Understanding the Names of God

In ancient Hebrew culture, names held profound significance—they revealed character, purpose, and identity. The names of God throughout Scripture are not merely labels but divine self-revelations, each illuminating a different facet of His nature and His relationship with humanity.

This study explores the primary Hebrew names for God found in Scripture, their meanings, occurrences, and theological significance. Understanding these names deepens our comprehension of who God is and how He has revealed Himself to His people throughout history.

Note: Occurrence counts are from the KJ3 (Literal Translation) of the Hebrew Scriptures. The KJ3 preserves "Jehovah" for the divine name YHWH (יהוה) rather than substituting "LORD."

3,977 Occurrences of "Jehovah" (YHWH)
1,905 Occurrences of "God" (Elohim)
42 Occurrences of "Almighty"
106 "God of Israel" references
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Primary Names of God

The foundational names revealing God's essential nature

יהוה 3,977×

YHWH / Jehovah

yah-WEH / yeh-ho-VAH
"The Self-Existent One" — God's covenant name
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יְהוָֹה
YHWH (Tetragrammaton)

📚 Etymology & Meaning

YHWH (יהוה) is the most sacred name of God in the Hebrew Scriptures, known as the Tetragrammaton (four letters). It derives from the Hebrew verb "to be" (הָיָה, hayah), expressing God's eternal, self-existent nature. This name emphasizes that God simply IS—without beginning, without end, dependent on nothing outside Himself for existence.

This name is so sacred that ancient Jews avoided pronouncing it, substituting "Adonai" (Lord) when reading Scripture. The English "Jehovah" comes from combining the consonants YHWH with the vowels from Adonai.

📖 Key Verses (KJ3)

Genesis 2:4
"These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created in the day that Jehovah God was making earth and heavens."
Exodus 3:15
"And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM; and He said, You shall say this to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you."
Exodus 6:3
"And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, and by My name JEHOVAH I have not been known to them."
✝️ Theological Significance

YHWH is God's personal, covenant name—the name by which He enters into relationship with His people. It reveals Him not as a distant deity but as the ever-present, unchanging One who keeps His promises. When God uses this name, He emphasizes His faithfulness and His commitment to His people.

🔗 Related Names

I AM (Ehyeh) Jehovah-Jireh Jehovah-Rapha Jehovah-Shalom
אֱלֹהִים 1,905×

Elohim

eh-lo-HEEM
"God" — The Mighty Creator
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אֱלֹהִים
Elohim (plural form of El)

📚 Etymology & Meaning

Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) is the first name for God appearing in Scripture (Genesis 1:1). It is the plural form of "El" or "Eloah," yet is consistently used with singular verbs when referring to the one true God. This "plural of majesty" suggests the fullness and complexity of the divine nature.

The root word "El" (אֵל) carries the meaning of power, might, and strength. Elohim thus portrays God as the all-powerful Creator and Ruler of the universe.

📖 Key Verses (KJ3)

Genesis 1:1
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
Genesis 1:26
"And God said, let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness."
Deuteronomy 10:17
"For Jehovah your God, He is the God of gods, and the Lord of lords; the great, the mighty, the fearful God."
✝️ Theological Significance

Elohim appears predominantly in contexts of creation, power, and sovereignty. While YHWH emphasizes God's covenant relationship, Elohim highlights His transcendent power and authority over all creation. The plural form with singular verbs has long been seen as a hint of the Trinity—one God in three persons.

🔗 Related Names

El Shaddai El Elyon El Olam
אֵל שַׁדַּי 42×

El Shaddai

el shad-DAI
"God Almighty" — The All-Sufficient One
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אֵל שַׁדַּי
El Shaddai (God Almighty)

📚 Etymology & Meaning

El Shaddai (אֵל שַׁדַּי) combines "El" (God) with "Shaddai," whose root meaning is debated. Some derive it from "shad" (breast), suggesting God as the nourisher and sustainer. Others connect it to "shadad" (to overpower), emphasizing almighty power. Both meanings together portray God as the all-powerful One who tenderly provides for His people.

This name appears predominantly in the patriarchal narratives, especially in contexts of blessing and covenant promises.

📖 Key Verses (KJ3)

Genesis 17:1
"And when Abram was ninety-nine years old, Jehovah appeared to Abram and said to him, I am the Almighty God! Walk before me and be perfect."
Genesis 35:11
"And God said to him, I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall be from you."
Exodus 6:3
"And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, and by My name JEHOVAH I have not been known to them."
Genesis 49:25
"From the God of your father, may He help you. And may the Almighty bless you with blessings of Heaven from above."
✝️ Theological Significance

El Shaddai reveals God as the One who has both the power and the tender care to fulfill His promises. To the patriarchs awaiting the fulfillment of covenant promises—often in humanly impossible circumstances—this name assured them that God was more than able. He is the God of mountains (another meaning of Shaddai), immovable and sovereign.

