Comprehensive Guide to the Names of God in the Hebrew Bible

Posted on November 4, 2024 by Biblical Hebrew

The Hebrew Bible presents a rich tapestry of names for God, each revealing different aspects of His character, roles, and relationship with humanity. This list organizes the 71 names of God into primary names, compound names and titles, descriptive titles, and metaphorical names, with references to where each name first appears in the Scriptures.

1. Primary Names of God

These foundational names are frequently used to refer to God throughout the Hebrew Bible and convey His essential nature.

  1. YHWH (יהוה) – “The LORD” (Exodus 3:14)
  2. Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) – “God” (Genesis 1:1)
  3. El (אֵל) – “God” or “Mighty One” (Genesis 14:18)
  4. Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) – “Lord” (Genesis 15:2)

2. Compound Names and Titles

These names combine “YHWH,” “El,” or “Elohim” with additional descriptive terms that illuminate specific attributes or roles of God.

  1. YHWH-Jireh (יְהוָה יִרְאֶה) – “The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14)
  2. YHWH-Rapha (יְהוָה רָפָא) – “The Lord Who Heals” (Exodus 15:26)
  3. YHWH-Nissi (יְהוָה נִסִּי) – “The Lord My Banner” (Exodus 17:15)
  4. YHWH-Mekaddishkem (יְהוָה מְקַדִּישְׁכֶם) – “The Lord Who Sanctifies” (Exodus 31:13)
  5. YHWH-Shalom (יְהוָה שָׁלוֹם) – “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24)
  6. YHWH-Tsidkenu (יְהוָה צִדְקֵנוּ) – “The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6)
  7. YHWH-Rohi (יְהוָה רֹעִי) – “The Lord My Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1)
  8. YHWH-Sabaoth (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת) – “The Lord of Hosts” (1 Samuel 1:3)
  9. YHWH-Shammah (יְהוָה שָׁמָּה) – “The Lord is There” (Ezekiel 48:35)
  10. YHWH-Gmolah (יְהוָה גְּמוּלָה) – “The God of Recompense” (Jeremiah 51:6)
  11. YHWH-Elohe Yisrael (יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) – “The Lord God of Israel” (Exodus 3:15)
  12. YHWH-Ori (יְהוָה אוֹרִי) – “The Lord is My Light” (Psalm 27:1)
  13. YHWH-Channun (יְהוָה חַנּוּן) – “The Lord is Gracious” (Exodus 34:6)
  14. YHWH-Elohim (יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים) – “The Lord God” (Genesis 2:4)
  15. YHWH-Makkeh (יְהוָה מַכֵּה) – “The Lord Who Strikes” (Exodus 12:12)
  16. YHWH-Kanah (יְהוָה קַנָּא) – “The Lord is Jealous” (Exodus 20:5)
  17. YHWH-Nissim (יְהוָה נִסִּים) – “The Lord of Wonders” (Psalm 77:14)
  18. YHWH-Magen (יְהוָה מָגֵן) – “The Lord My Shield” (Genesis 15:1)
  19. YHWH-Tzaddik (יְהוָה צַדִּיק) – “The Lord is Righteous” (Jeremiah 12:1)
  20. YHWH-Or Olam (יְהוָה אוֹר עוֹלָם) – “The Lord, Light of the World” (Isaiah 60:19)
  21. YHWH-Hosea (יְהוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה) – “The Lord Saves” (Psalm 118:25)
  22. YHWH-Emet (יְהוָה אֱמֶת) – “The Lord is Truth” (Jeremiah 10:10)
  23. YHWH-Maon (יְהוָה מָעוֹן) – “The Lord My Dwelling Place” (Psalm 90:1)
  24. YHWH-Go’el (יְהוָה גֹּאֵל) – “The Lord My Redeemer” (Isaiah 47:4)
  25. YHWH-Gadol (יְהוָה גָּדוֹל) – “The Lord is Great” (Jeremiah 10:6)
  26. YHWH-Chesed (יְהוָה חֶסֶד) – “The Lord of Lovingkindness” (Psalm 138:2)
  27. YHWH-Mikveh Yisrael (יְהוָה מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל) – “The Lord, the Hope of Israel” (Jeremiah 17:13)
  28. YHWH-Rophe Nefesh (יְהוָה רוֹפֵא נֶפֶשׁ) – “The Lord, Healer of the Soul” (Psalm 23:3)
  29. YHWH-Hamelech (יְהוָה הַמֶּלֶךְ) – “The Lord, the King” (Psalm 10:16)
  30. YHWH-Nakem (יְהוָה נָקֵם) – “The Lord Who Avengeth” (Nahum 1:2)
  31. YHWH-Romem (יְהוָה רוֹמֵם) – “The Lord Who Exalts” (Psalm 18:46)
  32. YHWH-Tzur (יְהוָה צוּר) – “The Lord is My Rock” (Psalm 18:2)
  33. YHWH-Chai (יְהוָה חַי) – “The Living Lord” (Joshua 3:10)

3. Descriptive Titles for God

These titles highlight attributes and roles of God, describing His divine characteristics and interactions with His people.

  1. El Shaddai (אֵל שַׁדַּי) – “God Almighty” (Genesis 17:1)
  2. El Elyon (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן) – “God Most High” (Genesis 14:18)
  3. El Olam (אֵל עוֹלָם) – “Everlasting God” (Genesis 21:33)
  4. El Roi (אֵל רֳאִי) – “God Who Sees Me” (Genesis 16:13)
  5. El Gibbor (אֵל גִּבּוֹר) – “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6)
  6. El HaKadosh (אֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ) – “The Holy God” (Isaiah 30:11)
  7. El De’ot (אֵל דֵּעוֹת) – “God of Knowledge” (1 Samuel 2:3)
  8. El Chaiyai (אֵל חַיָּי) – “God of My Life” (Psalm 42:8)
  9. El Malei Rachamim (אֵל מָלֵא רַחֲמִים) – “God Full of Compassion” (2 Chronicles 30:9)
  10. El Yeshuati (אֵל יְשׁוּעָתִי) – “God of My Salvation” (Psalm 88:1)
  11. El Kana (אֵל קַנָּא) – “Jealous God” (Exodus 20:5)
  12. El Elyon Qoneh Shamayim Va’aretz (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ) – “God Most High, Creator of Heaven and Earth” (Genesis 14:19)
  13. Sar Shalom (שַׂר שָׁלוֹם) – “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6)
  14. Adonai Roi (אֲדֹנָי רֹעִי) – “The Lord is My Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1)
  15. Melech HaKavod (מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד) – “The King of Glory” (Psalm 24:8)
  16. Esh Oklah (אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה) – “Consuming Fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24)
  17. Tzur Yisrael (צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל) – “The Rock of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:3)
  18. Avinu Malkeinu (אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ) – “Our Father, Our King” (Isaiah 63:16)
  19. Yeshurun (יְשֻׁרוּן) – “The Upright One” (Deuteronomy 33:5)
  20. Magen Avraham (מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם) – “Shield of Abraham” (Genesis 15:1)
  21. Melech HaOlam (מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם) – “King of the World” (Jeremiah 10:10)
  22. HaMakom (הַמָּקוֹם) – “The Place” (Genesis 28:11)
  23. Elohei Avraham, Yitzchak, v’Yaakov (אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם, יִצְחָק, וְיַעֲקֹב) – “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Exodus 3:15)

4. Metaphorical Names and Titles

These names use imagery to express God’s nature and how He relates to His people.

