What Do We Mean by ‘elohim?

Justin Rogers, Ph.D.

Doctrinal Matters

The Hebrew noun ’elohim (ﬡﬥﬣ׳ﬦ, pronounced eloHEEM) is one of the most discussed designations for God in the Bible. Appearing approximately 2,600 times in Scripture, the term’s theological significance is obvious. However, many false claims about the meaning and significance of ’elohim have been advanced. A deeper look at its meaning, grammatical form, and contextual usage reveals the depth of God’s majesty and power while clarifying misconceptions about what the word does—and does not—suggest.

The Meaning of ’elohim

The word ’elohim is the plural form of the Hebrew noun ’el (or ’eloah), a general Semitic word that means “supreme power.” Thus, in Hebrew and cognate Semitic languages, such as Akkadian, Ugaritic, and Aramaic, “god” is a standard translation. There are passages in which ancient interpreters surmised the translation “judges” or “rulers” is more appropriate for ’elohim (e.g., Exodus 21:6; 22:8-9; Psalm 82:6). While debated, this proposed translation would underscore that the term does not mean “god,” strictly speaking. Therefore, the term describes a type of being who possesses unquestioned authority on the basis of His supreme power.

The Form of ’elohim

The language barrier creates problems for interpreters of the Bible. We tend to understand by analogy, so we naturally attempt to explain biblical Hebrew by connecting it to English (or another language we know). This tendency is understandable but can mislead. For example, what if Hebrew functions in a way that has no English equivalency? We are then susceptible to misinterpretation. The grammatical oddity of the term ’elohim has indeed spawned many misinterpretations. For starters, the noun ’elohim is plural in number. Now, the noun can be used as a plural just like other Hebrew nouns. In these instances, the term clearly means “gods,” and is rendered into English accordingly (e.g., Genesis 31:30; Exodus 23:32-33; Judges 10:6).

However, when the plural noun ’elohim is used in reference to the God of Israel, the term takes singular verbs, pronouns, and adjectives. Therefore, ’elohim is often said to be “plural in form but singular in meaning.” In Genesis 1:1, for example, we find, “In the beginning God [’elohim—plural] created [bara’—singular] the heavens and the earth”—a singular verb with a plural noun. In Psalm 44:4 we find, “You [singular] are my king, O God [plural]”—a singular pronoun with a plural noun. Moreover, we can have, “But as for Yahweh, he is a true [singular] God [plural]” (Jeremiah 10:10)—a singular adjective with a plural noun. Not to belabor the point, but normally, subjects agree with their verbs, pronouns, and adjectives in grammatical number (singular or plural), as well as in gender (masculine or feminine) and person (first, second, or third). I would not say in Hebrew “they is” any more than I would in English. How can a term be singular in form, but plural in meaning? And what could such a strange violation of grammatical rules mean?

Some have theorized that the plurality of ’elohim presupposes the angelic host active in all of God’s work. Others have speculated that the plural form reveals an early hint of the Trinity. However, Hebrew grammar and ancient usage show that the plural form here merely exaggerates the superlative nature of the Being in question.

’elohim as a Superlative Form of ’el

The Hebrew language sometimes uses plural forms to convey supremacy or intensity rather than numerical plurality. This feature appears in other Hebrew nouns as well and is not limited to the noun ’elohim. For example, Genesis 4:10 uses the plural for “blood” in the phrase 
“[t]he voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground,” a construction that communicates the profusion of Abel’s spilled blood. Similarly, Psalm 116:13 speaks of “the cup of salvations” (yeshu‘ot), a plural form expressing the abundance of God’s deliverance. Even in nature, this principle appears in names like behemoth, a plural form referring to a massive and majestic creature (Job 40:15). This pattern demonstrates that the Hebrew language can use plurals to indicate intensity, profusion, or majesty, not literal multiplicity.

