El, Eloah, Elohim
In the Hebrew Old Testament letters, Elohim is a plural word meaning Mighty Ones, but is usually translated into English as “God.”
Elohim is the Hebrew plural combination of the masculine singular El (Mighty Shepherd) and feminine singular Eloah (Mighty Spirit).
El in Hebrew consists of the letter Alef and the letter Lamed. In ancient Hebrew the meaning was pictured by the letter – the letters of ancient Paleo-Hebrew were pictograms. The Alef was the pictogram of the head of a bull ox. It signified power/strength/might, like that of the wild ox, as well as 1 (first) and could mean a leader. The pictogram for Lamed was that of a shepherd’s staff (shaped like our letter J). Together, they mean “Mighty Shepherd.”
Eloah consists of El plus two other letters; Waw (vav in modern Hebrew) and Hey. Waw was the pictogram of a tent peg and spoke of something being made secure or rooted and grounded. Hey was the pictogram of a man with his arms raised and meant which pictures surrender or worship. This letter also meant to look, to reveal, or breath (wind – as in the breath of life). All together this singular feminine name for God could mean, “Mighty Shepherd Making Secure Those Worshipping Him and Revealing His Breath of Life to Them.” I use the masculine there really just for tradition sake, as it is what we are used to seeing. In reality, being a feminine name, “she” would be more literal here. Yes, a long name if fully translated like that. We usually just say, “God” in English, but the downside to this is most English speaking believers miss out on the richness of the original meaning of the original Hebrew words.
It is my belief after much research that this singular feminine Hebrew word for God is speaking of the Spirit of Wisdom aka the Holy Spirit, which in ancient Hebrew is spoken of in the feminine as well as being described in Scripture as having the feminine qualities that women have in the image of. For example, the Holy Spirit gives birth, comforts, nurtures, nourishes, etc. Those are traits that the female side of mankind, women, have in God’s image. Solomon referred to this Spirit in the feminine, and this is well accepted among believers today, until we link it to actually calling the Holy Spirit a “she,” and then people freak out. Oh well, it is how it is in original Scripture, regardless of who flips out about it.
Elohim is the combination of El and Eloah into the plural with both masculine and feminine parts, which speaks of the partnership bringing forth offspring, planning ahead saying, “Let US make mankind in OUR image…male and female he created them in his image.” One negative to the male dominated societies of believers from the Hebrew to the modern Christians, is that they overlook that God always intended to make man and woman as a pair that TOGETHER were in the image of God, not separate or alone, God being neither man nor woman but God’s characteristics being split in humankind between the man and the woman.
Gen 1:26-27 ASV And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (27) And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. [The use of "he" or "his" by the translators is technically incorrect - it should read "Mighty Ones created man in their own image, in the image of Mighty Ones they created them; male and female they created them."]
The use of these words we translate into English as simply, “God,” were not only used for the Father, Son (Word), and Holy Spirit, as some may suppose. Careful study reveals that the term “mighty ones” is used often for other beings including mighty humans and angels. Only by context was it known which mighty one(s) were being spoken of, as these are not personal names, but descriptive titles for beings it made sense to call such.
El Shaddai
This name for God was a favorite for ancient Hebrews, including the father of Hebrew faith, Abraham. We have already looked at the ancient meaning of the first portion, so let us go on to the meaning of “Shaddai.”
There is some disagreement over the meaning of this word, though a study of the ancient (paleo) Hebrew leads to the meaning of breasts. Scholars of ancient Hebrew believe this is a symbolism being used, as the breasts provide for and nourish the children. Thus, this ancient name speaks of the people of faith, such as Abraham, as God’s children, and that God provides all they need.
I agree with them and believe this name is fully saying, “Mighty Shepherd Who Has More Than Enough Provision for the Children.”
Though the root word clearly means breast in ancient Hebrew, it is a mystery why traditionally scholars have inserted different meanings to “Shaddai,” including “Almighty.” Though I do not disagree that this same El is “Almighty,” that is not what the original ancient Hebrew term is speakin of. Could it be that speaking of their “male Diety” as having “breasts” for nourishment for his children was offensive to people enough for them to insert a new meaning to the word? It is possible, but I cannot say for sure.
The important thing to remember is that it is a symbolic description of God, like other such names. These names describe attributes of God, such as Provider, Comforter, Savior, Deliverer, Shepherd, etc. It does not mean that God is literally a shepherd like the earthly ones or that God literally has breasts.
In ancient times, the breasts of a woman that nourish the children were not considered to be obscene in any way like we find in the modern Western world, where women breastfeeding have even now been charged as if criminals. One woman was charged with participating in child pornography because of being photographed while breastfeeding. Such is utter (or udder) insanity! God made breasts to nourish the children and it is the perverted mindsets of modern Western culture that is the problem, not the use of breasts, whether literally by women to feed babies, or symbolic use to describe God’s nourishment given to his children of faith.
If you are not comfortable with such symbolism in this name for God that Abraham and others used, no problem. God is Almighty, though that is not the correct translation of El Shaddai. As with other areas of belief, traditions often come to rule over the original truth of the Word of God, because men start molding their own religious belief system to make themselves comfortable, and fashion their god out of the matter of their brains, the way their imagination wants to perceive.
As for me and my house, we’re going to nuzzle on up to the giver of Life and drink our fill! 
El Elyon
This name of God first occurs in Scripture with the passage about Melchizedek, when Abraham visited him after victory and paid him a tenth, as the priest of the “Most High God.”
