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A name that is one and many

“God” in Hebrew
The God of Israel is known by many names in the Hebrew Scriptures, but one name is especially prevalent: Elohim. Usually translated simply as “God”, this name is very unique from a linguistic perspective, This is because in the original Hebrew, it is both plural and singular at the same time. How can this be? What can this divine name teach us about God?

The name most frequently used for the God of Israel in the Bible, Elohim, is an odd Hebrew word. It ends with the suffix “im” which denotes a masculine plural noun in Hebrew. So, does this mean that the ancient Hebrews worshipped multiple gods? Certainly not! The plural noun Elohim is always followed by a singular verb.

The first words of the Bible
Let’s look at the opening verse of the Holy Bible, “In the beginning God created heaven and earth” (Gen. 1:1). In the original Hebrew, the text says, “Braysheet bara Elohim”(בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים). The subject of this verse, Elohim, seems to be plural based on the ending. But it agrees with the verb bara, which is singular. This seems to be a grammatical mistake. Could it be that the first three words of the Bible are erroneous? Impossible!

Hebrew reveals a divine mystery
This linguistic paradox is a wonderful expression of the complex majesty of the God of the Bible. He is simultaneously singular and manifold. Centuries later, the Christian tradition would develop the doctrine of the Holy Trinity to express this same fusion of divine unity and plurality, One God with three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, appeared during the baptism of the Son in Jordan River.