H430. elohim

אֱלֹהִים‎₂₅₇₀ noun masculine plural (feminine 1 Kings 11:33; on number of occurrences of אֱלֹהִים אֱלוֺהַּ, אֵל,‎ compare also Nes^{l. c},)

1 plural in number.

a. rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power: האלהים‎ Exodus 21:6 (Onk ᵑ6‎, but τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ ᵐ5‎) 22:7; 22:8; אלהים‎ 22:8; 22:27 (ᵑ7‎ Ra AE Ew RVm; but gods, ᵐ5‎ Josephus Philo AV; God, Di RV; all Covt. code of E) compare 1 Samuel 2:25 see Dr.; Judges 5:8 (Ew, but gods ᵐ5‎; God ᵑ6‎ BarHebr.; ᵑ9 יהוה‎ Be) Psalm 82:1; 82:6 (De Ew Pe; but angels Bl Hup) 138:1 (ᵑ7 ᵑ6‎ Rab Ki De; but angels ᵐ5‎ Calv; God, Ew; gods, Hup Pe Che).

b. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels Psalm 8:6 (De Che Br; but angels ᵑ7 ᵑ6 ᵐ5‎ Ew; God, RV and most moderns) Genesis 1:27 (if with Philo ᵑ7‎ Jerome De Che we interpret נעשה‎ as God's consultation with angels; compare Job 38:7).

c. angels Psalm Job 97:7 (ᵑ6 ᵐ5‎ Calv; but gods, Hup De Pe Che); compare (ה)אלהים בני‎ = (the) sons of God, or sons of gods = angels Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Genesis 6:2, 4 (J; so ᵐ5‎ Books of Enoch & Jubilees Philo Jude Judges 1:6 2 Peter 2:4 Jos^{Ant. i. 3}. 1, most ancient fathers and modern critics; against usage are sons of princes, mighty men, Onk and Rab.; sons of God, the pious, Theod Chrys Jerome Augustine Luther Calv Hengst; ᵐ5‎^L read οἱ υιὁὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ), compare אלים בני‎.

d. gods האלהים‎ Exodus 18:11; 22:19 (E) 1 Samuel 4:8; 2 Chronicles 2:4; Psalm 86:8; האלהים אלהי‎ the God of gods, supreme God Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:2; אלהים‎ Exodus 32:1, 23 (JE) Judges 9:13; אחרים אלהים‎ other gods Exodus 20:3; 23:13; Joshua 24:2, 16 (E) Deuteronomy 31:18, 20 (JE) 5:7 + (17 t. in D, not P) Judges 2:12, 17, 19; 10:13; 1 Samuel 8:8; 26:19; 1 Kings 9:6, 9 (= 2 Chronicles 7:19, 22) 11:4, 10; 14:9; 2 Kings 5:17; 17:35, 37, 38; 22:17 (= 2 Chronicles 34:25) 28:25; Jeremiah 1:16 + (18 t. Jeremiah) Hosea 3:1; (ה)נכר אלהי‎ foreign gods Genesis 35:2, 4; Joshua 24:20, 23 (E) Deuteronomy 31:16 (JE) Judges 10:16; 1 Samuel 7:3; 2 Chronicles 33:15; Jeremiah 5:19; ׳א נחור‎ Genesis 31:53 (E); ׳א מצרים‎ Exodus 12:12 (P) Jeremiah 43:12-13, ׳א האמרי‎ Joshua 24:15 (E) Judges 6:10; ׳א ארם‎ etc. 10:6; ידי מעשה אלהים‎ Deuteronomy 4:28; ׳א הגוים‎ gods of the nations 2 Kings 18:33; 19:12; Deuteronomy 29:17; 2 Chronicles 32:17, 19; Isaiah 36:18; 37:12; ׳א העמים‎ Deuteronomy 6:14; 13:8; Judges 2:12; Psalm 96:5; 1 Chronicles 5:25; 16:26; 2 Chronicles 32:13-14, ׳א כסף‎ Exodus 20:23 (E); ׳א זהב‎ 20:23 (E) 32:31 (JE); ׳א מַסֵּכָה‎ 34:17 (J) Leviticus 19:4 (H).

2 Plural intensive.

a. god or goddess, always with suffix 1 Samuel 5:7 (Dagon), Judges 11:24 (Chemosh), 1 Kings 18:24 (Baal), Judges 9:27; Daniel 1:2 (twice in verse); or construct ׳א א לכמוש ׳צדנים מואב לעשתרת‎ to Ashtoreth goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh god of Moab, etc. 1 Kings 11:33; ׳א הארץ‎ god of the land 2 Kings 17:26 (twice in verse); 17:27, and so the Syrians suppose that Yahweh is a mountain-god and not a god of valleys 1 Kings 20:28.

b. godlike one Exodus 4:16 (J; Moses in relation to Aaron), 7:1 (P; in relation to Pharaoh), 1 Samuel 28:13 (the shade of Samuel), Psalm 45:7 (the Messianic king, O God, ᵑ6 ᵐ5‎ Jerome, most scholars ancient and modern, but thy throne is God's = God's throne AE Ki Thea Ew Hup, compare 1 Chronicles 28:5). c. works of God, or things specially belonging to him (see אֵל‎ 5) אלהים הר‎ Psalm 68:16; Ezekiel 28:14, 16; אלהים אש‎ Job 1:16; (ה)אלהים גן‎ Ezekiel 28:13; 31:8-9,. d. God (see 3 & 4).

3 הָאֱלֹהִים‎ the (TRUE) God, ׳י האלהים הוא‎ Yahweh is (the) God Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 7:9; 1 Kings 8:60; 18:39 (twice in verse); 2 Chronicles 33:13; האלהים הוא‎ Isaiah 45:18; ׳י האלהים‎ Joshua 22:34 (P ?) 1 Kings 18:21, 24; 2 Chronicles 32:16; האלהים הוא אתה‎ 2 Samuel 7:28; 1 Kings 18:37; 2 Kings 19:15; 1 Chronicles 17:26; Isaiah 37:16; Nehemiah 9:7; האלהים‎ as subject or object is used in E 33 t., Chronicles 38 t., Eccl 31 t., Jonah 5 t., elsewhere Genesis 5:22, 24; 6:9, 11 (sources of P) 17:18 (P) Joshua 22:34 (P ?) Genesis 44:16 (J) Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 7:9; Judges 6:36, 39; 7:14; 10:14; 16:28; 21:2; 1 Samuel 10:3, 7; 14:36; 2 Samuel 2:27; 6:7; 7:28; 12:16; 1 Kings 8:60; 18:21, 24 (twice in verse); 18:37, 39 (twice in verse); 19:15 (Ephr) Job 2:10; Jeremiah 11:12; Isaiah 37:16; 45:18; Psalm 108:14; Daniel 1:9, 17; ׳י ׳הא הקדוש‎ 1 Samuel 6:20; ׳י ׳הא הגדול‎ Nehemiah 8:6; הא ׳בירושלם אשר‎ Ezra 1:3; האלהים אדני‎ Daniel 9:3; in many phrases, as האלהים איש‎ the man of God, acting under divine authority and influence: = (a) angel Judges 13:6, 8, (b) prophet (the term coming into use in the Northern kingdom in the age of Elijah 1 Samuel 9:9-10, compare הָרוּחַ אִישׁ‎ Hosea 9:7): of Moses Deuteronomy 33:1; Joshua 14:6 (E) 1 Chronicles 23:14; 2 Chronicles 30:16; Ezra 3:2; Psalm 90:1; of Samuel 1 Samuel 9:6-10; of David2 Chronicles 8:14; Nehemiah 12:24, 36; Shemaiah 1 Kings 12:22 (= 2 Chronicles 11:2); Elijah, Elisha, and others of their time 1 Kings 13:1-31; 17:18-24; 20:28; 2 Kings 1:9-13; 4:7-42; 5:8-20; 6:6-15; 7:2-9; 8:2-11; 13:19; 23:16-17 (Ephr) 2 Chronicles 25:7, 9; unnamed prophet 1 Samuel 2:27; Hanan Jeremiah 35:4; a later title of prophet was האלהים עֶבֶד‎ the servant of God, used of Moses 1 Chronicles 6:34; 2 Chronicles 24:9; Nehemiah 10:30; Daniel 9:11. האלהים בית‎ the house of God, Judges 18:31, especially late, Chronicles (52 t.) Ecclesiastes 4:17; Daniel 1:2; ׳הא י ׳בית‎ 1 Chronicles 22:1; האלהים (ברית) ארון‎ the ark (of the covenant) of God Judges 20:27; 1 Samuel 4:1-5:12; 1 Samuel 14; 2 Samuel 6:1-7:29; 15(23 t.); 1 Chronicles 13; 1 Chronicles 15; 1 Chronicles 16; 2 Chronicles 1:4 (13 t.); האלהים מטה‎ the rod of God Exodus 4:20; 17:9 (E); האלהים הר‎ the mount of God (Horeb) 3:1; 4:27; 18:5; 24:13 (E) 1 Kings 19:8 (Ephr); האלהים מלאך‎ the (theophanic) angel of God Genesis 31:11; Exodus 14:19 (E) Judges 6:20; 13:6, 9; 2 Samuel 14:17, 20; 19:28; in other combinations Exodus 18:16; Numbers 23:27 (E) Judges 20:2; 1 Samuel 4:8; 5:11; 10:5; 2 Samuel 16:23; 1 Kings 12:22; 1 Chronicles 21:7 + (14 t.) Psalm 87:3; Ecclesiastes 9:1.