אֲדֹנָי ~430×

Adonai

ah-do-NAI
"Lord, Master" — Sovereign Ruler
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אֲדֹנָי
Adonai (My Lord/Master)

📚 Etymology & Meaning

Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) is the plural form of "Adon" (Lord/Master) with the possessive suffix, literally meaning "my Lords" but used as an intensive form meaning "my Lord" or "the Lord." It emphasizes God's sovereign authority and our position as His servants.

Because of the sacredness of YHWH, Jewish tradition substitutes Adonai when reading the Tetragrammaton aloud. In the KJ3, "Lord Jehovah" often appears where the Hebrew has both Adonai and YHWH together.

📖 Key Verses (KJ3)

Genesis 15:2
"And Abram said, Lord Jehovah, what will You give to me since I am going childless."
Genesis 15:8
"And he said, My Lord Jehovah, by what shall I know that I shall inherit it?"
✝️ Theological Significance

When we call God "Adonai," we acknowledge His absolute lordship over our lives. He is not merely a helper we call upon—He is the Master we serve. This name calls us to humble submission and faithful obedience, recognizing that we belong to Him entirely.

אֵל עֶלְיוֹן 7×

El Elyon

el el-YOHN
"God Most High" — Supreme Over All
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אֵל עֶלְיוֹן
El Elyon (God Most High)

📚 Etymology & Meaning

El Elyon (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן) combines "El" (God) with "Elyon" (Most High), from a root meaning "to go up" or "ascend." This name declares God's absolute supremacy over all other powers, authorities, and so-called gods. He is not merely one god among many—He is above and beyond all.

📖 Key Verses (KJ3)

Genesis 14:18-19
"And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of Heaven and earth."
Genesis 14:22
"And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand to Jehovah, the most high God, the possessor of Heaven and earth."
Deuteronomy 32:8
"When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance; when He separated the sons of Adam, He set up the bounds of the peoples."
✝️ Theological Significance

El Elyon first appears in connection with Melchizedek, the mysterious priest-king who blessed Abraham. This name emphasizes God's sovereignty over all nations and powers. In a world of competing deities and powers, El Elyon reminds us that there is only One who reigns supreme—the "possessor of Heaven and earth."

אֵל עוֹלָם 1×

El Olam

el oh-LAHM
"The Everlasting God" — Eternal One
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אֵל עוֹלָם
El Olam (Everlasting God)

📚 Etymology & Meaning

El Olam (אֵל עוֹלָם) combines "El" (God) with "Olam" (everlasting, eternal, or world/age). The word "olam" can refer to indefinite time past or future, encompassing eternity in both directions. This name reveals God as the One who transcends time itself.

📖 Key Verses (KJ3)

Genesis 21:33
"And he planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and there he called on the name of Jehovah the everlasting God."
✝️ Theological Significance

Abraham invoked this name after making a covenant with Abimelech—a covenant that would outlast both of them. El Olam assures us that God's promises are not limited by time. While human covenants fade and kingdoms rise and fall, the Everlasting God remains faithful from generation to generation, from everlasting to everlasting.

אֶהְיֶה Special

Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh

eh-YEH ah-SHER eh-YEH
"I AM THAT I AM" — The Self-Revealing One
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אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה
Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh

📚 Etymology & Meaning

This unique self-designation appears only once—when God reveals Himself to Moses at the burning bush. "Ehyeh" is the first-person form of the verb "to be" (hayah), from which YHWH derives. It can mean "I AM," "I WILL BE," or "I CAUSE TO BE."

The construction "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh" is deliberately profound and somewhat mysterious. It resists simple translation, pointing to God's incomprehensible, self-existent nature. He simply IS, and His being is the foundation of all other existence.

📖 Key Verses (KJ3)

Exodus 3:14
"And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM; and He said, You shall say this to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you."
✝️ Theological Significance

This name is God's ultimate self-revelation—He defines Himself by Himself. Unlike false gods whose identities depend on their functions or domains, the true God simply IS. This name also implies presence: "I will be with you" is implicit in "I AM." The same phrase echoes in Jesus's "I AM" statements (John 8:58), identifying Himself with the God of Moses.

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Descriptive Titles

Names revealing God's character and actions

אֵל רֳאִי 1×

El Roi

el ro-EE
"God Who Sees" — The Watchful One
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אֵל רֳאִי
El Roi (God of Seeing)

📚 Etymology & Meaning

El Roi (אֵל רֳאִי) combines "El" (God) with "Roi" (seeing/vision). This name was given by Hagar, the Egyptian slave girl, when she encountered God in the wilderness. It expresses both that God sees us and that we can see (experience) Him.

