אֱלֹהִים
God
‘God’ is one of 9 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Absolute-state word in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
- Singular
- One.
32 verses where H430 appears in the Absolute state in the Book of 2 Samuel. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
2 Samuel
- 2 Samuel 2:27 הָֽ/אֱלֹהִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor followed everyone his brother.
- 2 Samuel 3:9 אֱלֹהִים֙ n c mp God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don't do even so to him;
- 2 Samuel 3:35 אֱלֹהִים֙ n c mp All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun be down.
- 2 Samuel 6:2 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp David arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of Yahweh of Hosts who sits [above] the cherubim.
- 2 Samuel 6:3 הָֽ/אֱלֹהִים֙ ptcl def.art + n c mp They set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.
- 2 Samuel 6:4 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֑ים ptcl def.art + n c mp They brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.
- 2 Samuel 6:6 הָֽ/אֱלֹהִים֙ ptcl def.art + n c mp When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth [his hand] to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen stumbled.
- 2 Samuel 6:7 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֖ים הָ/אֱלֹהִֽים ptcl def.art + n c mp ptcl def.art + n c mp The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
- 2 Samuel 6:12 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֑ים הָ/אֱלֹהִ֜ים ptcl def.art + n c mp ptcl def.art + n c mp It was told king David, saying, Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of God. David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with joy.
- 2 Samuel 7:2 הָֽ/אֱלֹהִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp that the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains.
- 2 Samuel 7:22 אֱלֹהִים֙ n c mp Therefore you are great, Yahweh God: for there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
- 2 Samuel 7:23 אֱ֠לֹהִים וֵ/אלֹהָֽי/ו n c mp conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms What one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeem to you out of Egypt, [from] the nations and their gods?
- 2 Samuel 7:24 לֵ/אלֹהִֽים prep + n c mp You did establish to yourself your people Israel to be a people to you forever; and you, Yahweh, became their God.
- 2 Samuel 7:25 אֱלֹהִ֔ים n c mp Now, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm you it forever, and do as you have spoken.
- 2 Samuel 7:26 אֱלֹהִ֖ים n c mp Let your name be magnified forever, saying, Yahweh of hosts is God over Israel; and the house of your servant David shall be established before you.
- 2 Samuel 7:28 הָֽ/אֱלֹהִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Now, O Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant:
- 2 Samuel 9:3 אֱלֹהִ֑ים n c mp The king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him? Ziba said to the king, Jonathan has yet a son, who is lame of his feet.
- 2 Samuel 12:16 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c mp David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth.
- 2 Samuel 14:13 אֱלֹהִ֑ים n c mp The woman said, Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? for in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one.
- 2 Samuel 14:14 אֱלֹהִים֙ n c mp For we must needs die, and are as water split on the ground, which can't be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.
- 2 Samuel 14:16 אֱלֹהִֽים n c mp For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.
- 2 Samuel 14:17 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֱלֹהֶ֖י/ךָ ptcl def.art + n c mp n c mp cs + sfx pers 2ms Then your handmaid said, Please let the word of my lord the king be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and Yahweh your God be with you.
- 2 Samuel 14:20 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp to change the face of the matter has your servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.
- 2 Samuel 15:24 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֔ים הָ/אֱלֹהִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp ptcl def.art + n c mp Behold, Zadok also [came], and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.
- 2 Samuel 15:25 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c mp The king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:
- 2 Samuel 15:29 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they abode there.
- 2 Samuel 15:32 לֵ/אלֹהִ֑ים prep + n c mp It happened that when David had come to the top [of the ascent], where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and earth on his head.
- 2 Samuel 16:23 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֑ים ptcl def.art + n c mp The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
- 2 Samuel 19:13 אֱלֹהִים֙ n c mp Say you to Amasa, Aren't you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren't captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
- 2 Samuel 19:27 הָ/אֱלֹהִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp He has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in your eyes.
- 2 Samuel 21:14 אֱלֹהִ֛ים n c mp They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. After that God was entreated for the land.
- 2 Samuel 23:3 אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֱלֹהִֽים n c mp cs n c mp The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: One who rules over men righteously, Who rules in the fear of God,
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
אלהים — transliterated ʼĕlôhîym — is a Hebrew name carrying the sense “God.” It first appears in Genesis 1:1. The Hebrew Bible uses it across 2,246 verses — among the most common. Each statement above links to its evidence; the full detail follows below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H430 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 2,246
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 2,246 distinct verses.
- 35 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 35 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #13
- by frequency
- Top 25 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 13 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 2,246 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Psalms 322 verses 14%
- Deuteronomy 312 verses 14%
- Genesis 190 verses 8%
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 2,246 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 784 verses · 35%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 779 verses · 35%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 683 verses · 30%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: God 2,100×, Gods 160×, Is no god 7×
- American Standard Version: God 1,915×, Gods 141×, Jehovah thy god 20×
- Berean Standard Bible: God 2,183×, Gods 176×, May god 17×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: God 1,924×, God of 307×, Gods 148×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H430 across 2,605 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 173 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 1 further occurrence.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H430 across 2,605 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 248 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 2 further occurrences.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H430 across 2,560 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 60 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 40 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H430 across 2,584 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 48 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
15 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 15 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
- 1. pl. in number.
- a. rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power: האלהים Ex 21:6 (Onk 𝔖, but τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ 𝔊) 22:7, 8; אלהים 22:8, 27 (𝔗 Ra AE Ew RVm; but gods, 𝔊 Josephus Philo AV; God, Di RV; all Covt. code of E) cf. 1 S 2:25 v. Dr.; Ju 5:8 (Ew, but gods 𝔊; God 𝔖 BarHeb.; יהוה 𝔙 Be) ψ 82:1, 6 (De Ew Pe; but angels Bl Hup) 138:1 (𝔖 𝔗 Rab Ki De; but angels 𝔊 Calv; God, Ew; gods, Hup Pe Che). e.g. Exodus 21:6
- b. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels ψ 8:6 (De Che Br; but angels 𝔊 𝔖 𝔗 Ew; God, RV and most moderns) Gn 1:27 (if with Philo 𝔗 Jer De Che we interpret נעשה as God’s consultation with angels; cf. Jb 38:7). e.g. Psalms 8:6
- c. angels ψ 97:7 (𝔊 𝔖 Calv; but gods, Hup De Pe Che); cf. בני (ה)אלהים = (the) sons of God, or sons of gods = angels Jb 1:6; 2:1; 38:7 Gn 6:2, 4 (J; so 𝔊 Bks. of Enoch & Jubilees Philo Jude v 6; 2 Pet 2:4 JosAnt. i, 3, 1, most ancient fathers and modern critics; against usage are sons of princes, mighty men, Onk and Rab.; sons of God, the pious, Theod Chrys Jer Augustine Luther Calv Hengst; 𝔊L read οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ), cf. בני אלים. e.g. Psalms 97:7
- d. gods האלהים Ex 18:11; 22:19 (E) 1 S 4:3; 2 Ch 2:4 ψ 86:3; אלהי האלהים the God of gods, supreme God Dt 10:17 ψ 136:2; אלהים Ex 32:1, 23 (JE) Ju 9:13; אלהים אחרים other gods Ex 20:3; 23:13 Jos 24:2, 16 (E) Dt 31:18, 20 (JE) 5:7 + (17 times in D, not P) Ju 2:12, 17, 19; 10:13 1 S 8:8; 26:19 1 K 9:6, 9 (= 2 Ch 7:19, 22) 11:4, 10; 14:9 2 K 5:17; 17:35, 37, 38; 22:17 (= 2 Ch 34:25) 2 Ch 28:25 Je 1:16 + (18 times Je) Ho 3:1; אלהי (ה)נכר foreign gods Gn 35:2, 4 Jos 24:20, 23 (E) Dt 31:16 (JE) Ju 10:16 1 S 7:3 2 Ch 33:15 Je 5:19; א׳ נחור (v. 4 b); א׳ מצרים Ex 12:12 (P) Je 43:12, 13; א׳ האמרי Jos 24:15 (E) Ju 6:10; א׳ ארם etc. Ju 10:6; אלהים מעשה ידי Dt 4:28; א׳ הגוים gods of the nations 2 K 18:33; 19:12 Dt 29:17; 2 Ch 32:17, 19 Is 36:18; 37:12; א׳ העמים Dt 6:14; 13:8 Ju 2:12 ψ 96:5 1 Ch 5:25; 16:26; 2 Ch 32:13, 14; א׳ כסף Ex 20:23 (E); א׳ זהב Ex 20:23 (E) 32:31 (JE); א׳ מַסֵּכָה Ex 34:17 (J) Lv 19:4 (H). e.g. Exodus 18:11
- 2. Pl. intensive.
- a. god or goddess, always with sf. 1 S 5:7 (Dagon), Ju 11:24 (Chemosh), 1 K 18:24 (Baal), Ju 9:27 Dn 1:2(×2); or cstr. לעשתרת א׳ צדנים לכמוש א׳ מואב to Ashtoreth goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh god of Moab, etc. 1 K 11:33; א׳ הארץ god of the land 2 K 17:26(×2), 27, and so the Syrians suppose that Yahweh is a mountain-god and not a god of valleys 1 K 20:28. e.g. 1 Samuel 5:7
- b. godlike one Ex 4:16 (J; Moses in relation to Aaron), Ex 7:1 (P; in relation to Pharaoh), 1 S 28:13 (the shade of Samuel), ψ 45:7 (the Messianic king, O God, 𝔊 𝔖 Jer, most scholars ancient and modern, but thy throne is God’s = God’s throne AE Ki Thes Ew Hup, cf. 1 Ch 28:5). e.g. Exodus 4:16
- c. works of God, or things specially belonging to him (vid. אֵל 5) הר אלהים ψ 68:16; Ez 28:14, 16; אש אלהים Jb 1:16; גן (ה)אלהים Ez 28:13; 31:8, 9. e.g. Psalms 68:16
- d. God (vid. 3 & 4).
- 3. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God, י׳ הוא האלהים Yahweh is (the) God Dt 4:35, 39; 7:9 1 K 8:60; 18:39(×2) 2 Ch 33:13 הוא האלהים 1 K 18:24 Is 45:18; י׳ האלהים Jos 22:34 (P?) 1 K 18:21; 2 Ch 32:16; אתה הוא האלהים 2 S 7:28; 1 K 18:37; 2 K 19:15; 1 Ch 17:26; Is 37:16; Ne 9:7; האלהים as subj. or obj. is used in E 33 times, Chr 38 times, Ec 31 times, Jon 5 times, elsewhere Gn 5:22, 24; 6:9, 11 (sources of P) 17:18 (P) Jos 22:34 (P?) Gn 44:16 (J) Dt 4:35, 39; 7:9; Ju 6:36, 39; 7:14; 10:14; 16:28; 21:2 1 S 10:3, 7; 14:36; 2 S 2:27; 6:7; 7:28; 12:16 1 K 8:60; 18:21, 24(×2), 37, 39(×2) 2 K 19:15 (Ephr) Jb 2:10 Je 11:12 Is 37:16; 45:18 ψ 108:14 Dn 1:9, 17; י׳ הא׳ הקדוש 1 S 6:20; י׳ הא׳ הגדול Ne 8:6; הא׳ אשר בירושלם Ezr 1:3; אדני האלהים Dn 9:3; in many phrases, as איש האלהים the man of God, acting under divine authority and influence: = (a) angel Ju 13:6, 8, (b) prophet (the term coming into use in the Northern kingdom in the age of Elijah 1 S 9:6–10, cf. אִישׁ הָרוּחַ Hos 9:7): of Moses Dt 33:1 Jos 14:6 (E) 1 Ch 23:14 2 Ch 30:16 Ezr 3:2 ψ 90:1; of Samuel 1 S 9:6–10; of David 2 Ch 8:14 Ne 12:24, 36; Shemaiah 1 K 12:22 (= 2 Ch 11:2); Elijah, Elisha, and others of their time 1 K 13:1–31; 17:18–24; 20:28 2 K 1:9–13; 4:7–42; 5:8–20; 6:6–15; 7:2, 17; 8:2–11; 13:19; 23:16–17 (Ephr.) 2 Ch 25:7, 9; unnamed prophet 1 S 2:27; Hanan Je 35:4; a later title of prophet was עֶבֶד האלהים the servant of God, used of Moses 1 Ch 6:34 2 Ch 24:9 Ne 10:30 Dn 9:11. בית האלהים the house of God, Ju 18:31, especially late, Chr (52 times) Ec 4:17 Dn 1:2; בית י׳ הא׳ 1 Ch 22:1; האלהים (ברית) ארון the ark (of the covenant) of God Ju 20:27 1 S 4–5. 