primary way Jesus speaks of God, revealing an intimacy of relationship previously unexpressed. Jesus addressed God as "Abba" (Mark 14:36), and through the Spirit, believers share in this filial relationship (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6).
The name Jesus ("Yahweh saves") and the title Christ ("Anointed One") together express the fullness of the New Testament revelation: the God who revealed Himself as Yahweh now saves His people through His Anointed Son. Every name of God finds its culmination in the person of Jesus Christ, "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15), in whom "the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" (Colossians 2:9).
Biblical Context
The names of God appear throughout Scripture. Elohim dominates Genesis 1. Yahweh is revealed at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14-15) and pervades the covenant narrative. Compound names of Yahweh appear in key narratives: Genesis 22:14, Exodus 15:26, 17:15, Judges 6:24. The prophets emphasize Yahweh Sabaoth (Isaiah 6:3) and introduce messianic names (Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 23:6; Ezekiel 48:35). The New Testament applies Kyrios to Jesus (Philippians 2:9-11) and reveals God as Father (Matthew 6:9; John 17:1).
Theological Significance
The names of God reveal that He is not an abstract force but a personal being who discloses Himself to humanity. Each name reveals a facet of His character: power (Elohim, El Shaddai), covenant faithfulness (Yahweh), sovereignty (Adonai), holiness (Holy One of Israel), and intimate relationship (Father, Abba). The application of Old Testament divine names to Jesus in the New Testament is one of the strongest biblical arguments for the deity of Christ. Understanding God's names enriches prayer, worship, and theological reflection.
Historical Background
The divine name El was common across Semitic languages and cultures, appearing in Canaanite, Ugaritic, and other ancient texts. Elohim may reflect a superlative or intensive plural unique to Hebrew theology. The name Yahweh appears in ancient inscriptions outside the Bible, including the Moabite Stone (c. 840 BC) and the Arad ostraca. The Jewish practice of not pronouncing Yahweh developed during the Second Temple period, leading to the substitution of Adonai. The form 'Jehovah' arose in the medieval period from combining Yahweh's consonants with Adonai's vowels. Modern scholarship generally prefers 'Yahweh' as the original pronunciation.