📖 Key Verses (KJ3)

Genesis 16:13-14
"And she called the name of Jehovah, the One speaking to her, You, a God of vision! For she said, Even here have I looked after the One seeing me? On account of this, the well was called, The Well of the Living One Seeing Me."
✝️ Theological Significance

Remarkably, this name was revealed not to a patriarch but to a foreign slave girl in distress. El Roi sees the overlooked, the marginalized, and the suffering. No one is invisible to Him. In our darkest moments of isolation and despair, this name reminds us that God's eyes are upon us—not in judgment but in compassionate awareness.

יהוה צְבָאוֹת 16×

Jehovah of Hosts

yah-WEH tsuh-vah-OHT
"LORD of Armies" — Commander of Heaven's Forces
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יְהוָֹה צְבָאוֹת
YHWH Tsevaot (LORD of Hosts)

📚 Etymology & Meaning

"Tsevaot" (צְבָאוֹת) means "armies" or "hosts"—referring to angelic armies, the stars of heaven, or the armies of Israel. This name portrays God as the supreme commander of all heavenly and earthly forces, the Divine Warrior who fights for His people.

📖 Key Verses (KJ3)

1 Samuel 1:3
"And that man went up from his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice before Jehovah of Hosts in Shiloh."
1 Samuel 17:45
"And David said to the Philistine, You are coming to me with sword, and with spear, and with javelin. But I am coming to you in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which you have reproached."
✝️ Theological Significance

David's confrontation with Goliath perfectly illustrates this name's meaning. While Goliath came with physical weapons, David came in the name of the God who commands all the hosts of heaven. This name assures us that no enemy—however intimidating—can stand against the God who has infinite armies at His disposal.

אֵל חַי ~15×

El Chai

el KHAI
"The Living God" — Source of All Life
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אֵל חַי / אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים
El Chai / Elohim Chayyim

📚 Etymology & Meaning

"Chai" (חַי) means "living" or "alive." This title explicitly contrasts the true God with dead idols. While carved images are lifeless, powerless, and silent, the Living God speaks, acts, and gives life. He is not a philosophical concept but a dynamic, personal being.

📖 Key Verses (KJ3)

Deuteronomy 5:26
"For who of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and has lived?"
Joshua 3:10
"And Joshua said, By this you shall know that the living God is among you. And surely He shall dispossess from before you the Canaanites..."
1 Samuel 17:26
"For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should reproach the armies of the living God?"
✝️ Theological Significance

The Living God stands in stark contrast to the lifeless idols worshipped by surrounding nations. This title emphasizes that God is active, present, and involved in human affairs. He hears prayer, intervenes in history, and gives life to all creatures. We serve not a distant memory or a philosophical principle, but the Living God.

שֹׁפֵט Title

Judge of All the Earth

sho-FAYT kol ha-AH-rets
The Righteous Judge
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📚 Etymology & Meaning

"Shophet" (שֹׁפֵט) means judge—one who decides cases, administers justice, and defends the oppressed. As Judge of all the earth, God is the ultimate authority on right and wrong, and He will render perfect justice to all.

📖 Key Verses (KJ3)

Genesis 18:25
"Far be it from You to act in this way, to put to death the righteous one with the wicked one. Far be it from You. The Judge of all the earth, shall He not do justice?"
✝️ Theological Significance

Abraham's appeal to God as Judge reflects absolute confidence in divine justice. Even when pleading for Sodom, Abraham knew that God would never act unjustly. This title assures us that every wrong will be addressed, every injustice corrected. The Judge of all the earth will do right.

⚔️

Compound Names of Jehovah

Names revealing specific aspects of God's provision and character

Jehovah Combined Names

Throughout Scripture, YHWH (Jehovah) is combined with other words to create compound names that reveal specific aspects of God's character and actions. These names often arise from particular events where God demonstrated that aspect of His nature.

יְהוָֹה יִרְאֶה — Jehovah-Jireh
"The LORD Will Provide"
Genesis 22:14 — Named by Abraham when God provided a ram in place of Isaac
יְהוָֹה רֹפְאֶךָ — Jehovah-Rapha
"The LORD Who Heals"
Exodus 15:26 — "I am Jehovah your Healer" after the bitter waters of Marah
יְהוָֹה נִסִּי — Jehovah-Nissi
"The LORD My Banner"
Exodus 17:15 — Named by Moses after victory over Amalek
יְהוָֹה שָׁלוֹם — Jehovah-Shalom
"The LORD Is Peace"
Judges 6:24 — Named by Gideon when assured he would not die
יְהוָֹה רֹעִי — Jehovah-Rohi
"The LORD My Shepherd"
Psalm 23:1 — David's famous declaration of God's care
יְהוָֹה צִדְקֵנוּ — Jehovah-Tsidkenu
"The LORD Our Righteousness"
Jeremiah 23:6 — A Messianic title for the coming King
יְהוָֹה שָׁמָּה — Jehovah-Shammah
"The LORD Is There"
Ezekiel 48:35 — The name of the restored Jerusalem
יְהוָֹה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם — Jehovah-Mekoddishkem
"The LORD Who Sanctifies"
Leviticus 20:8 — God who sets His people apart as holy
יִרְאֶה Jireh

