`Jehovah our Elohim (plural) is Jehovah One' (Deut. 6:4).

ELOHIM. The first title used of God in the Scriptures.

There are two avenues of approach, one to discover if possible, the root meaning of the Hebrew word; the other

to learn from its usage all that we may, so that the mental image we receive shall be as near the truth as possible.

The etymology of the word is beset with many difficulties. Some would derive it from a word meaning `strong';

some from a word meaning `to worship'. Havernick goes to a Hebrew root now lost.

We feel that with so much diverse opinion, it may be as well to go afresh to the Book. The supposed root `to

worship' is not found in the Scriptures, and the root for `strong' must be reserved for the title El, which is not to be

confounded with Elohim. A root in constant use, and, therefore one well known to all readers of the original, is alah

- `to invoke, to make an oath and to curse'. To this day, the words `swearing', `cursing' and `oaths' have a double

meaning. They may be the most solemn utterances that can come from holy lips, or they may be the foulest

blasphemies. The word Elohim if derived from this root would indicate that God under this title was the maker of an

We are immediately in the presence of One Who has a purpose in creation and the ages, and Who has engaged

Himself to carry that purpose through. In this light we read 1 Peter 1:19,20, where Christ is spoken of as the Lamb

`foreordained before the foundation (or overthrow) of the world'. In this light too, we read 2 Timothy 1:9, where we

read of a purpose and a choice made in Christ `before the age times'. Yet once more, Ephesians 1:4 reveals a choice

in Christ before `the overthrow of the world', and takes us back to Genesis 1:1, to the very presence of that God Who

has sworn by Himself that to Him every knee should one day bow, and every tongue should one day swear or

The title Elohim occurs some 2,700 times in the Old Testament, its first occurrence linking it with creation. If

we now open the Scriptures at Genesis 1, and read right on to Genesis 2:3, the only title of God that is used is

Elohim. At Genesis 2:4 however, we find a change to the title of Jehovah-Elohim `The LORD God', where the two

great names of God are united. Readers will be already acquainted with the fact that the book of Genesis is divided

into two sections, viz., 1:1 to 2:3 the introduction, and 2:4 to 50:26, the eleven generations. There are only two

portions of the book of Genesis in which these two titles of God appear separately :

1:1 to 2:3 uses the name Elohim only.

10:1 to 11:9 uses the name Jehovah only.

In that portion which deals solely with creation, where man is seen in the image of his Maker, and where sin and

death have not yet been manifested, the name of God is Elohim. After the Flood and the placing of Noah upon the

earth as a sort of `second man', that portion contains no title other than that of Jehovah, and is concerned with the

distribution of the nations on the earth, the rebellion of Nimrod and Babel. In this section Jehovah is used seven

When we look at the opening generation of the series of generations contained in Genesis 2:4 to 4:26, it seems to

fall naturally into two parts :

(1) In the garden of Eden (Gen. 2:4 to 3:24).

(2) Outside the garden of Eden (Gen. 4:1-26).

The distribution of the divine titles is in harmony with the subject-matter: