Is the English word "God" an accurate translation of the Hebrew word "Elohiym"?
Answer From The Annual Reading Schedule - Week 15 Notes For Exodus: No. The English word "God" with a capital "G" is always referring to the Heavenly Father, the omnipotent, all-Powerful Creator. However, the Hebrew "Elohiym" is not a word that is always used to refer to the Heavenly Father. We can see in Exodus 7:1 it says literally "And He said, Yahweh to Mosheh, "See, I did give you Elohiym to Paroh, and Aharon your brother, he will be your prophet." If we put the English word "God" in here, it would read, "And He said, Yahweh to Mosheh, "See, I did give you God to Paroh, and Aharon your brother, he will be your prophet." Of course, we know that Mosheh (Moses) was not made into the Heavenly Father for the Paroh (Pharaoh). So what does this verse mean? It means that Mosheh (Moses) was given Almighty Powers or that Mosheh (Moses) was made a Mighty Powerful One to Paroh (Pharaoh). Mosheh was a man, and at no point was He the Heavenly Father or the Creator, so he was never "God". So the word "God" is a word that is referring to, specifically, the Creator. But the word "Elohiym" can refer to either great mighty powers (which a man can have) or a very mighty powerful one.
Yahushua pointed out that Elohiym can refer to men when he quoted Psalms 82:6 in John 10:34-36. He was pointing out to them that those to whom the word of Elohiym came were being called Elohiym! Some of them did not understand, as some don't today, that the word "Elohiym" does not always refer to the Creator. In addition, we see in Exodus 9:28 Elohiym is translated in the KJV as "mighty".
In addition, if we look at Psalms 45:6-7, this appears to be a prophesy about the Mashiach. In this prophesy, it says, "Therefore Elohiym, Your Elohiym…", basically calling the Mashiach Elohiym and also saying that He also has an Elohiym! So the Mashiach appears to be called "Elohiym" here as well as in John 20:28.
However, we also see in the same prophesy that although Mashiach is called "Elohiym", it is clear He also has an Elohiym, which means that He is not Yahweh himself, but rather the Mashiach (the Anointed) of Yahweh. Yahweh does not have an Elohiym – He is Elohey HaElohiym (Elohiym of The Elohiym) – Deuteronomy 10:17.
But Yahushua does have an Elohiym – because Yahushua's Elohiym is Yahweh. That is why Yahushua, although called Elohiym in Psalms 45:6-7 and John 20:28, still says that Yahweh is the "only true Elohiym" in John 17:3 – because only Yahweh is "Elohey HaElohiym". Yahweh is the "Elohiym of The Elohiym" – the Elohiym of Yahushua who is also called Elohiym.
Related Topics
- Torah Reading Notes & Related Verses For Week 15 of The Annual Reading Schedule
- Week 34 of Sabbath Assembly Reading Schedule Covering John 10:19-10:40
- Week 40 of Sabbath Assembly Reading Schedule Covering Psalms 45:1-45:17
- Week 52 of Sabbath Assembly Reading Schedule Covering John 17:1-17:13
- Week 62 of Sabbath Assembly Reading Schedule Covering John 20:26-21:8
- Week 65 of Sabbath Assembly Reading Schedule Covering Exodus 7:1-7:25
- Week 67 of Sabbath Assembly Reading Schedule Covering Exodus 9:1-9:35
- Week 77 of Sabbath Assembly Reading Schedule Covering Psalms 82:1-82:8
- Week 201 of Sabbath Assembly Reading Schedule Covering Deuteronomy 10:14-11:12
- Week 293 of Sabbath Assembly Reading Schedule Covering Exodus 7:1-7:25
- Week 295 of Sabbath Assembly Reading Schedule Covering Exodus 9:1-9:35