Jehovah-Jireh

yah-WEH yir-EH
"The LORD Will Provide"
▼

📖 The Account (KJ3)

Genesis 22:14
"And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Sees (Jehovah-Jireh); so that it is said until this day, In the mount of Jehovah it will be seen."

This name arose from Abraham's supreme test of faith—the command to sacrifice Isaac. At the crucial moment, God provided a ram, demonstrating that He sees our needs and provides for them. The Hebrew "yireh" can mean both "will see" and "will provide," capturing both God's awareness and His action.

✝️ Theological Significance

Jehovah-Jireh reminds us that God provides not according to our timeline but according to His perfect wisdom. Abraham received the provision "on the mount"—at the place of sacrifice and surrender. This name ultimately points to Calvary, where God provided His own Son as the sacrifice we could never provide for ourselves.

רֹפְאֶךָ Rapha

Jehovah-Rapha

yah-WEH ro-FEH
"The LORD Who Heals"
▼

📖 The Account (KJ3)

Exodus 15:26
"And He said, If listening you listen to the voice of Jehovah your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and you give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will not put on you all the diseases which I have put on Egypt; for I am Jehovah your Healer."

This revelation came at Marah, where bitter waters were made sweet. The healing of the waters symbolized God's power to heal both physical ailments and the spiritual sickness of His people.

✝️ Theological Significance

The Hebrew "rapha" means to heal, cure, or restore. God's healing extends beyond physical ailments to include emotional, relational, and spiritual restoration. He heals broken hearts, wounded souls, and shattered lives. By His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).

נִסִּי Nissi

Jehovah-Nissi

yah-WEH nis-SEE
"The LORD My Banner"
▼

📖 The Account (KJ3)

Exodus 17:15
"And Moses built an altar. And he called its name, Jehovah My Banner."

After Israel's victory over Amalek—a victory that came as long as Moses held up his hands—Moses built an altar with this name. The banner (Hebrew: "nes") was a rallying point for troops, a symbol of the cause for which they fought.

✝️ Theological Significance

A banner proclaimed identity and allegiance. By calling God his banner, Moses declared that Israel's victory came not from military prowess but from the LORD alone. We fight under God's banner—His honor is our cause, His strength is our confidence, His name is our battle cry.

שָׁלוֹם Shalom

Jehovah-Shalom

yah-WEH sha-LOHM
"The LORD Is Peace"
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📖 The Account (KJ3)

Judges 6:24
"And Gideon built an altar to Jehovah there, and called it Peace of Jehovah [Jehovah-shalom]. It is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites until today."

Gideon, terrified after realizing he had seen the Angel of the LORD face to face, was reassured: "Peace be to you; do not fear, you shall not die." In response, Gideon named the altar Jehovah-Shalom.

✝️ Theological Significance

"Shalom" means far more than absence of conflict—it encompasses completeness, wholeness, welfare, and harmony. Jehovah-Shalom is the God who brings complete well-being to His people. In Christ, we have peace with God and the peace of God that surpasses understanding.

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📊 Quick Reference Chart

Hebrew Name Meaning Key Verse
יהוה YHWH/Jehovah The Self-Existent One Exodus 3:14
אֱלֹהִים Elohim God (Mighty Creator) Genesis 1:1
אֵל שַׁדַּי El Shaddai God Almighty Genesis 17:1
אֲדֹנָי Adonai Lord, Master Genesis 15:2
אֵל עֶלְיוֹן El Elyon God Most High Genesis 14:18
אֵל עוֹלָם El Olam Everlasting God Genesis 21:33
אֵל רֳאִי El Roi God Who Sees Genesis 16:13
יהוה צְבָאוֹת Jehovah Tsevaot LORD of Hosts 1 Samuel 17:45
יהוה יִרְאֶה Jehovah-Jireh The LORD Will Provide Genesis 22:14
יהוה רֹפְאֶךָ Jehovah-Rapha The LORD Who Heals Exodus 15:26
יהוה נִסִּי Jehovah-Nissi The LORD My Banner Exodus 17:15
יהוה שָׁלוֹם Jehovah-Shalom The LORD Is Peace Judges 6:24