14, 2 S 6–7. 15 (23 times) 1 Ch 13. 15. 16, 2 Ch 1:4 (13 times); מטה האלהים the rod of God Ex 4:20; 17:9 (E); הר האלהים the mount of God (Horeb) Ex 3:1; 4:27; 18:5; 24:13 (E) 1 K 19:8 (Ephr.); מלאך האלהים the (theophanic) angel of God Gn 31:11 Ex 14:19 (E) Ju 6:20; 13:6, 9 2 S 14:17, 20; 19:28; in other combinations Ex 18:16 Nu 23:27 (E) Ju 20:2 1 S 4:8; 5:11; 10:5 2 S 16:23 1 K 12:22 1 Ch 21:7 + ψ 87:3 Ec 9:1. e.g. Deuteronomy 4:35
- 4. אֱלֹהִים = God י׳ אֱלֹהִים אֱמֶת = Yahweh is God in truth Je 10:10. e.g. Jeremiah 10:10
- a. אלהים (as subj. obj. direct or indirect) is used by P (50 times in story of creation and deluge, elsewhere 28 times), by E (91 times), J chiefly in poetic sources Gn 3:1, 3, 5(×2); 9:27; 39:9 Dt 32:17, 39, by D (11 times) Ju (21 times) S (50 times) K (29 times) Chr (45 times); in ψ 42–86 (180 times often by editorial change for an original יהוה), elsewhere ψ 3:3; 5:11; 7:11, 12; 9:18; 10:4, 13; 14:1, 2, 5; 25:22; 36:2, 8; 77:14; 100:3; 108:2, 6, 8, 12(×2), 14 Jb 5:8; 20:29; 28:23; 32:2; 34:9 (& in Prologue 6 times) Pr 2:5; 3:4; 25:2 Ec (7 times) Hos (5 times) Am 4:11 (כמהפכת אלהים את סדם as God overthrew Sodom = Je 50:40 = Is 13:19) Zc 8:23; 12:8 Mi 3:7 (but אליהם 𝔊 𝔖) Is 35:4 Is 2 (9 times) Je 10:10 Ez (13 times) Mal (5 times) Jon (4 times); the phrase היה ל׳ לאלהים Gn 28:21 (ER) 17:7, 8 Ex 6:7; 29:45 Lv 11:45; 22:33; 25:38; 26:12, 45 Nu 15:41 (P) Dt 26:17; 29:13 2 S 7:24 (= 1 Ch 17:22) Zc 8:8 Je (6 times) Ez (6 times); אלהים צדיק righteous God ψ 7:10; א׳ קדשים holy God Jos 24:19 (E); א׳ חיים living God Dt 5:23 1 S 17:26, 36 Je 10:10; 23:36; א׳ חי 2 K 19:4, 16 (= Is 37:4, 17). For the phrases יהוה א׳, י׳ א׳ צבאות, א׳ צבאות, אל א׳ י׳, יה א׳, י׳ צבאות א׳, י׳ אלהי צבאות, אדני א׳ vid. יהוה, יה, צבאות & אדני. e.g. Genesis 3:1
- b. cstr. אֱלֹהֵי (α) with persons אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם = God of Abraham, a phrase of J, Gn 26:24; 28:13; 31:53, Gn 31:42 (ε) Ex 3:6 ψ 47:10 1 K 18:36 1 Ch 29:18 2 Ch 30:6; א׳ אדני אברהם Gn 24:12, 27, 42, 48 (J); אלהי אב father’s God (various sf. & names), a phrase of E, Gn 31:5, 29, 42; 46:3; 50:17 Ex 3:6, 13, 15, 16; 15:2; 18:4 Jos 18:3, elsewhere Gn 32:10; 43:23 (J) Ex 4:5 (J?) Dt (8 times) Ju 2:12 2 K 21:22 Chr (31 times) Dn 11:37; אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel’s God, phrase of E, Gn 33:20 Ex 5:1; 24:10; 32:27 Jos 8:30; 14:14; 22:16; 24:2, 23, elsewhere Ex 34:23 Jos 7:13, 19, 20 (JE) Nu 16:9 Jos 9:18, 19; 22:24; 10:40, 42; 13:14, 33 (R vid. Di Jos 7:13) Ju 4:6; 5:3, 5; 6:8; 11:21, 23; 21:3 1 S 1:17 + (20 times) K (26 times) Chr (45 times) ψ 41:14; 106:48 (doxol.) 