Elohim-A Query by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 24, 1873

Elohim—A Query.

By James White

“Will you oblige me by giving your views on the word, Elohim, the word so many times rendered Lord God? As a certain lecturer is at present making capital out of it, I would like to see it answered. Please read it at the close of a lecture printed on the first page of the paper which I send you.”

“OLIVE E. McCORD.”

“In the Hebrew, Elohim, the word here rendered ‘Lord God,’ is plural, and translated literally should be rendered ‘the gods.’ But had the translators given it an honest rendering, it would have sounded very much like heathen mythology. Hence, with an ingenuity worthy of a better cause, they make a show of honesty by using two words, ‘Lord God,’ which conveys an idea of plurality, yet so obscured as not to be detected by the general reader. The root of Elohim is El, and means the sun. The termination, im, forms the plural, as cherub, one; cherubim, more than one; seraph, one; seraphim, more than one. The sun, moon, and planets were the gods and goddesses of the ancients. Our ‘Lord God’ has its root in the name of the sun. What does this mean? Will our clergy explain?”

“Portland, Oregon, Sep. 1, 1871.”

The above is a good illustration of the majority of infidel objections against the Bible.

1. The word, Elohim, is used in the plural form for majesty, and some other words in the Hebrew are used in the same manner. That it is singular in signification is proved by such passages as Ex. 20:2, “I am the Lord thy God;” Deut. 6:4, “The Lord thy God is one Lord;” and all places where a singular pronoun is used. And the verb “created,” in Gen. 1:1, is singular—he, not they, created. And so also the other verbs in the history of creation and elsewhere used with Elohim. This use of the plural for the singular as indicative of majesty or power is illustrated by the use of the plural pronoun “we,” by kings and governors; but of late it is so extensively appropriated that we lose sight of the original idea of the usage. And, it could not properly be translated “the gods,” as above stated, there being no article, either expressed or implied.

2. It is not translated “Lord God.” In Gen. 1, Elohim (God) is used only. In Gen. 2:4, Jehovah Elohim (Lord God) is used. Sometimes one is used; sometimes the other; and sometimes both together. But whether separately or together, they are thus translated: Elohim, God; Jehovah, Lord; and Jehovah Elohim, Lord God.

3. The Hebrew word, “El,” (Al, nearly as a long,) signifies “strong, mighty,” and is sometimes used in this form for God, who is the Strong, the Mighty One.

4. The Hebrew for sun is “shem-esh.” There is no relation between the roots of the two words. The explanation which “our clergy” would offer would doubtless be this, that the author of the above paragraph is “willingly ignorant” of the essential facts in the matters whereof he speaks. J. H. W.