God’s love, compassion and purposes towards mankind are wrapped up in His Name. The forms of His Name reveal different facets and indicate His ways of working on our behalf. Knowing these names, will enrich both your private and corporate prayer life.
May you not only know His Name
El Elyon
But know Him personally
Elohistic Names of God – Covenant of Creation
The first Covenant involving man is the Edenic Covenant, the Covenant of Creation which revealed God’s purpose for mankind. This Covenant is brokered in the name of God, involving the persons of the Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Genesis 1 uses the title or name “God” about 32 times.
El in the singular means The Strong One, The Mighty One.
The Hebrew word Elohim is a uni-plural word denoting the unity in plurality of the three persons of the Godhead. God said in the Covenant of Creation, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness and God created man in HIS own image, in the image of God He made them.
It was Elohim speaking (Genesis 1:26-28). The Divine Covenanters, Father, Son and Holy Spirit all active in this Edenic Covenant, declaring the purpose for the Creation of Man.
Wherever the Elohistic name or title is used in Scripture it always speaks of God the Creator and pertains to the Covenant of Creation. The various Elohistic names are generally translated as God.
El
The word El - אֵל comes from a root word meaning might, strength and power. In Scripture, the primary meanings of this root word are god.1 So when El is used of the One True God, it’s always qualified by further words to define the meaning and therefore distinguish Him from false gods. El appears over 250 times in the Tanakh primarily to describe the Sovereign Creator God of Israel.
It’s used of the Godhead in the singular, showing that each person in the Godhead is God, co-equal in nature, power, attributes and glory.
The Father is El Genesis 14:18-22 (NASB)
The Son is El Isaiah 7:14 (NASB); Isaiah 9:6 (NASB); Psalms 22:1 (NASB); Psalms 89:26 (NASB)
The Holy Spirit is El Job 33:4 (NASB); Job 37:10 (NASB)
El Elyon
אֵל עֶלְיוֹן - God Most High - Height signifies power and position. God is supremely exalted, high above all things. (Genesis 14:20)
El Bethel
אֵל בֵּית־אֵל - God of the House of God - Signifying the revelation of His being in His dwelling place. (Genesis 31:13, Genesis 35.7 HNV, Genesis 35:7)
El Elohim-Yisrael
אֵל אֱלֹהִים יִשְׂרָאֵל - God, the God of Israel - The God of Jacob whose name was changed to Israel. He is the God who changes human names so to partake of His name and His nature. (Genesis 33:20)
El Aman
אֵל אָמַן - Faithful God - God is completely trustworthy. (Deuteronomy 7:9)
El Echad
אֵל אֶחָד - One God - (Malachi 2:10). Echad means one in Hebrew and is a reminder of the Sh’ma. Read more about the Sh'ma at Hebrews4Christians.
El Ha Gadol
אֵל הגָּדוֹל - Great God - Gadol - גָּדוֹל when used about God means Great, Greatest, Grand, Awesome. Great in all His ways, nature, attributes, deeds. (Deuteronomy 10:17)
El Ha Kadosh
אֵל הקָדוֹשׁ - Holy God - Kadosh - קָדוֹשׁ means sacred, holy, set apart, utterly unique, one of a kind. He is distinct from creation. There’s no one and no thing like Him. (Isaiah 5:16)
El Yisrael
אֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל - God of Israel - God chose Israel and is forever uniquely connected to His Chosen People. (Psalm 68:35)
El Ha Shamayim
אֵל השָׁמַיִם - God of the Heavens - Shamayim - שָׁמַיִם refers to the dwelling place of God — His throne in Heaven where He rules over the Heavenly hosts. (Psalm 136:26).