Furthermore, the plural form can refer to God in other nouns and is not unique to ’elohim. For example, the term ’adonai (pronounced ahdohnEYE) is a first common plural form of ’adon meaning “lord.” When traditional Jews read the divine name “Yahweh,” they substitute the word ’adonai in pronunciation to avoid actually saying God’s name. The connection between the plural ’adonai and the divine name YHWH is biblical and shows that the concept of “my supreme Lord” was already understood as an adequate analogy to God’s personal name (e.g., the book of Ezekiel where one reads the combination ’adonai YHWH more than 200 times). In other words, both ’adonai and ’elohim are plural in form but singular in meaning. These parallels reinforce the fact that ’elohim functions as a majestic plural, emphasizing God’s supreme greatness, not a hidden numerical plurality within His nature—whether angelic or divine.

’elohim is Not a Secret Revelation of the Trinity

Some Christian interpreters, especially in modern times, have viewed the plural form ’elohim as a veiled reference to the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This makes sense when one’s only point of reference is English or another modern language. However, as we have seen, the Hebrew language can use the plural forms to express profusion or majesty, and not just numerical multiplicity. There are significant challenges to viewing the term ’elohim as a numerical plural, and especially to understanding it as a reference to the Trinity.

First, even if ’elohim denotes a numerical plural, the term itself does not specify how many individuals it might include. A plural can represent two, three, four, or 10,000; there is nothing inherent in the plurality of a word that confines it to three alone. Therefore, one could never extract a reference to the Trinity from the plural form of any Hebrew noun. This is an obvious and insurmountable grammatical challenge to the Trinitarian explanation. Second, if ’elohim is a veiled reference to the Trinity, then it ought always to refer to all three members of the Godhead, and never to singular beings within the Godhead. But this is not the case. For instance, Psalm 45:6-7 states, “Your throne, O God (’elohim), is forever and ever.… Therefore God (’elohim), your God (’elohim), has anointed you.” Hebrews 1:8-9 explicitly applies this passage both to God the Son (first ’elohim) and to God the Father (last two ’elohim), recognizing that the plural ’elohim can denote a singular divine person within the Godhead. If the plural refers to a singular being within the Godhead, then the plural obviously cannot also refer to all three persons of the Godhead. The plural is either a numerical plural or it isn’t; one can’t take it in two opposite grammatical senses within the same verse!

Third, no ancient Jewish or Christian interpreter who knew Hebrew argued that ’elohim proved the doctrine of the Trinity. The unity of God was one of the earliest challenges that Christian apologists faced. How could God be one and Jesus also be God (Deuteronomy 6:4)? It is striking that none of these apologists cite the Hebrew plural of ’elohim as evidence of God’s plurality in unity. Early Christians certainly affirmed the triune nature of God, but they grounded that belief on the New Testament’s explicit statements, not on mystical secrets of the Hebrew language. To ancient readers, the plural form ’elohim simply conveyed the majesty of God. Therefore, while ’elohim might seem to harmonize beautifully with the Christian understanding of the Trinity, it should not be taken as a linguistic proof of it. This point is one ultimately based on a misunderstanding of the Hebrew language.

The Supreme Example of the Category: God

When the Bible uses ’elohim to refer to the one true God, it presents Him as the supreme example of all that the word implies. God is not merely powerful—He is power’s ultimate expression. He is not just wise—He is supreme wisdom. As the supreme ’elohim, He defines what power and authority mean. From this perspective, ’elohim serves as a conceptual category in which God stands utterly alone. Other beings may be called “gods” (’elohim), but the God of Israel transcends them all. He is not one ’elohim among many; He is the incomparable YHWH our supreme ’elohim (Deuteronomy 6:4).

Conclusion

The study of ’elohim invites us to see God with renewed awe. The plural form, far from confusing or diminishing His unity, magnifies His majesty. It speaks of His supreme nature, unique power, and dominant governance of all creation. When we read that ’elohim created the heavens and the earth, we are reminded that all things begin and end with Him (Genesis 1:1). When we hear the psalmist proclaim that Yahweh is exalted above all ’elohim, we see that no power—real or invented—rivals His supremacy (Psalm 95:3). And when we recognize that we are made in the image of ’elohim, we glimpse the sacred dignity of human life—a dignity grounded in God’s own special supreme nature (Genesis 1:26-27). In the end, ’elohim teaches us that God is beyond measure, beyond category, beyond comparison. To know Him as ’elohim is to acknowledge that He alone is God, the source of all might.

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