The following article was published on Bible Facts Press website.
What are the names of God in the Old Testament of the Bible and what do they mean? God Almighty is supreme and beyond comprehension, some of His qualities are Mighty, Creator, Lord, Provider, and Healer. God, the All-Powerful and Mighty One has many names for good reason. While we are blessed with great minds, wisdom and knowledge come from God. It is only when we get closer to Him that we get a glimpse of His awesomeness. We can begin by looking at the names on the list to give us an idea of some of the attributes the Bible describes God to be. Knowing the names of Our Father draws us closer to Him.
Sometimes we get caught up in our own little world without actually realizing how fearful and respectful we should be of the Righteous One.
Modern translations of the Bible have removed the true meaning of the names of God, so we take a look at the Hebrew Bible to give us further understanding. Be blessed and grow in your faith by studying the names below.
Names of God & Meaning
EL
Translated God. (mighty, strong, prominent) used 250 times in the Old Testament;
Genesis 7.1 The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I consider you godly among this generation.
Gen. 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.
ELOHIM
Translated God (a plural noun, more than two, used with singular verbs, the dual form Eloah is used in Job); Elohim occurs 2,570 times in the OT, 32 times in Gen. 1.
God as Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty and Strong. Eccl., Dan. Jonah uses Elohim almost exclusively.
Genesis 17:7 I will confirm my covenant as a perpetual covenant between me and you. It will extend to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
Gen 6:18, 9:15, 50:24; I Kings 8:23; Jer. 31:33; Isa. 40:1.
EL SHADDAI
Translated God Almighty or “God All Sufficient.” 48 times in the OT, 31 times in Job. The Septuagint uses Greek “ikanos” meaning “all-sufficient” or “self-sufficient.” The idols of the heathen are called “sheddim.”
Genesis 17:1-2 1 When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the Sovereign God. Walk before me and be blameless. 2 Then I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants.”
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.”
ADONAI
Translated 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.
Genesis 15:2 But Abram said, “O Sovereign Lord, what will you give me since I continue to be childless, and my heir is Eliezer of Damascus?”
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 Yahweh). 200 times by Ezekiel. Ten times in Dan. 9.
YAHWEH or Jehovah
Translated LORD in our English Bibles (all capitals). Yahweh is the covenant name of God. Occurs 6823 times in the OT (Yahweh 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 Yahweh almost exclusively. The love of God is conditioned upon His moral and spiritual attributes.
Genesis 2:4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created—when the Lord God made the earth and heavens.
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 Yahweh and Elohim to indicate one God with a plurality of persons.
YAHWEH-JIREH
Translated “The Lord will Provide.” From “jireh” (“to see” or “to provide,” or to “foresee” as a prophet.) God always provides, adequate when the times come.
Genesis 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord provides.” It is said to this day, “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.”
YAHWEH-ROPHE
Translated “The Lord Who Heals“. From “rophe” (“to heal”); implies spiritual, emotional as well as physical healing. God heals body, soul and spirit; all levels of man’s being.
Exodus 15:22-26 Then Moses led Israel to journey away from the Red Sea. They went out to the wilderness of Shur, walked for three days into the wilderness, and found no water. 23 Then they came to Marah, but they were not able to drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter. (That is why its name was Marah.)
24 So the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What can we drink?” 25 He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When Moses threw it into the water, the water became safe to drink. There the Lord made for them a binding ordinance, and there he tested them. 26 He said, “If you will diligently obey the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, then all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians I will not bring on you, for I, the Lord, am your healer.”
Jer. 30:17, 3:22; Isa. 61:1
YAHWEH-NISSI
Translated “The Lord Our Banner.” God on the battlefield, from word which means “to glisten,” “to lift up,”
Exodus 1:15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,
Psa. 4:6
YAHWEH-M’KADDESH
Translated “The Lord Who Sanctifies“. “To make whole, set apart for holiness.”
Leviticus 20:8 You must be sure to obey my statutes. I am the Lord who sanctifies you.
YAHWEH-SHALOM
Translated “The Lord Our Peace”. “Shalom” translated “peace” 170 times means “whole,” “finished,” “fulfilled,” “perfected.” Related to “well,” welfare.”
Judges 6:24 Gideon built an altar for the Lord there, and named it “The Lord is on friendly terms with me.” To this day it is still there in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
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.
YAHWEH ELOHIM:
Translated “LORD God”
Genesis 2:4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created—when the Lord God made the earth and heavens.
