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Hebrew word · Strong H430

What does Elohim mean?

Elohim is the most common Hebrew word for God — it is the word in the Bible's first verse: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The form is plural, but when it refers to the God of Israel it takes a singular verb: it is the one God, in his greatness and fullness.

אֱלֹהִים

ʼĕlôhîym · transliteration · el-o-heem' · pronunciation

In Strong’s lexicon
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
In the King James
  • God2075
  • gods190
Appears in
2,249 verses

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The meaning of Elohim in the Bible

Elohim is the plural of Eloah (H433) and, depending on the context, can refer to the gods of other nations, to angels or, now and then, to judges. But in more than two thousand verses it is the Creator God. Scholars call this use a plural of majesty or fullness: the plural form expresses the greatness of the one God, and the singular verb makes clear that there are not many.

Elohim is the name of the God who creates and rules all things; YHWH (the LORD) is the personal name by which he reveals himself in the covenant. The two often appear together — “the LORD God” — and the Shema, Israel's confession of faith, joins them: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4).

Where Elohim appears

Psalms 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Elohim and Yahweh?
Elohim is the general word for God (and for gods in general); YHWH is the personal name of the God of Israel. The King James translates Elohim as “God” and YHWH as “LORD”.
Does Elohim refer to the Trinity?
The plural of Elohim alone does not prove the Trinity — Hebrew uses plurals of majesty — but many Christians see in it, and in passages such as “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26), an opening for the revelation of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the New Testament.

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