El Sehlah
אֵל סֶלַע - God Of My Rock - The Mighty One, my defender, my stronghold, my protection. (Psalm 42:9)
El Roi (Rah'ee)
אֵל רֳאִי - God Who Sees me - Hagar’s name for God when He saw her affliction (Genesis 16:13-14). It reveals the omniscience of His being. 2
El Ha Kavod
אֵל הכָּבוֹד - God of Glory - Kavod - כָּבוֹד means glory, weight and honour. God is beautiful and the source of all beauty and creativity. (Psalm 29:3)
El De'ah (De'ot)
אֵל דֵּעָה - God of Knowledge - God is all knowing, the source of all knowledge. God is perfect knowledge, from beginning to end (omniscient, meaning all knowing). Whatever knowledge man has comes from Him. Isaiah prophesies, For the land will be filled with de'ah of God (Isaiah 11:9; 1 Samuel 2:3)
El Olam
אֵל עוֹלָם - God of Eternity; God, the Everlasting God. Hebrew words used for space are also used for time. Olam - עוֹלָם literally means beyond the horizon, frequently it's translated as eternity meaning a continual span of time that never ends. Olam occurs more than 400 times in the Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh) being translated as eternal, everlasting, forever or ancient. It refers to the fullness of the experience of time and space. However, the title El Olam only appears 4 times. A common phrase in the Hebrew is l'olam va'ed and is usually translated as forever and ever, but in the Hebrew it means to the distant horizon and again meaning a very distant time and even further! Therefore, God of The Universe; God, the Maker of time, eternity, and the universe, God who is without beginning and without end. Revealing His eternity of being. (Genesis 21:33; Psalm 90:2; 93:2; Isaiah 26:4)
El Emet
אֵל אֱמֶת - God of Truth - Emet - אֱמֶת meaning firmness, faithfulness, reliableness. God is the source of ultimate reality. Everything connected with Him is true and real.(Psalm 31:5)
El Shaddai
אֵל שַׁדַּי - Almighty God is probably the best-known of all the El compound names, meaning — God, The All Sufficient, usually translated as Almighty God Genesis 17:1(HNV). Shaddaim is the word for breasts in Hebrew, perhaps indicating a nursing mother, God completely nourishes and satisfies His people and takes care of all their needs. The compound name El Shaddai first appears in (Genesis 17:1) When Avram (Abraham) was 99 years old ADONAI appeared to Avram and said to him, 'I am El Shaddai (God Almighty). Walk in my presence and be pure-hearted - (CJB). The One who mightily nourishes, satisfies, protects, and supplies. El Shaddai, our All-Sufficient Sustainer, who abundantly provides all manner of blessings.
The exact derivation of the word shaddai is not known.
The Hebrew word dai (meaning sheds forth, pours out, or to heap benefits) suggests provision, sustenance, and blessing. Thus, God is All-Sufficient, All-Bountiful. (Genesis 42:24-25)
The Hebrew word shad or shadayim meaning breast or breasts) occurs 24 times as Shaddai and signifies One who nourishes, supplies, and satisfies (Isaiah 60:16, 66:10-13).
Combined with El, it then becomes the One mighty to nourish, satisfy, and supply.
The Hebrew root word shadad (meaning to overpower or to destroy) suggests absolute power. While Elohim is the God who creates, in the name Shaddai God reveals Himself as the God who compels nature to do what is contrary to itself. He is able to triumph over every obstacle and all opposition; He is able to subdue all things to Himself.
El Yeshurun
אֵל יְשֻׁרוּן - God of Yeshurun - Yeshurun - יְשֻׁרוּן literally means upright one. Yeshurun is used to mean ‘the righteous (yashar) people’, referring to Israel’s ideal character and her high calling. God is forever uniquely connected to Israel. He is righteous and will make Israel completely righteous. (Deuteronomy 33:26)
El Chaiyai
אֵל חָיָי - God of My Life - (Psalm 42:8). God is the source of all life. He gives life, including eternal life!
El Chanun
אֵל חַנּוּן - Gracious God. Chen - חֵן means grace or favour. God’s nature is gracious, giving and generous, even when we don't deserve it. (Jonah 4:2)
El Tzadik
אֵל צַדִּיק - Righteous God - Tzadik - צַדִּיק means just and righteous. God does and says what is right. Even though there’s much unrighteousness in the world, He is completely fair and just in all His dealings. Eventually He will make everything right. (Isaiah 45:21)
El Gibor (Gibbor)
אֵל גִּבּוֹר - Mighty God or Great God. God is a mighty warrior and the strongest force in the universe. (Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 32:18,19)
El Rachum
אֵל רַחוּם - God of Compassion, Compassionate God, Merciful God - God’s nature is one of kindness. He is full of compassion and feeling for people. (Deuteronomy 4:31)
El Yeshua
אֵל יְשׁוּעָה - God of our Salvation - From Yeshua, meaning salvation, deliverance and victory. God Himself is the source of salvation. He wants to save His creation. Each individual must personally know Him as the God Salvation. (Isaiah 12:2)
El Kanna
אֵל קַנָּא - Jealous God - God watches us lovingly and closely, like a faithful and passionate bridegroom watches over his betrothed. God is extremely protective towards His people and doesn't want to share our affections with other gods. His very name and character is Jealous. (Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; 5:9; 6:15; Joshua 24:19; 1 Kings 19:10; Ezekiel 39:25; Joel 2:18; Nahum 1:2; Zechariah 1:14; 8:2)
Immanu El
עִמָּנוּ אֵל - God With Us - God's desire is to be with us. He created us out of His nature to share Himself with all people and be with us forever. (Isaiah 7:14)
El Simchat Gili
אֵל שִׂמְחָה גִּיל - God of Great Joy - God is the source of great joy to me. (Psalm 43:4)
El Emunah
אֵל אֱמוּנָה - God of Faithfulness - God can be trusted completely, in this life and with our eternal destiny. (Deuteronomy 32:4)