59:6; 69:7 Is 17:6; 21:10, 17; 29:23 Is 3; 24:15; 37:16, 21 Is 2; 41:17 + (6 times) Je 35:17 + (48 times), Ez 8:4 + (7 times) Zp 2:9 Mal 2:16 Ru 2:12; א׳ מערכות ישראל God of the battle array of Israel 1 S 17:45; א׳ יַעֲקֹב 2 S 23:1 (poet.) ψ 20:2; 46:8, 12; 75:10; 76:7; 81:2, 5; 84:9; 94:7 Is 2:3 (= Mi 4:2); א׳ העבריים God of the Hebrews Ex 3:18; 5:3; 7:16; 9:1, 13 (JE); it is used with other proper names, Nahor Gn 31:53 (E), Shem Gn 9:26 (J), David 2 K 20:5 2 Ch 21:12; 34:3 Is 38:5, Hezekiah 2 Ch 32:17, Elijah 2 K 2:14; א׳ אדני המלך the God of my lord the king 1 K 1:36. (β) with nouns of attributes or relationships, א׳ קֶדֶם ancient God Dt 33:27; א׳ עולם everlasting God Is 40:28; א׳ אֱמֶת true God 2 Ch 15:3; א׳ אָמֵן Is 65:16 (vid. אָמֵן); א׳ משפט Is 30:18 Mal 2:17; א׳ מרום Mi 6:6; א׳ כָל בָשָׂר God of all flesh Je 32:27; cf. א׳ הרוחת לכל בשר Nu 16:22; 27:16 (P); א׳ השמים God of heaven Gn 24:7 (JR) 2 Ch 36:23 Ezr 1:2 Ne 1:4, 5; 2:4, 20; cf. א׳ כל הארץ Is 54:5; י׳ א׳ השמים וא׳ הארץ Gn 24:3 (JR); א׳ מִקָּרֹב a God at hand opp. א׳ מֵרָחֹק Je 23:23, א׳ ישועתי, א׳ יִשְׁעִי God of my salvation ψ 18:47 (= 2 S 22:47) 24:5; 25:5; 27:9; 65:6; 79:9; 85:5 Is 17:10 Mi 7:7 Hb 3:18 1 Ch 16:35; א׳ ישועתי ψ 88:2; א׳ תשועתי ψ 51:16; א׳ צִדְקִי God of my righteousness ψ 4:2; א׳ חַסְדִּי ψ 59:11, 18; א׳ צוּרִי God who is my rock 2 S 22:3 (cf. ψ 18:3); א׳ מָעוּזִּי֯ God who is my stronghold ψ 43:2; א׳ תְהִלָּתִי God who is my praise ψ 109:1. e.g. Genesis 26:24
- c. with sf. in P (22 times incl. phr. ויראת מאלהיך) Lv 19:14, 32; 25:17, 36, 43 (H) Ex 8:21 Jos 24:27 (E) Dt 32:37 (poet.) Jos 9:23 (JE) Dt 10:21; 31:17 Ju 10:10; 16:23, 24 1 S 10:19 2 S 10:12; 22:32 + (4 times poet.) 1 K 12:28; 20:23 2 K 19:10 Chr (83 times) ψ (62 times) Pr 2:17; 30:9 Ru 1:15, 16(×2) Is 1:10; 7:13; 8:19, 21 Is 2 (29 times) Je 5:4, 5; 23:36; 51:5 Ez 34:31 Dn (5 times) Ho (12 times) Am 2:8; 4:12 Jo 1:13(×2), 16; 2:17 Mi 6:8; 7:7 Jon 1:5, 6 Zp 3:2 Na 1:14 Zc 9:7; 12:5; אלהים with sf. is also used with יהוה several hundred times (vid. יהוה). e.g. Leviticus 19:14
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
n.m.pl. (f. 1 K 11:33; on number of occurrences of אֵל, אֱלוֹהַּ, אֱלֹהִים cf. also Nesl.c.)