4 אֱלֹהִים‎ = God ׳י אֱמֶת אֱלֹהִים‎ = Yahweh is God in truth Jeremiah 10:10.

a. אלהים‎ (as subject object direct or indirect) is used by P (50 t. in story of creation and deluge, elsewhere 28 t.), by E (91 t.), J chiefly in poetic sources Genesis 3:1, 3, 5 (twice in verse); 9:27; 39:9; Deuteronomy 32:17, 39, by D (11 t.) Judges (21 t.) Samuel (50 t.) Kings (29 t.) Chronicles (45 t.); in Psalm 42-86 (180 t. often by editorial change for an original יהוה‎), elsewhere Psalm 3:3; 5:11; 7:11; 7:12; 9:18; 10:4; 10:13; 14:1; 14:2; 14:5; 25:22; 36:2; 36:8; 77:14; 100:3; 108:2; 108:6; 108:8; 108:12 (twice in verse); 149:9; Job 5:8; 20:29; 28:23; 32:2; 34:9 (& in Prologue 6 t.) Proverbs 2:5; 3:4; 25:2; Ecclesiastes (7 t.) Hosea (5 t.); Amos 4:11 (סדם את אלתים כמהפכת‎ as God overthrew Sodom = Jeremiah 50:40 = Isaiah 13:19) Zechariah 8:23; 12:8; Micah 3:7 (but ᵑ6 ᵐ5 אליהם‎) Isaiah 35:4; Isa² (9 t.); Jeremiah 10:10; Ezekiel (13 t.); Malachi (5 t.); Jonah (4 t.); the phrase ל ׳היה לאלהים‎ Genesis 28:21 (E^R) 17:7-8, Exodus 6:7; 29:45; Leviticus 11:45; 22:33; 25:38; 26:12, 45; Numbers 15:41 (P); Deuteronomy 26:17; 29:13; 2 Samuel 7:24 (= 1 Chronicles 17:22); Zechariah 8:8; Jeremiah (6 t.); Ezekiel (6 t.); צדיק אלהים‎ righteous God Psalm 7:10; ׳א קדשים‎ holy God Joshua 24:19 (E); ׳א חיים‎ living God Deuteronomy 5:23; 1 Samuel 17:26, 36; Jeremiah 10:10; 23:36; ׳א חי‎ 2 Kings 19:4, 16 (= Isaiah 37:4, 17). For the phrases א ׳אדני צבאות, ׳י, אלתי ׳י, א ׳צבאות א, ׳יה א, ׳אל ׳י ׳א, צבאות ׳י, ׳א צבאות א, ׳יהוה‎ see צבאות יה, יהוה,‎ & אדני‎.