Judges 5:3; Isa. 17:6; Zeph. 2:9; Psa. 59:5, etc.
YAHWEH-TSIDKENU
Translated “The Lord Our Righteousness“. From “tsidek” (straight, stiff, balanced – as on scales – full weight, justice, right, righteous, declared innocent.) The God Who is our righteousness.
Jeremiah 23:5-6 “I, the Lord, promise that a new time will certainly come when I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David. He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding and will do what is just and right in the land. 6 Under his rule Judah will enjoy safety and Israel will live in security. This is the name he will go by: ‘The Lord has provided us with justice.’
Jer. 33:16
YAHWEH-ROHI
Translated “The Lord Our Shepherd” from “ro’eh” (to pasture).
Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water. 3 He restores my strength. He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation. 4 Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me. 5 You prepare a feast before me in plain sight of my enemies. You refresh my head with oil; my cup is completely full. 6 Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days, and I will live in the Lord’s house for the rest of my life.
YAHWEH-SHAMMAH
Translated “The Lord is There”
Ezekiel 48:35 The circumference of the city will be 6 miles. The name of the city from that day forward will be: ‘The Lord Is There.’”
YAHWEH-SABAOTH
Translated “The Lord of Hosts” The commander of the angelic host and the armies of God.
Isaiah 1:24 Therefore, the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the Powerful One of Israel, says this: “Ah, I will seek vengeance against my adversaries, I will take revenge against my enemies.
Psa. 46:7, 11; 2 Kings 3:9-12; Jer. 11:20 (NT: Rom. 9:29; James 5:24, Rev. 19: 11-16
EL ELYON
Translated ‘Most High” (from “to go up”)
Deuteronomy 26:19 Then he will elevate you above all the nations he has made and you will receive praise, fame, and honor. You will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he has said.
Deut. 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”)
Genesis 49:24 But his bow will remain steady, and his hands will be skillful; because of the hands of the Powerful One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
Deut. 10:17; Psa. 132:2, 5; Isa. 1:24, 49:26, 60:1.
KADOSH
“Holy One”
Psalm 71:22 I will express my thanks to you with a stringed instrument, praising your faithfulness, O my God. I will sing praises to you accompanied by a harp, O Holy One of Israel.
Isa. 40:25, 43:3, 48:17. Isaiah uses the expression “the Holy One of Israel” 29 times.
SHAPHAT
“Judge”
Genesis 18:25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?”
EL ROI
“God of Seeing” Hagar. The God Who opens our eyes.
Genesis 16:13 So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!”
KANNA
“Jealous” (zealous).
Exodus 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me,
Ex. 34:14; Deut. 5:9; Isa. 9:7; Zech. 1:14, 8:2.
PALET
“Deliverer”
Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my high ridge, my stronghold, my deliverer. My God is my rocky summit where I take shelter, my shield, the horn that saves me, and my refuge.
YESHA
(Y’shua) “Savior” 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).
Isaiah 43:3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer. I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price, Ethiopia and Seba in place of you.
GAOL
“Redeemer” (to buy back by paying a price); For example, the antitype corresponding to Boaz the Kinsman-Redeemer in the Book of Ruth.
Job 19:25 As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth.
MAGEN
“Shield”
Psalm 3:3 But you, Lord, are a shield that protects me; you are my glory and the one who restores me.
Psa. 18:30.
EYALUTH
“Strength”
Psalm 22:19 But you, O Lord, do not remain far away. You are my source of strength. Hurry and help me!
TSADDIQ
“Righteous One”
Psalm 7:9 May the evil deeds of the wicked come to an end. But make the innocent secure, O righteous God, you who examine inner thoughts and motives.
EL-OLAM
“Everlasting God” (God of everlasting time) Psa. 90:1-3, 93:2; Isa. 26:4.
Genesis 21:33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the Lord, the eternal God.
EL-BERITH
“God of the Covenant”
Judges 9:46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard the news, they went to the stronghold of the temple of El Berith.
EL-GIBHOR
Mighty God
Isaiah 9:6 For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called Wonderful Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
ZUR
“God our Rock”
Deuteronomy 32:18 You forgot the Rock who fathered you, and put out of mind the God who gave you birth.
Isa. 30:29.
MELEKH
“King”
Psalm 5:2 Pay attention to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I am praying to you!
Psa 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.
For further names of the Creator, please visit:
960 Names and Titles of our God (God's biblical names)
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