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from אלוה (ʼĕlôwahh) (H433) — God.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
אֱלֹהִים
- , v. אֱלוֹהַּ
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 348 distinct written forms H430 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that state’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 288 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H430, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → 2 of the same-root words are proper names (people or places). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Bible dictionary
Public-domain dictionary articles matched to this entry by name (God). A biblical name can be shared by more than one person or place, so an article may treat several.
Easton's Bible Dictionary · M. G. Easton, 1897
(A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew 'El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of 'Eloah_, plural _'Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by "LORD," printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Ps. 14:1).
The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:
(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.
(2.) The a posteriori argument, by which we proceed logically from the facts of experience to causes. These arguments are,
(a) The cosmological, by which it is proved that there must be a First Cause of all things, for every effect must have a cause.
(b) The teleological, or the argument from design. We see everywhere the operations of an intelligent Cause in nature.
(c) The moral argument, called also the anthropological argument, based on the moral consciousness and the history of mankind, which exhibits a moral order and purpose which can only be explained on the supposition of the existence of God. Conscience and human history testify that "verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth."
The attributes of God are set forth in order by Moses in Ex. 34:6, 7. (see also Deut. 6:4; 10:17; Num. 16:22; Ex. 15:11; 33:19; Isa. 44:6; Hab. 3:6; Ps. 102:26; Job 34:12.) They are also systematically classified in Rev. 5:12 and 7:12.
God's attributes are spoken of by some as absolute, i.e., such as belong to his essence as Jehovah, Jah, etc.; and relative, i.e., such as are ascribed to him with relation to his creatures. Others distinguish them into communicable, i.e., those which can be imparted in degree to his creatures: goodness, holiness, wisdom, etc.; and incommunicable, which cannot be so imparted: independence, immutability, immensity, and eternity. They are by some also divided into natural attributes, eternity, immensity, etc.; and moral, holiness, goodness, etc.
Smith's Bible Dictionary · William Smith, 1863
(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and Jehovah, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength, as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect, and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it referred to the trinity of persons in the Godhead hardly finds now a supporter among scholars. It is either what grammarians call the plural of majesty, or it denotes the fullness of divine strength, the sum of the powers displayed by God. Jehovah denotes specifically the one true God, whose people the Jews were, and who made them the guardians of his truth. The name is never applied to a false god, nor to any other being except one, the ANGEL-JEHOVAH who is thereby marked as one with God, and who appears again in the New Covenant as "God manifested in the flesh." Thus much is clear; but all else is beset with difficulties. At a time too early to be traced, the Jews abstained from pronouncing the name, for fear of its irreverent use. The custom is said to have been founded on a strained interpretation of (Leviticus 24:16) and the phrase there used, "THE NAME" (Shema), is substituted by the rabbis for the unutterable word. In reading the Scriptures they substituted for it the word ADONAI (Lord), from the translation of which by Kurios in the LXX., followed by the Vulgate, which uses Dominus, we have the Lord of our version. The substitution of the word Lord is most unhappy, for it in no way represents the meaning of the sacred name. The key to the meaning of the name is unquestionably given in God's revelation of himself to Moses by the phrase "I AM THAT I AM," (Exodus 3:14; 6:3) We must connect the name Jehovah with the Hebrew substantive verb to be, with the inference that it expresses the essential, eternal, unchangeable being of Jehovah. But more, it is not the expression only, or chiefly, of an absolute truth: it is a practical revelation of God, in his essential, unchangeable relation to this chosen people, the basis of his covenant.
Classic public-domain reference works; full attribution on Sources.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 2,078 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 2,246 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 1:1
- Exodus 1:17
- Leviticus 2:13
- Numbers 6:7
- Deuteronomy 1:6
- Joshua 1:9
- Judges 1:7
- Ruth 1:15
- 1 Samuel 1:17
- 2 Samuel 2:27
- 1 Kings 1:17
- 2 Kings 1:2
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