  1. Eben Yisrael (אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל) – “Rock of Israel” (Genesis 49:24)
  2. Ro’eh Yisrael (רֹעֶה יִשְׂרָאֵל) – “Shepherd of Israel” (Psalm 80:1)
  3. Chokhmah (חָכְמָה) – “Wisdom” (Proverbs 8:12)
  4. Or HaOlam (אוֹר הָעוֹלָם) – “Light of the World” (Isaiah 60:19)
  5. Makom HaMikdash (מָקוֹם הַמִּקְדָּשׁ) – “Place of the Sanctuary” (Ezekiel 43:12)
  6. Esh Kodesh (אֵשׁ קֹדֶשׁ) – “Holy Fire” (Exodus 3:2)
  7. Ruach Elohim (רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים) – “Spirit of God” (Genesis 1:2)
  8. Mayim Chayim (מַיִם חַיִּים) – “Living Waters” (Jeremiah 17:13)
  9. Esh Eim HaTzel (אֵשׁ אֵם הַצֵּל) – “Shadow of Protection” (Psalm 91:1)
  10. Kedosh Yisrael (קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל) – “Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 1:4)
  11. Ani Hu (אֲנִי הוּא) – “I Am He” (Deuteronomy 32:39)

 

Names of God in the Hebrew Bible

In the Bible, God’s names serve to reveal His character and attributes to humanity rather than to distinguish Him from other gods. For example, in the Old Testament, God introduces Himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM” in Exodus 3:14. This name, often rendered as “YHWH” in Hebrew, emphasizes God as self-existent and eternal, beyond human comprehension. Other names like “El Shaddai” (God Almighty) or “Elohim” emphasize His power and sovereignty, helping believers understand His nature and qualities.

The Bible also acknowledges the existence of other “gods,” but these are either idols or lesser spiritual beings, not true gods in the sense of having ultimate power or authority. In Isaiah 45:5, God declares, “I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me, there is no God,” reinforcing His uniqueness. The use of names and titles in the Bible, then, is not to differentiate God from equals but to help humanity grasp aspects of His nature and engage with Him on a personal level.

From a biblical perspective, God’s essence is so singular and unique that a name isn’t truly necessary for His existence or self-identification. He is the Creator, the source of all being, and stands outside the limitations of human language and classification. His identity is fundamentally distinct from created beings, gods, or idols that might require names to mark their individuality. When it comes to the one true God, there is nothing comparable to Him, as the Bible states in Isaiah 46:9, “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” This verse suggests that God’s very being is defined by absolute uniqueness, making a name, in the sense of differentiation, unnecessary.

Yet, names for God appear throughout the Bible, not to categorize Him among others, but to reveal His qualities and foster a deeper relationship with His people. For instance, the name “YHWH” (translated often as “LORD”) revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, where God describes Himself as “I AM WHO I AM,” emphasizes self-existence and eternal presence. This designation, rather than acting as a simple name, serves to affirm God’s timeless and unchanging nature, conveying that He is the foundation of all reality, existing beyond time and space.

Similarly, other names like El Shaddai (God Almighty), Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide), and Jehovah Rapha (The Lord Who Heals) do not serve as markers among many gods but are used to describe God’s relationship with His people. They communicate specific attributes of His character, His power, and His providence. These names were provided as a means for people to understand God’s qualities and to know how they could relate to Him in different circumstances. When Abraham calls God “Jehovah Jireh” in Genesis 22:14, he is affirming his faith in God’s provision, acknowledging God’s role in his life rather than distinguishing God from others.

From a biblical standpoint, these names help human beings approach God, giving them a way to express their understanding of His nature. For instance, the name “Father” is used by Jesus in the New Testament, especially in the Lord’s Prayer, to foster a sense of closeness, compassion, and intimacy with God, highlighting His care and protection. Jesus also uses titles like “the Light,” “the Way,” and “the Good Shepherd” to further illustrate God’s guiding, redemptive, and nurturing qualities. Each name or title doesn’t serve as a label but as an invitation for believers to know different aspects of God’s character.

The biblical perspective underscores that God’s names are a concession to human language, provided for our understanding rather than a necessity for God Himself. In passages like Isaiah 55:8-9, where God says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” it is emphasized that God exists beyond the limitations of human language and comprehension. These names and titles are not boundaries or categories, but revelations, helping finite beings relate to an infinite God.

Ultimately, while biblical names for God provide insight into who He is, they remain only glimpses into a divine reality that transcends all human understanding.

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