It is a combination of the name El we defined earlier, and the Hebrew word elyon, which means high, upper, or exalted. As a title it speaks of being supreme or highest. Thus, this extension to the name El is giving a meaning similar to the phrase, “king of kings (highest king).”
Most then agree that this name means “The Most High El (God – “Mighty Shepherd/Leader”). He is exalted above everyone else.
Now, let’s see if any further meaning is hidden within the genius design of the Hebrew alef-bet. The first letter is alef, meaning strong, powerful, leader (first, chief), or mighty. This letter was pictured in ancient Hebrew as the head of an ox. The second letter, lamed, which was the picture of a shepherd’s staff. It can also mean to teach, yoke, or bind. The third letter, yad (yud in modern Hebrew), is the picture of an arm and closed hand and can mean to throw, work, or worship. The fourth letter, waw (vav in modern Hebrew), is the picture of a tent peg meaning secure, add, or hook. The fifth letter is nun. Interestingly, the ancient Hebrew pictogram for this look s very much like a sperm, and not a plant seed. The ancient meaning was continue, heir, or son. Interesting how they knew what the seed of a man looks like, which is microscopic – maybe this is proof that the Hebrew language was God-inspired.
So, in the context of the name El Elyon, the elyon could speak of the most high (supreme, chief, first) one we worship, who sets up his tent with us in the form of the Son (Seed). This is speaking, therefore, of the Father, who is the Most High, just as Jesus (the Seed) taught.
YHWH aka the Tetragrammaton
In Old English, Christians began pronouncing this as, “Jehovah,” though with modern scholarship, most people have changed to a more accurate pronunciation of, “Yahweh.” Some believe the more ancient Hebrews would have said it as, “Yahuwah.” Personally, I believe the letters are all meant to be vowel sounds, and pronunciation is like breathing out ee-ah-oo-eh (or ee-ah-oo-ah).
More important is the meaning, regardless of how one pronounces it such. This name is often referred to as the covenant name of God, as given to Israel through Moses.
Moses asked at the burning bush, “Whom should I say sends me?” He wanted to know what to tell the Israelites, and even Pharaoh. He wanted to know the name he should give for the one he was speaking for. The Voice from the burning bush revealed himself as “I am as I am” or “I am what I am.” The idea being conveyed in the original language is that he is self-existent, not being dependent on any other. This can only be said of an original Source of creation. Everything in creation is dependent on something or someone else for existence.
This phrase given to Moses was not the Tetragrammaton, but we will get there. God actually said to Moses, “Ehyeh asher Ehyeh.” Ehyeh is Alef-Hey-Waw-Hey. This has one letter difference from the Tetragrammaton. This is because God is speaking of himself in the first-person. When Moses converts this to the third-person, speaking of God, we get YHWH, meaning “He is as he is.” He is the self-existing, eternal one.
With the understanding that all of the letters are vowel sounds, God takes us to the essence of how he is revealed to humanity, as the Ruach (Breath, Spirit) giving all things existence and life. So, the best way to convey this meaning to humanity was in giving a name pronounced like variations of breathing, as ee-ah-oo-eh. He is the Breath of Life! In other words, he’s the one who gave mankind breath in the beginning, as Moses revealed in the book of Genesis.
So, taking this name to the Israelites, Moses was saying, the One who was with our forefathers and who originally created us and gave us the breath of life as living souls. This would separate this Creator God from the gods being idolized by the other nations at that time.
Some refer to this name as the, “Sacred Name.” There is even a whole movement dedicated to the use of this name as sacred, often referred to as the Sacred Name Movement.
Typically, Jews by tradition do not pronounce this name, calling it, “ineffable.” Their tradition says it is too sacred to speak aloud by common people or in common usage. Therefore, their scribes vowel points that would remind the reader of Scripture to pronounce “Adonai,” meaning Lord/Master, rather than pronouncing the Tetragrammaton.
There is disagreement about this, as some think doing such is a good way for the Jews to keep the commandment not to take the name of YHWH in vain, while others believe by erasing the name, in essence, they are making it desolate, which is what the Hebrew word means that is commonly translated as taking the name in vain. The commandment more accurately reads, “Do not make the name of YHWH Elohim desolate.” I personally agree with the latter view, that the Jews, by their tradition, are breaking the commandment, not keeping it as they say is their intention. Jesus rebuked the Jewish religious leaders for doing such things, making the true Word of YHWH of no effect because of their traditions.
Mat 15:6-9 MKJV and in no way he honors his father or his mother. And you voided the commandment of God by your tradition. (7) Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, (8) “This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. (9) But in vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
This is not a put down on the Jewish people. Jesus was born a Jew. This is simply a correction of errant religiousness they have allowed their religious leaders to lead them into. The Hebrew people were chosen by God as the keepers of the revelations of God given to the Hebrew fathers of faith.
This name of God is most often used with something after it, a further descriptive name. Such as YHWH my Shepherd, or YHWH my Salvation, or YHWH my Healer, etc. In other words, “He is as he is, my Shepherd,” etc. The shortened form, Yah, can be used simply as “He is.” Yah-Shepherd, etc.
The short form is most commonly known as a part of the praise phrase, Hallelujah (pronounced, HalleluYah). It means, “Praise you Yah.”
To check out individual meaning to each of the letters in this name, and other depth, check out www.ancient-hebrew.org.
Resources: Strong’s Concordance; Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Dictionary; E-sword (www.e-sword.net); Ancient Hebrew Research Center (www.ancient-hebrew.org)
*Check back as I will be updating this page to include more names of God
