Names of God

A vast amount of truth is revealed in the various names for God used in the Bible. An understanding of the meanings of these names is necessary to the full understanding of hundreds of passages.

There are three primary names, indicated in the AV by the use of various type faces. When the text reads simply God, Gen. 1:1, it is Elohim or El in the Hebrew, meaning “the Strong One.” Where the text reads Lord, Gen. 15:2, it stands for Adonai in the original, meaning “master.” Lord or God in capitals stand for Jehovah, “the selfexistent One,” Gen. 2:4.

These three primary names also appear in seven different combinations with other names, in contexts of profound meaning. They are: Almighty God, or El Shaddai, “Giver of Strength,” Gen. 17:1; most high, or most high God, or El Elyon, “God the highest,” Gen. 14:18; everlasting God, or El Olam, “the eternally existent One,” Gen. 21:33; mighty God, or El Gibbor, “the powerful One,” Isa. 9:6; Lord God, or Jehovah Elohim, “the selfexistent strong One,” Gen. 2:4; Lord God, or Adonai Jehovah, “the Master who is selfexistent,” Gen. 15:2; and the Lord of hosts, or Jehovah Sabaoth, “the selfexistent Supreme Commander of all the heavenly forces,” 1 Sam. 1:3.

William Evans, The Great Doctrines of the Bible, (Chicago: Bible Institute Colportage Assoc., 1912), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “Names of God”.

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