b. construct אֱלֹהֵי‎ (a) with persons אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי‎ = God of Abraham, a phrase of J, Genesis 26:24; 28:13; 31:53, elsewhere Psalm 47:10; 1 Kings 18:36; 1 Chronicles 29:18; 2 Chronicles 30:6; ׳א אברהם אדני‎ Genesis 24:12, 27, 42, 48 (J); אב אלהי‎ father's God (various suffix & names), a phrase of E, 31:5, 29, 42; 46:3; 50:17; Exodus 3:6, 13, 15, 16; 15:2; 18:4; Joshua 18:3, elsewhere Genesis 32:10; 43:23 (J) Exodus 4:5 (J ?) Deuteronomy (8 t.); Judges 2:12; 2 Kings 21:22; Chronicles (31 t.); Daniel 11:37; יִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהֵי‎ Israel's God, phrase of E, Genesis 33:20; Exodus 5:1; 24:10; 32:27; Joshua 8:30; 14:14; 22:16; 24:2, 23, elsewhere Exodus 34:23; Joshua 7:13, 19, 20 (JE) Numbers 16:9; Joshua 9:18-19, 22:24; 10:40, 42; 13:14, 33 (R see Di 7:13) Judges 4:6; 5:3, 5; 6:8; 11:21, 23; 21:3; 1 Samuel 1:17 + (20 t.) Kings (26 t.) Chronicles (45 t.); Psalm 41:14; Psalm 106:48 (doxology) 59:6; 69:7; Isaiah 17:6; 21:10, 17; 29:23; Isa³, 24:15; 37:16, 21; Isa², 41:17 + (6 t.); Jeremiah 35:17 + (48 t.); Ezekiel 8:4 + (7 t.); Zephaniah 2:9; Malachi 2:16; Ruth 2:12; ׳א ישראל מערכות‎ God of the battle array of Israel 1 Samuel 17:45; יַעֲקֹב ׳א‎ 2 Samuel 23:1 (poetry) Psalm 20:2; 46:8; Psalm 46:12; 75:10; 76:7; 81:2; 81:5; 84:9; 94:7; Isaiah 2:3 (= Micah 4:2); ׳א העבריים‎ God of the Hebrews Exodus 3:18; 5:3; 7:16; 9:1, 13 (JE); it is used with other proper names, Nahor Genesis 31:53 (E), Shem 9:26 (J), David 2 Kings 20:5; 2 Chronicles 21:12; 34:3; Isaiah 38:5, Hezekiah 2 Chronicles 32:17, Elijah 2 Kings 2:14; ׳א המלך ארני‎ the God of my lord the king 1 Kings 1:36. (β) with nouns of attributes or relationships, ׳א קֶרֶם‎ ancient God Deuteronomy 33:27; ׳א עולם‎ everlasting God Isaiah 40:28; ׳א אֱמֶת‎ true God2 Chronicles 15:3; ׳א אָמֵן‎ Isaiah 65:16 (see אָמֵן‎); ׳א משפט‎ 30:18; Malachi 2:17; ׳א מרום‎ Micah 6:6; ׳א בָשָׂר כָל‎ God of all flesh Jeremiah 32:27; compare בשר לכל הרוחות ׳א‎ Numbers 16:22; 27:16 (P); ׳א השמים‎ God of heaven Genesis 24:7 (J^R) 2 Chronicles 36:23; Ezra 1:2; Nehemiah 1:4-5, 2:4, 20; compare ׳א הארץ כל‎ Isaiah 54:5; הארץ ׳י ׳א וא ׳השמים‎ Genesis 24:3 (J^R); ׳א מִקָּרֹב‎ a God at hand opposed to ׳א מֵרָחֹק‎ Jeremiah 23:23, ׳א יִשְׁעִי ׳א, ישועתי‎ God of my salvation Psalm 18:47 (= 2 Samuel 22:47) Psalm 24:5; 25:5; 27:9; 65:6; 79:9; 85:5; Isaiah 17:10; Micah 7:7; Habakkuk 3:18; 1 Chronicles 16:35; ׳א ישועתי‎ Psalm 88:2; ׳א תשועתי‎ 51:16; ׳א צִדְקִי‎ God of righteousness 4:2; ׳א חַסְדִּי‎ 59:11; Psalm 59:18; ׳א צוּרִי‎ God who is my rock 2 Samuel 22:3 (compare Psalm 18:3); ׳א מָעוּזִּי֯‎ God who is my stronghold 43:2; ׳א תְהִלָּתִי‎ God who is my praise 109:1.

c. with suffix in P (22 t. including phrase מאלהיך ויראת‎) Leviticus 19:14, 32; 25:17, 36, 43 (H) Exodus 8:21; Joshua 24:27 (E) Deuteronomy 32:37 (poetry) Joshua 9:23 (JE) Deuteronomy 10:21; 31:17; Judges 10:10; 16:23-24, 1 Samuel 10:19; 2 Samuel 10:12; 22:32 + (4 t. poetry) 1 Kings 12:28; 20:23; 2 Kings 19:10; Chronicles (83 t.); Psalms (62 t.); Proverbs 2:17; 30:9; Ruth 1:15-16, (twice in verse); Isaiah 1:10; 7:13; 8:19, 21; Isa² (29 t.); Jeremiah 5:4-5, 23:36; 51:5; Ezekiel 34:31; Daniel (5 t.); Hosea (12 t.); Amos 2:8; 4:12; Joel 1:13 (twice in verse); 1:16; 2:17; Micah 6:8; 7:7; Jonah 1:5-6, Zephaniah 3:2; Nahum 1:14; Zechariah 9:7; 12:5; אלהים‎ with suffix is also used with יהוה‎ several hundred times (see יהוה‎).