the employment of the plural form Elohim for `God', and to this we must address ourselves. There is no possible

doubt that Elohim is a plural noun, the A.V. so translates it in Genesis 3:5 `gods' and in over two hundred other

places. When we remember the idolatry which had surrounded Israel during their sojourn in Egypt, the law against

all other `gods' given at Sinai, and the extreme need to safeguard this basic doctrine, it is evident that some

imperative necessity compelled Moses to employ such a term, especially when a singular form Eloah was in use,

and employed very freely in the book of Job. The translation `gods' meets us not only in Genesis 3 but in Genesis

31:30,32; 35:2,4 and in over fifty other places in the Pentateuch. Side by side with the strange use of the title

Elohim however, is another feature which materially altered the proposition, for the plural noun which ordinarily

employs a plural verb, is here found associated with the verb in the singular.

Rules of grammar rise out of the nature of things.

Because mankind is made up of male and female, we must have the pronouns `he' and `she'. Because we

sometimes speak of man in the singular and sometimes in the plural, we have the singular `he' and the plural `they'.

It is also natural that the verb should be construed with the noun, and change when the singular changes to the

plural. So we say, in English `God SEES' but `Gods SEE'. This is all so natural and straight forward that the above

comments may seem a trifling waste of time. We find however, that not only is the word `God' in Genesis 1:1 the

plural Elohim, but it is followed by the verb in the singular, and that this is the general rule. Had there been no

overwhelming necessity, Moses would never have introduced so disturbing a word into the opening verse of

revealed truth as the plural form Elohim. The word El was known to him (Gen. 14:18; Deut. 7:9, etc.). He knew

also the word Eloah (Deut. 32:15) a title used by Job over forty times.

To every believer in the inspired Scriptures, it must be evident that the plural form was a necessity, and its

choice Divinely dictated. The strange fact that the plural Elohim is construed with a singular verb must be a

necessity also, for no one would perpetrate `by inspiration of God' a grammatical error. We are immediately

confronted with a revelation which indicates that the subject matter lies outside of the ordinary experience of

mankind. The mystery is not solved in Genesis 1:1 but it is recognized, and if we will but notice its presence, we

shall have made the first step towards its solution, at least, in part. The employment of the plural Elohim in Genesis

1:1 is not an isolated instance of this peculiar fact, for the use of the plural `God' with the singular verb is the rule

throughout the Old Testament. Isaiah who so insists upon the unique Person of the Creator, says:

`Thus saith God the LORD, He that created the heavens, and stretched them out' (Isa. 42:5).

Dr. John Lightfoot draws attention to the need for care in translating this verse, and reads `He that created ... and

they that stretched them out', which is confirmed by the note in The Companion Bible on this verse. Who are

intended by `they'? Again in Ecclesiastes where we read `Remember now thy Creator' (Eccles. 12:1), the word

Creator is plural `Creators'. At the confusion of tongues the Lord said `Let us go down' (Gen. 11:7) where the

grammatical construction is the same as that used in Genesis 11:3, `Let US make brick'. What was grammatically

true of many when speaking of man, is grammatically true of ONE when speaking of God. At the creation of man,

this use of the plural is marked `Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness'. Yet this is followed by the

words, `so God created man in HIS own image' (Gen. 1:26,27). With whom did God take counsel? The Scriptures

make it clear that He does not stoop to take counsel with any creature (Isa. 40:14).

It is easy to submit the holiest and most solemn of mysteries of Scripture to ridicule, and those who object to the

teaching of Scripture here brought forward, dismiss the idea as absurd that God, Who is One, should hold a

consultation with Himself. It may transcend anything that comes within our own experience, but is that to us the

final word? However, there still awaits us one passage that cannot be thus set aside.

We are told in Genesis 18:1 that `The LORD appeared unto Abraham in the plains of Mamre', and the title used

here is `Jehovah'. Abraham saw three men, two of them, `the two' literally, being subsequently called `angels' in

Genesis 19:1. At the confusion of tongues, the plural is used `Let US go down' but now the singular is used `I will

go down now', `To Me', `I will know' (Gen. 18:21). `The men' turned their faces towards Sodom, as we find in the

next chapter, `But Abraham stood yet before the LORD (Jehovah)' (Gen. 18:22). It is to Jehovah that Abraham

prayed, and it is Jehovah Who said `If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare it for their

sakes'. At the conclusion of this prayer `The LORD (Jehovah) went His way' (Gen. 18:33). In Genesis 19:1-23 we

have the intervention of the two angels, and the escape of Lot. Then we read these strange words :