The Names of God

According to Hebrew thought God has many names…

Elohim - which means “God”, referring to His strength, power and justice.

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.

Psalm 19:1

The heavens are telling of the glory of God [Elohim]; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

YHVH (or YHWH or Jehovah-Yahweh) - which means “I Am” or “I Am That I Am” or “I Am Who Am” or “I Am Who I Am”, referring to God’s transcendent, eternal, non-contingent, personal and merciful nature.

Genesis 2:4

This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God [YHVH] made earth and heaven.

Genesis 2:7

Then the LORD God [YHVH] formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

This is also the name which God gave to Moses when Moses asked Him who he should say was sending him to the sons of Israel…

Exodus 3:13, 14

Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM [YHVH]”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM [YHVH] has sent me to you.’”

A similar expression is used to describe God’s eternal nature in the book of Revelation…

Revelation 1:8

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Jesus also referred to Himself as I AM which is why the people got so angry that they picked up stones to throw at Him…

John 8:58, 59

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.

Adonai - which means “Lord” or “Master”, referring to the Lordship of God and His authority and dominion over the peoples and the nations of the earth.

Malachi 1:6

“ ‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the LORD [Adonai] of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’

Jehovah-Jireh - which means “the Lord will provide”.

Genesis 22:14

Abraham called the name of that place The LORD [Jehovah-Jireh] Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.”

Jehovah-Rapha - which means “the Lord our Healer”.

Exodus 15:26

And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD [Jehovah-Rapha], am your healer.”

Jehovah-Nissi - which means “the Lord our Banner”.

Exodus 17:15

Moses built an altar and named it The LORD [Jehovah-Nissi] is My Banner;

Jehovah-Maccaddeshem - which means “the Lord our Sanctifier”.

Exodus 31:13

“But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD [Jehovah-Maccaddeshem] who sanctifies you.’”

Jehovah-Shalom - which means “the Lord our Peace”.

Judges 6:24

Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The LORD [Jehovah-Shalom] is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Jehovah-Rohi - which means “the Lord our Shepherd”.

Psalm 23:1

The LORD [Jehovah-Rohi] is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Jehovah-Sabbaoth - which means “the Lord of Hosts”.

Isaiah 6:1-3

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD [Jehovah-Sabbaoth] of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.”

Jehovah-Tsidkenu - which means “the Lord our Righteousness”.

Jeremiah 23:6

“In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD [Jehovah-Tsidkenu] our righteousness.’”

Jehovah-Gmolah - which means “the God of Recompense”.

Jeremiah 51:6

Flee from the midst of Babylon, and each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, for this is the LORD’S [Jehovah-Gmolah] time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her.

Jehovah-Shammah - which means “the Lord who is present”.

Ezekiel 48:35

“The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The LORD [Jehovah-Shammah] is there.’”

El-Elyon - which means “the Most High God”.

Genesis 14:19, 20

He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High [El-Elyon], Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High [El-Elyon], who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all.

El-Roi - which means “the Strong One who sees or the God who sees”.

Genesis 16:13

Then she called the name of the LORD [El-Roi] who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?”

El-Shaddai - which means “the God of the mountains or God Almighty”.

Genesis 17:1

Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty [El Shaddai]; walk before Me, and be blameless.”

Psalm 91:1

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty [El-Shaddai].

El-Olam - which means “the everlasting God or the God of eternity”.

Isaiah 40:31

Yet those who wait for the LORD [El-Olam] will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

Jesus was given the name which is above every name and that name is The Word of God…

Philippians 2:9

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

Revelation 19:13

He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

So…

What’s the name of your God?

FOOTNOTE: According to the Talmud it is forbidden to write down the names of God because if they are erased or the paper they are written on is destroyed (whether accidentally or intentionally) it would bring great disrespect and dishonor to God. So in keeping with this tradition we ask that you do not print out this post.

For more information on this subject please click/tap on the following links:

Hebrew for Christians - Hebrew Names of God

Judaism 101 - Writing the Name of God